LAS VEGAS – The third time was the charm for Josh Parisian, who’s had a long road to the UFC.
Parisian (13-3), who fought on Season 28 of “The Ultimate Fighter,”, already competed once before on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018. Despite a first-round stoppage win over Greg Rebello, he failed to earn a UFC contract.
More than two years later, Parisian got another shot. This time, his first-round finish over Chad Johnson at Dana White’s Contender Series 29 on Tuesday was enough to punch his ticket to the UFC.
It took three tries for Parisian, who never gave up.
“It almost felt like it was never going to happen,” Parisian told reporters, including MMA Junkie, after his win at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. “But I just persevered, keep pushing forward, and just not taking no for an answer.”
While a quick finish almost always guarantees a UFC contract, it was an all-too-familiar situation for Parisian, who had his doubts despite the impressive showing.
“100 percent – I was almost telling myself I almost could bet I’m not getting a contract tonight. I can almost guarantee it,” Parisian said.
“It’s incredible, but at the same time I feel like it’s almost too overwhelming to really take in right now. I know I’ll probably wake up tomorrow and be like, ‘Oh my God.’”