Dana White Passed On This 24-Year-Old Then Signed Him Anyway For UFC

UFC President Dana White
May 20, 2023, LAS VEGAS, LAS VEGAS, NV, United States: LAS VEGAS, NV - May 20: Dana White speaks with the press following the event at UFC Apex for UFC Vegas 73 - Dern vs Hill - Event on May 20, 2023 in LAS VEGAS, United States. LAS VEGAS United States - ZUMAp175 20230520_zsa_p175_090 Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
by Sami Haider

Winning on Dana White’s Contender Series does not guarantee a UFC contract. We recently saw another clear example of this.

Serbian heavyweight Jovan Leka learned this last October when he beat Azamat Nuftillaev by unanimous decision but left without a deal. White told the 24-year-old to get more experience on the regional circuit. Seven months later, Leka is on the roster anyway. 

The UFC recently announced its first event in Belgrade, Serbia, for August 1 at the Belgrade Arena. Leka is booked for his home-country debut against Brazilian Max Gimenis (6-2), completing a remarkably fast turnaround from a Contender Series rejection to an official UFC fighter.

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Last year in October, cameras caught Dana White walking away from his cageside seat with roughly 30 seconds left in the final round due to the tiring, grueling pace of the wrestling.

MMA journalist Adam Martin publicly noted that Leka’s heavy wrestling style without a finish was exactly what White dislikes. He wrote, “This guy is fighting the exact opposite style that Dana White likes. Wrestle with no finish = no UFC contract.”


And according to reports, the UFC boss met Leka kept his feedback simple. He acknowledged Leka’s age and record, admitting he didn’t care for the performance but emphasizing that time was on the young heavyweight’s side. The UFC boss told him to return to the regional circuit, stay active, and work his way back to the promotion.

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Leka did exactly what he was asked to do. He stayed busy on the regional circuit, winning a submission via arm-triangle choke at Brave CF 104 in February and then capturing the regional ARMMADA heavyweight title on April 11 by knocking out Danilo Suzart at ARMMADA 17. 

This successfully pushed his overall professional record to 13–2 and earned him his newly announced UFC contract. Reporter Nolan King confirmed, “Serbian heavyweight Jovan Leka (13-2) has signed with the UFC and will debut at #UFCBelgrade on Aug. 1 vs. Max Gimenis (6-2), multiple sources say.”


His debut opponent Gimenis is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist who will quickly expose any weaknesses in Leka’s ground game because he presents a dangerous submission threat on the ground. 

Jovan Leka
ARMMADA 17 Mixed Martial Arts Tournament Serbian fighter Jovan Leka celebrates victory after the fight at SPENS Sports Center during the mixed martial arts tournament ARMMADA 17 in Novi Sad, Serbia, on April 11, 2026. Novi Sad Vojvodina Serbia PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xMaximxKonankovx originalFilename:konankov-armmada1260411_npqHa.jpg

Leka has a size advantage, standing 6’4″ with a 79-inch reach. However, he will need to fight more aggressively than he did on the Contender Series if he wants to win in front of his home crowd.

Signing Leka was a business move for the UFC. With the promotion lacking Serbian UFC talent and needing to fill a card built around regional interest, signing a top local prospect like Leka gives them bigger exposure. 

In the process, he gets the platform again. Now he has to deliver the finish that White never got the first time around.

PHOTO CREDIT: IMAGO / NurPhoto