Alex Pereiras Sister Comes Up Short in Contender Series Debut— Who Got the UFC Contract Ins

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Aline Pereira entered the UFC Apex with the mission to earn a contract and join her brother, former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight Alex Pereira, on the UFC roster. Standing across from her was Smilla Sundell, a 21-year-old Swedish striker with only two professional MMA fights but a lifetime of combat sports experience. 

When the final horn sounded, it was Sundell who had her hand raised, winning a unanimous decision in the DWCS Season 10 finale on October 13, 2026.

Sundell’s Pressure Proves Decisive

Sundell used forward pressure and volume striking to keep Pereira on the back foot. The Swedish fighter’s size and pace proved difficult for Pereira to overcome.

Pereira did find success, however, landing clean check left hooks and jabs, but she struggled to string together sustained offense.

Pereira, who typically fights at flyweight, moved up to bantamweight for this opportunity. The size discrepancy was evident as Sundell maintained forward pressure throughout the contest. 

While Pereira showed improved striking defense compared to her earlier MMA outings and kept the fight close, she never managed to shift the momentum in her favor.

Despite the loss, Pereira’s journey to this point has been remarkable. She had a rocky 1-2 start in MMA, dropping her debut.

Pereira stepped away from the sport in 2023 before reinventing herself in Karate Combat. There, she went 3-0 with two knockouts and captured the promotion’s inaugural women’s flyweight title.

She returned to MMA in late 2025 and entered DWCS with a 3-2 professional record.

Who Is Smilla Sundell?

Sundell enters the UFC as one of the most decorated prospects in recent memory. A Muay Thai prodigy from Sweden, she moved to Thailand at twelve years old and was ranked No. 1 in the world by WBC Muaythai at sixteen. 

In 2022, she became the youngest world champion in ONE Championship history at just seventeen years and 161 days old, defeating Jackie Buntan for the inaugural women’s strawweight Muay Thai title.

The 5’10” bantamweight spent 2024 and 2025 systematically developing her grappling and wrestling game. She won BJJ tournament gold in North America before making her MMA debut in January 2026 (via Smilla Sundell on Instagram).

Her first two MMA fights both ended via TKO, showcasing that her striking power translated seamlessly to the cage. Standing 135 pounds with a 69-inch reach, Sundell possesses the physical tools to compete with elite bantamweights.

Sundell has openly stated her ambition to become the youngest UFC champion in history, targeting Jon Jones’ record of winning gold at 23 years and 8 months. 

While Dana White expressed reservations about her age and experience level during the contract ceremony, the UFC ultimately awarded her a contract anyway. 

With her combination of championship pedigree, youth, and rapid MMA development, Sundell will be a significant addition to the women’s bantamweight division.

She is very green to MMA, however, and she seemed to rely on her cardio, chin, and size against Pereira. Against more veteran MMA fighters in the UFC, Sundell will have to utilize her massive reach and height advantage better to set up her devastating clinch game.

For Aline Pereira, the dream of joining her brother in the UFC will have to wait. 

Alex Pereira has already carved out a legendary career, becoming the first fighter in UFC history to challenge for gold in three divisions after winning titles at middleweight and light heavyweight. Whether his sister gets another opportunity remains uncertain, but Tuesday night belonged to Smilla Sundell, a new name UFC fans will want to remember.

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This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.