Dana Whites Contender Series winner not leaning into Jon Jones comparison

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Quentin Pasley blew the roof off the building with his curtain-closing performance last night.

This year’s Dana White’s Contender Series is well underway, with many fighters earning UFC contracts as we reach the halfway point of the season. On Tuesday, four men fought their way into the UFC, but none were more impressive than the incredibly green prospect Pasley. The 24-year-old entered the show without much expectation. Despite having a perfect 3-0 record before fighting on DWCS, the Connecticut native’s opponents on the regional scene had a combined record of zero wins and eight losses before facing him.

Making a big step up in competition, being matched against 6-foot-6 undefeated titan Arlind Berisha, Quentin Pasley didn’t blink. He carried on his earlier career dominance, needing just one round to get his hand raised, and in violent fashion.

Pasley took the fight to the ground, landed a barrage of sickening elbows, and earned the stoppage victory at 4:41 of the opening round. The display earned Pasley an unheard-of compliment from Dana White, who said:

“Quentin, as we’re going through the list tonight… I said to the boys: why is a 3 and 0 guy the headliner tonight? And they looked at me and said, ‘You’re going to find out.'”

“4-0 and 24-years-old is very young and inexperienced to get into the UFC. But holy sh*t. So, after the fight, including myself, lots of Jon Jones talk. Reminded a lot of people of Jon Jones tonight. You are very exciting, kid. We are all looking forward to seeing you fight again.”

White, who is unwavering in his belief that Jon Jones is the greatest fighter of all time, never compares another fighter to his GOAT.

Quentin Pasley’s kicking game was on show, but his violent nature when the fight hit the ground was reminiscent of a young Jones.

While Jon Jones is his favorite fighter, Pasley was unmoved by the comparison. The rising star knows there’s much work ahead, and many obstacles to get past if he’s ever going to fulfill his potential.

Speaking to media following his UFC contract-winning performance, Pasley said:

“[Dana White] was just impressed. He said I remind him of Jon Jones. I’mma take the good route from that, and yeah… I’ll be a liar to say it doesn’t mean anything. It’s a blessing, but I got to stick to it. It’s just the beginning.”

Pasley continued:

“I take it with like a grain of salt. It’s just words. I got to go out there and prove myself still. I got a long way to go, so just keep going.”

Check out what Quentin Pasley had to say following his Contender Series win below.