A 25-year-old with a penchant for finishes won a UFC contract after giving his opponent a merciless pummeling

• 25-year-old Ihor Potieria mercilessly finished his Contender Series opponent Tuesday.
• Contender Series is a battling ground for rising MMA talent looking to score a deal in the UFC.
• UFC boss Dana White presides over the fights and rewards contracts to the athletes who impress him.

A 25-year-old fighter with a penchant for finishes won a UFC contract after giving his opponent a merciless pummeling Tuesday at the Apex in Las Vegas.

Ihor Potieria entered the Octagon for his midweek Contender Series light heavyweight match against Lukasz Sudolski with a considerable record, beating an array of regional opponents in Ukraine's MMA organizations.

Unbeaten prior to the fight, Sudolski would likely have been one of Potieria's toughest opponents, but the latter made quick work of him, winning in just three minutes and 41 seconds.

With a lunging flurry that consisted of an overhand right, then an overhand left - both of which clattered each side of Sudolski's jaw - Potieria had his opponent scrambling to regain his balance and composure.

Taking advantage of the disorientation, Potieria landed another hard right.

He threw another left, but before that shot could land, Sudolski's legs had already buckled as his back slid down the fence of the cage.

From there, it was only a matter of time before the referee intervened. Potieria threw four unanswered shots and won the bout.

It was all over.

He then celebrated raucously, mounted the fence, and made eye contact with the UFC boss Dana White.

Watch the finish right here:

-UFC (@ufc) September 29, 2021

Rewarding Potieria's performance with an official UFC deal, White said: "The kid's 25 years old, 6-foot-3, 205-pounds."

White continued: "He was a 3:1 dog in this fight. The odds-makers were looking at this kid, thinking he was going to get destroyed … he did the exact opposite, finished impressively, there's no way I don't bring this kid into [the UFC]."

Victory advanced the European's pro MMA record to 19 wins (nine knockouts, six submissions, and four decisions) against two losses.

He wasn't the only athlete to earn a UFC deal from White. A contract was also given to Daniel Zellhuber after the Mexican edged Lucas Almeida, of Brazil, in an all-out brawl.

Though Almeida lost the fight, White said he'd grant him a UFC deal, too, should he score a rebound win in his next match.

The Contender Series is a proving ground for rising MMA fighters looking to make an impression on White and fight for the right to compete in the UFC.

It is an annual show, held inside the UFC's studio in Las Vegas, and has wrapped its fifth week of its fifth season. It returns for a sixth week Tuesday.