Dana White offers 'devastated' Norbert Novenyi Jr. lifeline after missing UFC cut - MMA Junkie

LAS VEGAS – Dana White passed up on signing Norbert Novenyi Jr., but all is not necessarily lost.

Novenyi Jr. (11-1) defeated fellow former Bellator fighter Theo Haig (7-2) by unanimous decision Tuesday in the Dana White's Contender Series 93 main event at Meta APEX. White said it was hard for Novenyi Jr. to stand out after two barnburners on the same night, but he isn't ruling out the possibility of giving him another chance on DWCS.

"I didn't like the fight," White told MMA Junkie and other reporters. "They're both tough guys, both got great records. Let me tell you what you don't want: to be a f*cking main event on this f*cking card and go out and fight that fight that they fought. You're not getting signed.

"Listen, the guy is 11-1, and he's only 25 years old. It's not like this guy is pushing 30 or in his 30s. He's got time. He's got a great record, he's obviously talented, and he came in at almost a 5-to-1 favorite. So, just didn't work out for him tonight."

Novenyi Jr. posted a statement on his Instagram to reflect on the disappointment of White passing up on him to join the UFC roster.

"I don’t know what happened," Novenyi Jr. wrote. "I felt so sh*t in there. After the first round, my cardio was gone. I think I f*cked up my rehydration and paid the price for it. I let myself down, and I feel like I let everyone around me down too. I won the fight, but I didn’t get the contract. And honestly, that hurts. ... To come away from this feeling like I didn’t perform anywhere near the level I know I’m capable of is f*cking devastating.

"Now I have to go home, take a step back and figure out what comes next. I’m disappointed. Really disappointed."