Dana White Contender Series Season 3 Episode 9 Full Report

In the second last episode of the third season of Dana White’s Contender Series, 10 more fighters compete for their spot on the UFC roster.

Bout 1: Ricky Steele (5-0) vs. Phil Caracappa (8-0) (Bantamweight)

The first fight of the evening was a battle of two undefeated fighters. Ricky Steele was a competitor on Season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter, but withdrew after one fight due to injury. Phil Caracappa has found eight fights in the Ring of Combat promotion. Caracappa came forward with punches early on. They clinched up against the cage for a few moments and then separated again. Caracappa tried for a takedown for a whole minute before landing it. They got back up with two minutes left. Caracappa got another takedown in the final minute of the first round. Steele got up, but Caracappa stayed on his back. They went back to the ground with Steele in top position as the round ended. Steele got a takedown in the first minute of the second round, landing an elbow from above before trying for a guillotine. They got up and went back into clinch against the cage. In stand-up, Caracappa tried for another takedown but couldn’t get it. After being in clinch up against the cage for a while, Steele let his hands go, throwing a few punches. They went back to the ground in the final moments of the round as Caracappa slipped after missing a kick. They went back up against the cage in the final round. Steele landed a good elbow in this position. Caracappa landed some elbows which had Steel retreating. Steele got a takedown but found himself in a guillotine attempt. He escaped the hold and stayed on the bottom position until the round ended. In a split decision, Ricky Steele was favoured on two of the three scorecards (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Steele	9	10	9	28
Caracappa	10	9	10	29

Bout 2: Micol di Segni (7-2) vs. Mallory Martin (4-2) (Strawweight)

In the lighest weight class bout of the night, Italian fighter Micol di Segni faced Mallory Martin. After a minute of stand-up, Martin scored a takedown. Martin was in complete control on top position, transitioning seamlessly from side control to half guard many times, and while doing all of this landed strikes. Segni got up against the cage eventually, but Martin brought them back down short after. When they stood back up, Martin tried for a guillotine but wasn’t successful. They went back to striking for the final seconds of the first round. The first half of the second round had both fighters showing decend striking. Martin got a trip takedown. They got back up with a minute left in the second round. Martin got a second takedown as the round ended. Segni was getting absolutely dominated. In the final round, Segni was landing knees in a standing clinch. The fight went the distance with Mallory Martin getting the win (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Segni	9	9	9	27
Martin	10	10	10	30

Bout 3: Desmond Torres (7-1) vs. Steve Garcia Jr. (9-3) (Bantamweight)

In the third fight of the evening, bantamweights Desmond Torres and Steve Garcia Jr. faced off. When the match started you could tell Garcia had a huge size advantage. Torres chased after a takedown early in the fight but didn’t get it. After both fighters threw tons of strikes in a short amount of time, Torres got a single leg takedown which Garcia got up from immediately. Near the end of the first round, Garcia started to string together lots of shots, making Torres go into total defensive mode. Torres fell on the canvas and was given a few hammerfist strikes before the fight ended. Worth noting that Garcia missed weight for this fight (139.5 lbs in a 130 lb bout).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Torres
Garcia Jr.

Bout 4: Marcos Brigagao (11-0) vs. Jamal Pogues (6-2) (Light Heavyweight)

In the co-main event of the show, undefeated light heavyweight Marcos Brigagao faced Jamal Pogues. Right off the bat they were trading hard punches. Pogues scored a takedown a minute later. Pogues was clearly the better ground fighter. He tried for an armbar but couldn’t get it. When they stood back up in the final minute of the round, Pogues landed a good knee. Pogues got a third takedown to close out the round. Brigagao threatened a triangle choke but lost it. Pogues had another great round, landing many more takedowns and strikes in many positions. The final round felt like an identical one to the two before, with Pogues landing many more takedowns and grinding away at the tough Brigagao. The fight went the distance with Jamal Pogues getting the unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Brigagao	9	9
Pogues	10	10

Bout 5: Leon Shahbazyan (7-1) vs. Philip Rowe (6-2) (Welterweight)

The main event of this episode was Leon Shahbazyan versus Philip Rowe in a welterweight bout. After a minute of close stand-up, Shahbazyan caught a leg and took down Rowe, landing punches on the ground. Rowe got back up but was in full defense mode. Rowe had his moments in the round but Shahbazyan never backed down. Rowe put Shahbazyan up against the cage in the first minute of the second round. With Shahbazyan up against the cage, Rowe started to land a ton of punches. Shahbazyan possibly saved himself by landing a takedown. Rowe landed some shots in top position on the ground. Rowe had a large flurry of strikes at the end of the round, with the horn potentially saving Shahbazyan. Rowe had a quick start to the final round, dropping Shahbazyan with strikes and landing a few more before referee Herb Dean ended it. Rowe was able to overcome a failed first round, turning the tides and closing the show in the following six minutes. Philip Rowe came off as a real character in his post-fight interview.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Shahbazyan	10	9
Rowe	9	10

At the end of the night, Dana White awarded a contract to Philip Rowe.

UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 Full Report

In one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year, Stipe Miocic will attempt to take the Heavyweight Championship from Daniel Cormier in a rematch. The former champ was stopped in one round against Cormier a year ago. He attempts to take back his belt after a year’s layoff. Also on the card is the return of Nate Diaz after almost three days of a layoff. In his return, he’ll face Anthony Pettis. Along with those two fights is 10 other fights. Stay tuned on this post for updates throughout the night.

Bout 1: Sabina Mazo (6-1) vs. Shana Dobson (3-2) (Flyweight)

Starting off the evening was a flyweight bout between Sabina Mazo and Shana Dobson. Dobson has been absent from MMA for a year due to injury, making her return with this fight. Very early in the fight, Mazo hurt Dobson with a kick to the mid-section. She came forward with punches, and then landed a takedown. After Mazo landed punches from above for a while, Dobson tried to take her back. It worked for a second before Mazo brought them back to the position they were in. They stood up in clinch up against the cage, but Mazo took them back down shortly after. Mazo utilized her kicks quite a bit at the start of the second round. Dobson searched for a takedown but couldn’t get one, being put in a standing clinch against the cage. With two minutes left in the second round, Mazo got a takedown. They went back to stand-up as the round concluded. Halfway through the final round, Dobson was put up against the cage and was getting hit with tons of knees. Referee Frank Trigg was getting closer, warning Dobson that she needs to fight back. Mazo got a trip takedown with just for 90 seconds left. The fight ran out of time as Mazo landed punches from above. The judges gave Sabina Mazo the win in very decisive fashion (30-24, 30-25 & 30-25).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Mazo	10	10	10	30
Dobson	9	9	8	26

Bout 2: Brandon Davis (10-6) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (15-8) (Bantamweight)

The next fight was a bantamweight battle between UFC veteran Kyung Ho Kang and Brandon Davis. In the first round, Kang was landing good jabs. Davis was targeting the left leg. Kang rocked Davis with a right jab, then took his back with a minute left in the round. Kang switched over into full mount before the round concluded. In the second round, Davis tried for an armbar to counter a takedown attempt by Kang. That didn’t work, with Kang taking top position moments later. When they went back to stand-up, Davis was swinging for the fences. His fought without his mouthguard for a minute or so. They went to the groudn early in the final round after Davis slipped and fell after throwing a kick. When they were on the ground in side control for a minute or so, the referee stood them up. The commentators seemed to be in disbelief about that. Kang got another takedown moments later. Davis got up and threw some punches before Kang landed a third takedown. The fight ended with Kang in top position. In a split decision, Kyung Ho Kang got the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Davis	9	10	9	28
Kang	10	9	10	29

Bout 3: Hannah Cifers (9-3) vs. Jodie Esquibel (6-5) (Strawweight)

Finishing off the Fight Pass early prelims was Hannah Cifers and Jodie Esquibel in a strawweight fight. The first round of the fight was a slow one from both fighters. It was strictly stand-up. Esquibel got a takedown early in the second round. They were stood back up, although Cifers got another takedown right after. Cifers tried for an omoplata but couldn’t get it. They went back to stand-up with a minute left in the round. Halfway through the final round, Esquibel got another takedown. The fight went the distance with Hannah Cifers getting the victory (30-28, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Cifers	10	10	9	30
Esquibel	9	9	10	27

Bout 4: Manny Bermudez (14-0) vs. Casey Kenney (12-1-1) (Catchweight 140lbs)

Kicking off the prelims on ESPN, Manny Bermudez put his undefeated record up against Casey Kenney in a 140 pound fight. Bermudez got a takedown after a minute of the first round. Both fighters had a fair share of control on the ground in the round. With more close ground fighting in the second round, Kenney tried for a choke. It was obvious that both fighters preferred being on the ground. Near the end of the second round, Bermudez had some good striking when they went back to stand-up. Kenney started to look very fatigued. Bermudez brought it to the ground and tried for a choke but Kenney got out and took top position as the round ended. On the ground in the final round, Bermudez tried for a guillotine but couldn’t get it. All three judges had it in favour of Casey Kenney (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). Throughout it was a close competition on the ground.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bermudez	10	9	10	29
Kenney	9	10	9	28

Bout 5: Drakkar Klose (10-1-1) vs. Christos Giagos (17-7) (Lightweight)

Continuing on the prelims was Drakkar Klose versus Christos Giagos. The first round was a quiet one, with Giagos doing most of the work. Klose landed a good shot right at the for at the end of the first round. On the ground in the second round, Klose was put in a rear naked choke. When they went back to stand-up, Klose was landing tons of punches. He got a trip takedown and took top position with a hammerfist. In the final round Klose looked like the fresher fighter. Klose continued to apply the pressure in the final round with striking. With a minute left in the final round, Klose picked up Giagos and did quite the ceremonial slam to the ground. Both fighters traded punches as the final round ended. The judges all were in agreement that Drakkar Klose had won the fight (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Klose	9	10	10	29
Giagos	10	9	9	28

Bout 6: Raphael Assuncao (27-6) (#3) vs. Cory Sandhagen (11-1) (#9) (Bantamweight)

In the first fight of the evening with ranked fighters, Cory Sandhagen fought Raphael Assuncao. Sandhagen was frequently the fighter coming forward with strikes in the first round. Assuncao wasn’t doing much in the first round, although he didn’t leave himself open to a ton of strikes. In the second round, Assuncao caught a leg kick and turned it into a takedown. Sandhagen was able to take control for most of the time on the ground in the second round. Assuncao got another takedown after a minute of the final round. They got back up immediately. Assuncao got a few more takedowns as the round continued, but they never stayed on the ground. The fight went in favour of Cory Sandhagen (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28). This was the highest profile win that Sandhagen got in his career up until this point.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Assuncao	9	9	10	28
Sandhagen	10	10	9	29

Bout 7: Devonte Smith (10-1) vs. Khama Worthy (14-6) (Lightweight)

Finishing off the preliminary section of the card was Devonte Smith and Khama Worthy in a lightweight competition. Worthy came into this fight was a steep underdog. This was also his UFC debut. Halfway through the first round there was a pause because Worthy was poked in the eye. The crowd started to boo as the first round was closing out. Both fighters were very methodical through the first few minutes. Worthy landed a combo of punches which dropped Smith, then finished the fight on the ground. The fighter who took the fight on less than a week’s time made a lot of underdog betters happy tonight. He asked for a performance bonus in the post-fight interview since he’s the first finish of the evening.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Smith
Worthy

Bout 8: Derek Brunson (19-7) (#8) vs. Ian Heinisch (13-1) (#10) (Middleweight)

The PPV started off with middleweight gatekeeper Derek Brunson facing up and coming fighter Ian Heinisch. Right off the bat, Heinisch opened with punches and a clean head kick which had Brunson in trouble. Brunson clinched up which stopped the momentum from the very start. They went back to stand-up. Brunson tried for a takedown with over a minute left in the round. Heinisch stayed hopping on one foot while throwing punches. He was able to avoid being taken to the ground. Brunson failed to score another takedown as the round ended. Heinisch tried for a takedown in the second round but Brunson stuffed it. Heinisch looked more tired in the second round, getting hit more in stand-up. In between rounds the crowd erupted with boos as Colby Covington walked into the venue. Both fighters were quite tired in the final round. Brunson was dictating the fight through the final round. The fight went all 15 minutes, with Derrick Brunson getting the unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Brunson	9	10	10	29
Heinisch	10	9	9	28

Bout 9: Sodiq Yusuff (9-1) vs. Gabriel Benitez (21-6) (Featherweight)

In the next main card fight, Sodiq Yusuff, a prospect from the Contender Series fought Gabriel Benitez. Yusuff was in control from the start, with powerful strikes making Benitez backtrack. Halfway through the round Benitez landed some strikes that had Yusuff in trouble. It seemed like both fighters were taking turns dictating the fight. With a minute left in the round, Yusuff landed a right hook which dropped Benitez. He landed lots of shots on the ground before referee Herb Dean stepped in. He was in trouble during moments in the fight, but his power to finish the fight got him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Yusuff
Benitez

Bout 10: Yoel Romero (13-3) (#2) vs. Paulo Costa (12-0) (#7) (Middleweight)

In a real middleweight division superfight, Yoel Romero faced Paulo Costa in the next bout. Romero landed a high kick in the first minute and then got a takedown, but Costa got up right after. Romero was clipped with a punch after a minute of the fight, but when he got up he dropped Costa with a punch. He stood back up and went back to stand-up. Romero stayed on the outside of the octagon while Costa was coming forward. After being up against the cage for a while, Romero came forward with a flurry of punches. The action was paused after Romero was kneed in the groin. They resumed after a minute or two of a break. Romero tried for a takedown but it was blocked, with Costa landing punches to the body while stuffing it. Back on the feet, both fighters were eating hard shots. Costa seemed to be controlling the second round Romero was backtracking throughout the round. Romero threw a lot of jabs. Romero scored a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the second round. The crowd was cheering in appreciation before the final round started. There was a pause due to Costa getting poked in the eye. After they traded punches for a few minutes, they started taunting. Costa saluted Romero and stuck his tongue out. Romero had strung together some good combinations. Romero got a takedown again in the finale seconds of the round. The fight went the distance, with the crowd cheering quite a bit when it ended. The judges all favoured Paulo Costa (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). The crowd was booing after the result was announced. He called out the winner between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Romero	9	9	10	28
Costa	10	10	9	29

Bout 11: Nate Diaz (19-11) vs. Anthony Pettis (22-8) (#7) (Welterweight)

In a long awaited return, Nate Diaz fought Anthony Pettis in the co-main event of the evening. Diaz’s last fight was his sequel bout against Conor McGregor, in the summer of 2016. Pettis has stayed active through that time, recently defeating Stephen Thompson via superman punch. Diaz took a takedown with 90 seconds left in the round, thought Pettis tried for a guillotine from it. Diaz got out of it in short time. Diaz took the back of Pettis twice. He was completely dominant on the ground. After a couple minutes in the second round, the referee paused the fight so that a doctor could check an eye of Diaz. He said he was fine, so they resumed. Diaz landed a good knee to the head and then a hard elbow in clinch. Up against the cage, Pettis was getting hurt by strikes. Diaz was landing punches until the last moment of the round. Up against the cage again, Diaz was landing punches and knees that dropped Pettis. Diaz took the back of Pettis, but Pettis flipped around. Diaz continued to be in control on the ground. With 30 seconds left, he tried for a rear naked choke. Pettis escaped as the fight ended. Diaz was cut around his right eye. Nate Diaz walked away with a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28). After the fight, Diaz called out Jorge Masvidal, saying he’s a gangster but not like him.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Diaz	10	10	10	30
Pettis	9	9	9	27

Bout 12: Daniel Cormier (22-1) © vs. Stipe Miocic (#1) (18-3) (UFC Heavyweight Championship)

Finally, in the main event of the evening, Daniel Cormier faced Stipe Miocic in a fight for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. This rematch is the second time DC attempted to defend his Heavyweight Championship. Both fighters threw leg kicks in the first minute. Cormier started to dip into the pocket with some punches, then backing up. He shot for a single leg takedown after a few punches. Cormier held Miocic up high for a few moments before dumping him onto the canvas. In top position, Cormier landed punches to the mid-section. On the back of Miocic, Cormier landed hammerfists. Cormier would land punches after grabbing the hands of Miocic. Cormier started coming forward more, but started get clipped with punches. They clinched against the cage after both fighters landed hard shots. Miocic started to utilize his reach advantage more with jabs. Upon replay it became obvious that Miocic was poked in the eye during the round. Miocic tried for a takedown in the opening minute of the third round but couldn’t secure it. They continued to practically take turns landing shots. Miocic put Cormier up against the cage in a standing clinch. Miocic got a takedown later in the round. They got back up wand went back to striking with a minute left in the round. Both fighters seemed very fatigued. Miocic was coming forward throughout the fourth round. Miocic hurt Cormier with a with a punch which stunned him, then dropped him with a few more. After numerous strikes, referee Herb Dean stepped in to end the fight. Stipe Miocic has gotten his UFC Heavyweight Championship back. Cormier said that he has to make an educated decision about his career moving forward.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Cormier	10	10	9
Miocic	9	9	10

UFC’s next show is on the 31st in Shenzen, China, with Weili Zhang challenging UFC Strawweight Champion Jessica Andrade. That show will be broadcasted on the ESPN+ platform. Before then, UFC’s final two episodes of the Contender Series will air on Tuesday at 8 PM Eastern Time.

UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 Preview

In one of the UFC’s biggest shows of the year, Daniel Cormier will attempt to repeat history, beating Stipe Miocic for the second time. Last year in the summer, Cormier earned a first-round KO victory over Miocic, ending the Ohio raised fighter’s two-year reign over the heavyweight division. In a well-deserved rematch, Miocic will try to take back the belt that he had for quite some time. Also on the card is the return of Nate Diaz. The polarizing fighter from Stockton will face Anthony Pettis after a few days short of a three-year absence from MMA. Along with those two fights are 10 other fights on the UFC 241 PPV card. Let’s start by looking at the preliminary card for the show.

Bout 1: Sabina Mazo (6-1) vs. Shana Dobson (3-2) (Flyweight)

Starting off the evening will be a flyweight competition between two fighters with small records. Mazo is coming back from her first pro loss, which came in her UFC debut against Maryna Moroz. Before then, she was a success story from the LFA promotion. Shana Dobson is coming back from a near year and a half layoff, losing to Lauren Mueller. Both early in their UFC runs, these fighters have something to prove on Saturday.

Bout 2: Brandon Davis (10-6) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (15-8) (Bantamweight)

The second fight of the show is a battle between two fighters who are no new faces to the UFC. Kyung Ho Kang joined the UFC in 2013 and since has racked up the respectable record of 4-2 1 NC. His recent win came over Teruto Ishihara in the February PPV in Australia. The placement of Kang on this card makes the timing work out that he can be on UFC’s end of year show in Korea. While Davis has spent less time in the UFC, his record is of a similar size, with 2-3. He’ll look to even his UFC record on Saturday against Kang.

Bout 3: Hannah Cifers (9-3) vs. Jodie Esquibel (6-5) (Strawweight)

Jodie Esquibel’s run in the UFC has so far been unsuccessful. Entering the promotion with a record of 6-2, Esquibel has since lost three in a row. In what’s likely her last chance to stay in the UFC, she will face Hannah Cifers, who has a 1-1 record in the UFC. With Cifers being the favourite to win the bout, Esquibel will try to beat the odds on Saturday evening.

Bout 4: Manny Bermudez (14-0) vs. Casey Kenney (12-1-1) (Bantamweight)

Ending the early prelims and moving to the prelims on ESPN, two big bantamweight prospects will face off. Casey Kenney, a fighter who has only faced defeat once in his career, will face the undefeated Manny Bermudez. Kenney took his loss in 2017 on the Dana White Contender Series. He since then went off to LFA, where he earned four straight wins. He got signed to the UFC, and most recently in March got a win over Ray Borg. Bermudez has had quick submission losses throughout his career. With 14 wins, he has only left the first round four times. In his three-fight UFC career, he has stopped all of his opponents within two rounds. In what could be an explosive fight, these two bantamweights will likely put on a show.

Bout 5: Drakkar Klose (10-1-1) vs. Christo Giagos (17-7) (Lightweight)

Both Drakkar Klose and Christo Giagos have been successful recently in their MMA career. Klose, who has been in the UFC for a few years now, is riding a two-fight win streak currently. Same is the case for Giagos. All of those aforementioned wins came from decision. Actually, neither fighter has seen a stoppage victory since they joined the UFC. Both fighters have gotten their first UFC win, but one of them might get a first in a stoppage on Saturday. What’s more likely though is that someone’s streak will end.

Bout 6: Raphael Assuncao (27-6) vs. Cory Sandhagen (11-1) (Bantamweight)

Cory Sandhagen has had an undefeated run in the UFC thus far but will meet his biggest challenge on Saturday when he faces Raphael Assuncao. Assuncao is currently coming off a loss from Marlon Moraes, but his decade of high-level MMA experience gives him an edge over Sandhagen. With a 4-0 UFC record, Sandhagen has gotten wins via strikes, submissions and decisions. His recent win came over John Lineker in April. Who will prevail on the prelims with near perfection faces a veteran of the sport.

Bout 7: Devonte Smith (10-1) vs. Khama Worthy (14-6) (Lightweight)

Finishing off the prelims of the card on ESPN is Devonte Smith versus Khama Worthy in a lightweight bout. Smith came from the Contender Series and has gotten two first-round victories since his debut. He’s a tall order for Worthy, who will be making his UFC debut. While he’s coming in as a huge underdog, Worthy is on a five-fight winning streak, all within a two year period.

Bout 8: Derek Brunson (19-7) vs. Ian Heinisch (13-1) (Middleweight)

Starting off the main card of UFC 241 is Derek Brunson facing Ian Heinisch. Brunson is coming off a victory of Elias Theodorou, which was a bounce back from losses to high profile fighters in Jacare Souza and Israel Adesanya. Heinisch is heading into his third UFC fight, coming from the Contender Series back in 2018. Heinisch has quickly established himself in the middleweight division. A win over Brunson would make it his first win over a real gatekeeper/contender fighter.

Bout 9: Sodiq Yusuff (9-1) vs. Gabriel Benitez (21-6) (Featherweight)

Before the AKA gym puts their focus on Daniel Cormier’s fight, they’ll have duty watching Gabriel Benitez face featherweight prospect Sodiq Yusuff. Making his UFC debut in 2014, Benitez has a record of 5-2. Yusuff has been perfect since his arrival, with 2 wins, one of them coming via first-round punches. He impressed in 2018 on the Contender Series, earning his contract. While Yusuff’s record in MMA is small, his success arguably makes him a fair opponent for Benitez, who hasn’t been doing too bad for himself either.

Bout 10: Yoel Romero (13-3) vs. Paulo Costa (12-0) (Middleweight)

In a fight that has been a long time coming, Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa will finally face off on Saturday. This matchup was first planned for November, but couldn’t happen as Romero wasn’t cleared to fight. Romero was then matched up with Jacare Souza, but pulled out of the bout due to pneumonia. Costa was offered to fight as a replacement in that bout but turned it down. Now, with tons of cancelled bouts, these two are paired up once again. Both fighters haven’t competed in over a year, but are both still valued highly in the middleweight division. Costa will be putting his undefeated record in the bout. Romero’s last fight was a championship loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC 225. Will Costa continue his slow but steady climb up the middleweight division, or will Romero prove he deserves another shot at the title?

Bout 11: Nate Diaz (19-11) vs. Anthony Pettis (22-8) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event, the fan-friendly fighter Nate Diaz will make his long-awaited return against Anthony Pettis. Diaz’s last two fights were his famous original and sequel bout against Conor McGregor. Since then, he’s faded into the background of the UFC. He was expected to face Dustin Poirier back in the fall, but Poirier pulled out with an injury, he was benched once again. Pettis has remained busy as of late, recently knocking out Stephen Thompson with a superman punch in a fight night main event. He took a loss to Tony Ferguson in the Fall, defeating Michael Chiesa before then. Those two fights were lightweight bouts. While Pettis won’t have the concern for ring rust like Diaz might, he is still testing the welterweight waters.

Bout 12: Daniel Cormier (22-1) vs. Stipe Miocic (18-3) (UFC Heavyweight Championship)

In the main event of the PPV, Daniel Cormier will attempt to defend his UFC Heavyweight Championship against Stipe Miocic. He earned the belt in their first meeting, knocking out Miocic with an elbow while in a clinch. Cormier has since fought once, defeating Derrick Lewis to make the first defence of his belt. Miocic hasn’t fought since last summer.

The first fight with Miocic was an uphill battle for Cormier, being the short fighter by quite the length. His win proved that he can hang with Miocic, though the sudden fashion of the victory opened speculation about if he could do it again. On Saturday he’ll have the chance to prove it wasn’t a fluke, while Miocic will have the opportunity to do the opposite.

UFC will take a week off next weekend after having many consecutive weeks of events. The promotion will come back at the end of the month, with Weili Zhang facing Jessica Andrade for the Strawweight Championship in Shenzen, China. While there will be no fight night next weekend, the promotion will air the second last episode of Season 3 of the Contender Series on Tuesday. The show will conclude on the following week.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 Episode 8 Full Report

On Tuesday, another episode of the Contender Series aired, with MMA fighters getting the opportunity for a UFC contract. On this week’s five fight card, the main event saw two undefeated light heavyweights in Herdem Alacabek and William Knight face off. Whether either of them or others earned contracts was determined by their performances. Let’s look at the first fight of the evening.

Bout 1: Karl Reed (6-1) vs. Julius Anglickas (6-1) (Light Heavyweight)

The first fight of the evening was also a light heavyweight bout. Former LFA Champion Julius Anglickas fought Karl Reed, who had an identical record of 6-1. Reed tried for a single leg takedown in the first minute of the fight. He couldn’t get it, with Anglickas staying standing up against the cage. They took turns having their backs up against the cage. Anglickas got the first takedown of the fight, getting on Reed’s back. Reed got back up, then they went back to stand-up with under two minutes left in the round. Reed his first takedown with over a minute left. Back to stand-up with a few seconds left in the round, Anglickas strung together a few good punches. Anglickas had a decent first minute of the second round, throwing kicks and punches. He landed another takedown after a few moments of looking for one. Just like last time, Reed got right back up. While up against the cage, there was a timeout called by the referee as Reed was hit in the groin. Anglickas landed another takedown when they resumed, but Reed got up immediately after. They were clinched up against the cage for long enough that referee Jason Herzog brought them back to stand-up. Reed got a takedown with a minute left in the second round. When they stood back up and separated, Anglickas had some good strikes again. In the final round, Anglickas had a great combination of knees and punches, then went into a body lock up against the cage. Anglickas got another takedown. On the back of Reed, Anglickas put in a rear naked choke which made his opponent tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Reed	10	9
Anglickas	9	10

Bout 2: Tony Gravely (18-5) vs. Ray Rodriguez (15-5) (Bantamweight)

In the second fight, we went to a lighter weight division in the bantamweight division for Tony Gravely versus Ray Rodriguez. Both fighters had quite experienced records. Gravely was coming forward with strong punches early on. He got a takedown in the second minute after Rodriguez landed a combo. After landing punches in top position, Gravely tried for a guillotine choke. He couldn’t secure it, as Rodriguez got up shortly after. Gravely got another takedown as the first round was closing out. Gravely had a good start to the second round, although Rodriguez landed a takedown and took his back in the second minute of the round. Gravely scored a slam takedown and then assumed the dominant position on the ground. Gravely tried for a rear naked choke with a minute left in the round. Rodriguez slipped out of the hold before the round ended. At the start of the final round, Rodriguez tried to come forward with a running strike but didn’t really connect. He slipped and had to fight out of a guillotine attempt. Rodriguez got on the back of Gravely. On the ground, Gravely took the back of Rodriguez and started to throw tons of punches. After numerous unanswered strikes, the referee stepped in and ended the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gravely	10	10
Rodriguez	9	9

Bout 3: Shanna Young (6-1) vs. Sarah Alpar (8-4) (Bantamweight)

The third fight was another bantamweight clash, with Shanna Young and Sarah Alper competing. Alpar was coming forward with strong punches at the start, landing a single leg takedown shortly after. Alpar landed another takedown and took Young’s back. She put in a rear naked choke which made Young tap out. Sarah Alpar got the third stoppage victory of the evening.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Young	9
Alpar	10

Bout 4: Brok Weaver (13-4) vs. Devin Smyth (9-1) (Welterweight)

On the co-main event of the show, Brok Weaver and Devin Smyth fought in a welterweight bout. Weaver came from the Island Fights promotion, with Smyth having a 10 fight record in numerous promotions. Right at the start of the first round, Smyth threw a kick and got a takedown. They stood up against the cage, with Smyth getting a slam takedown the second time. Smyth tried for many for takedowns throughout the round, but wasn’t as successful. At the very start of the second round the referee called a timeout as Smyth was hit with a low kick. Smyth shot for another takedown but it was defended by Weaver. Weaver got much more offense in through the second round. Smyth got a takedown in the final minute of the second round. Smyth’s corner was in his face screaming as the round ended. Weaver was landing even more punches in the final round, with Smyth stopping the flurries with clinches. The round ended after a dominant round by Weaver. The judges all picked Brock Weaver as the winner of the fight (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Weaver	9	10	10	29
Smyth	10	9	9	28

Bout 5: Herdem Alacabek (5-0) vs. William Knight (4-0) (Light Heavyweight)

In the main event, undefeated light heavyweights Herdem Alacabek and William Knight fought for a potential UFC contract. In the opening minutes, both fighters were going wild with strikes. Alacabek landed a takedown halfway through the first round. He tried for a rear naked choke but couldn’t keep it in. Knight took top position in the final minute, where Alacabek tried for an armbar but didn’t get it. A lot of clinch strikes were thrown in the second round. Alacabek got a slam takedown halfway through the second round. Knight scored a takedown in the final minute of the round. He postured up and started to tee off on Knight. Knight landed a knee in the first minute of the final round which rocked Alacabek. Later on, Knight took Alacabek to the ground and went back to ground and pound. Knight landed an elbow that cut open Alacabek. The referee stepped in and ended the fight with under 30 seconds left in the contest.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Alacabek	10	9
Knight	9	10

At the end of the episode, Dana White offered contracts to Tony Gravely, Sarah Alpar, Brock Weaver and William Knight. White said he wants Alpar to drop a weight class and he wants to develop Knight.

UFC on ESPN+ 14: Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 Full Report

In a rare fight night that includes a championship fight, UFC went to Montevideo, Uruguay for a ESPN+ card. In the main event, Liz Carmouche challenged Valentina Shevchenko, in an attempt to take Shevchenko’s flyweight championship.

Bout 1: Polyana Viana (10-3) vs. Veronica Macedo (5-3-1) (Flyweight)

Before the flyweight championship fight, the night started with a normal three round flyweight bout. Polyana Viana and Veronica Macedo kicked off the card. Right off the bat, Viana landed a trip takedown and took top position on the ground. Macedo was able to get an armbar after a minute, getting a win in quick fashion.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Viana
Macedo

Bout 2: Alex da Silva (20-2) vs. Kazula Vargas (10-2) (Lightweight)

Moving to the flyweight division, Alex da Silva fought Kazula Vargas. Early on, Vargas came out aggressively. Silva took him down to stop his momentum. Silva got on his back and was starting to fight for a rear naked choke. Silva was in the better position until the final 30 seconds where Vargas flipped over and stood up, landing strikes from above. Silva got in the top position once again early in the second. He didn’t do much on the ground, but stayed in the dominant position. The final round had two minutes of stand-up before the fight went to the ground yet again. Just like the rounds before, not much happened on the ground. The fight went the distance with the judges giving the fight to Alex da Silva unanimously (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Da Silva	10	10	10	30
Vargas	9	9	9	27

Bout 3: Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) vs. Geraldo de Freitas (12-4) (Bantamweight)

Finishing off the early prelims was Chris “El Guapo” Gutierrez versus Geraldo de Freitas. Both fighters had some close striking in the first few minutes of the fight. De Freitas tried for a takedown but couldn’t really get it. In the closing seconds of the first round, de Freitas landed a trip takedown after being clinched against the cage. De Freitas got another takedown in the second round. Gutierrez was able to flip around the position and get off the ground. Gutierrez had an explosive start to the final round, stopping takedowns and throwing tons of kicks and punches. Both fighters got cut on the face. Gutierrez was targeting the legs of Freitas, who seemingly was hurting from it. On replay, we saw a cut came from both fighters clashing heads. In the second half of the closing round, de Freitas started to connect with hard punches. The fight went all three rounds, with the final one being the most fast-paced one. The judges had a split decision, with two of the three favouring Chris Gutierrez (29-28 Gutierrez, 30-27 Freitas & 29-28 Gutierrez).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gutierrez	10	9	9	28
Freitas	9	10	10	29

Bout 4: Raulian Paiva (18-2) (#14) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (15-1 1 NC) (#8) (Flyweight)

The next fight showcased two success stories from the Brazilian edition of The Dana White Contender Series. Flyweights Raulian Paiva and Rogerio Bontorin faced off as the prelims continued. Bontorin got a cut below the left eye early in the first round, causing the doctors to check on him. They went back to fighting, and despite being on the ground before, resumed in stand-up. A second later, they went back to the ground through the ref’s decision. Bontorin was blowing his nose, which sometimes can inflate the bruises on your face. When they stood back up, Bontorin was landing good punches. After Bontorin score a takedown, a dcotor came in to check a cut again, this time on Paiva’s face. It was a brutal cut, which was opened through a knee that landed during Bontorin’s flurry of strikes. The fight was ended due to the cut, with Rogerio Bontorin being the winner.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Paiva
Bontorin

Bout 5: Marina Rodriguez (11-0-1) vs. Tecia Torres (10-4) (#8) (Strawweight)

In the lightest weight fight of the evening, strawweight fighters Marina Rodriguez and Tecia Torres fought. The first few minutes of the fight was some pretty close striking. Torres tried for a takedown but it didn’t work. While neither fighter was really landing well with their strikes, Rodriguez looked like she had more success. Torres caught a kick and put Rodriguez up against the cage as the round was closing out. They exited clinch, where Rodriguez landed a few good punches. Back in clinch, she got good knees in. The second round was purely close stand-up. Rodriguez continued to have the edge in the fight through the third round. The judges all gave the win to Marina Rodriguez (30-27, 30-27 & 30-26). Rodriguez continues to be undefeated.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Rodriguez	10	10	10	30
Torres	9	9	9	27

Bout 6: Raphael Pessoa (9-0) vs. Ciryl Gane (3-0) (Heavyweight)

In the next fight, we had two heavyweights put their undefeated streaks on the record. Pessoa did a trip takedown but it was Gane in the top position. Gane put in an arm triangle choke which made Pessoa tap out quickly.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Pessoa
Gane

Bout 7: Aleksei Kunchenko (20-0) vs. Gilbert Burns (15-3) (Welterweight)

Closing out the prelims was undefeated Aleksei Kunchenko facing Gilbert Burns. In the first round, Burns had a great start. After showcasing great striking, he took Kunchenko to the ground. Burns kept Kunchenko up against the cage for the whole round, not really doing much. Burns dove for a takedown after three minutes of stand-up in the second round. Early in the final round, Burns had Kunchenko against the cage. Burns kept trying for the takedown but couldn’t get it. Nonetheless, Kunchenko was on the defence the whole time. The fight went the distance, with Kunchenko never really having a dominant moment in the fight. The judges all decided on Gilbert Burns is the winner, breaking the 20-0 undefeated record of Aleksei Kunchenko (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Kunchenko	9	9	9	27
Burns	10	10	10	30

Bout 8: Bobby Moffett (14-4) vs. Enrique Barzola (16-4-1) (Featherweight)

Starting off the main card was a featherweight showdown between Bobby Moffett and Enrique Barzola. The first round had a consistently fast-pace of striking from both fighters. The first takedown of the fight came from Barzola in the final seconds of the round. Barzola tried for takedowns early in the second round but couldn’t land them. Moffett tried for one as well, but Barzola defended it. Barzola started to come forward with good combinations. There was a pause with 90 seconds left in the second round because Moffett kicked Barzola in the groin. After another fast-paced round, the striking from both fighters even sped up near the end. Barzola got another takedown as the second round ended. The final round was continued slugging from both fighters. The fight went the distance, with a split decision going in favour of Enrique Barzola (29-28 Moffett, 30-27 Barzola & 29-28 Barzola).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Moffett	10	10	9	29
Barzola	9	9	10	28

Bout 9: Oskar Piechota (11-1-1) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (5-0) (Middleweight)

In the next fight, Oskar Piechota, who has more MMA experience, faced Rodolfo Vieira, who has been perfect in his career thus far. Vieira got a takedown halfway through the first round. Vieira was dominant on the ground for a long time, although Piechota was able to get up against the cage and land elbows to the head. After a minute in the second round, Vieira got another takedown. Later on in the final minute of the second round, Vieira put in a head and arm choke which made Piechota tap out. His dominant ground game was more than showcased in this bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Piechota	9
Vieira	10

Bout 10: Ilir Latifi (15-6 1 NC) (#9) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) (#7) (Light Heavyweight)

In the next fight, we had a clash of two ranked fighters in Ilir Latifi and Volkan Oezdemir. Latifi had a great slam takedown after a minute of the first round, almost dumping Oezdemir on his head. Oezdemir was back up moments later. Apart from that, it was mostly Oezdemir doing the work in this fight, out-striking Latifi in the first round. Both fighters were trading stand-up, with a knee to the head dropping Latifi. They got back up, with Oezdemir trying to close out the fight. Oezdemir landed a left hook that took down Latifi once again, with the fight ending after a few more strikes. Oezdemir showed composure and patience, chasing a finish but not rushing it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Latifi	9
Oezdemir	10

Bout 11: Humberto Bandernay (14-6 1 NC) vs. Eduardo Garagorri (12-0) (Featherweight)

The next fight featured the only fighter from Uruguay on this card, in Eduardo Garagorri. The crowd was completely behind Garagorri. Also, he went into this fight with an undefeated record. Bandenay got a double leg takedown after a minute of uneventful stand-up. Garagorri got up quite quickly. Garagorri got a takedown off his own with a trip. Garagorri got up, but Bandenay wanted to stay on the ground. Jokingly, Garagorri offered his hand to help him up. The referee stood up Bandernay. Garagorri strung together some great punches, but Badenay landed a takedown to stop the momentum. Early in the second round, Bandenay had a stand-out combination of punches and knees. Bandenay got a takedown as the second round ended. The last round was an intense one, with both fighters swinging as it closed out. The fight went the distance with Eduardo Garagorri getting the unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27). The crowd was overwhelmingly loud for Garagorri.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bandernay	9	10	10	29
Garagorri	10	9	9	28

Bout 12: Mike Perry (13-4) vs. Vicente Luque (16-6-1) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event, we had the fan-friendly fighter “Platinum” Mike Perry face Vicente Luque. The first round of stand-up gave Perry a cut around his left eye. He had a good charge of punches near the end of the first. Perry seemed to be the more aggressive fighter in the second round. The tempo of the second round was much quicker than the first. Perry was showing the damage much more at the end of the second round. Heading into the final round, Perry’s corner told him he was up 2-0. Luque landed a good knee and then tried for a rear naked choke on the ground with 90 seconds left. Perry was bleeding profusely on the ground. After fighting for a while he finally escaped the hold. They stayed on the ground as the fight ended. Perry’s nose was all sorts of messed up by the time the fight was over. Hard to even describe it really. In a split decision, Vicente Luque walked away with the win from this fight (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Perry	9	10	9	28
Luque	10	9	10	29

Bout 13: Liz Carmouche (13-6) (#3) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (17-3) (C) (UFC Flyweight Championship)

In the main event of the evening, Valentina Shevchenko attempted to defend her Flyweight Championship against #3 ranked Liz Carmouche. The first round didn’t have much action from either fighter. In the third round, Shevchenko dropped Carmouche after a combination, with Carmouche standing up shortly after. With over a minute left in the third round, Shevchenko landed a trip takedown. Shevchenko took advantage of a takedown attempt by Carmouche in the fourth round, getting top position. The referee eventually stood them up as not much was happening on the ground. Shevchenko blocked another takedown before the fourth round ended. The final round had Shevchenko in top position for most of the round. The crowd had a pretty lukewarm reaction to the final horn sounding. All three judges were in agreement for the fight, with Valentina Shevchenko getting a clean sweep (50-45, 50-45 & 50-45). This became Shevchenko’s second defence of the belt.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Carmouche	9	9	9	9	9	45
Shevchenko	10	10	10	10	10	50

UFC returns next week with a PPV featuring Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic in the main event. The fight will be a rematch, as Cormier won the championship from Miocic a year ago with a first round KO. Also on the card is the return of Nate Diaz. A preview of the full card will be put on the site later this week.

UFC on ESPN+ 14: Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 Preview

It’s not often that we get a Championship bout on a UFC Fight Night show. As a matter of fact, it has only happened once before in 2019, that being Henry Cejudo versus TJ Dillashaw for the UFC Flyweight Championship, and that was UFC’s debut on the ESPN+ platform. A championship fight on TV will happen for the second time in 2019 and the ESPN era on Saturday, when Valentina Shevchenko attempts to retain her Flyweight Championship against Liz Carmouche. It will main event a 13 fight card from Montevideo, Uruguay, with the show kicking off at 5 PM Eastern Time. Let’s look at the whole card, starting with the prelims.

Bout 1: Polyana Viana (10-3) vs. Veronica Macedo (5-3-1) (Flyweight)

Long before the Flyweight Championship will be on the line, the evening will kick off with another flyweight fight. Polyana Viana and Veronica Macedo both haven’t won in a while. Vaina hasn’t seen a win in over a year, losing her last two fights. It’s much worse for Macedo, as she hasn’t won in over three years, with a record of 0-3-1 since then. While both not long into their careers, a loss for either fighter could call an end to their UFC stint. It’s a potential do or die fight to start off the show on Saturday. Worth noting that Viana took the fight on short notice, as the original opponent for Macedo, Rachel Ostovich, pulled out due to injury.

Bout 2: Alex da Silva (20-2) vs. Rodrigo Vargas (11-2) (Lightweight)

The third fight of the evening will be between two fighters who haven’t seen success in the UFC yet. Alex da Silva came into the UFC with a 20-1 record, and took a loss to Alexander Yakolev three months ago ago in his debut. He will look to turn around his tough first impression in the UFC when he faes Rodrigo Vargas, who has yet to make an impression within the promotion. He fought a few times in the Hispanic MMA promotion Combate Americas prior to his fight on Saturday.

Bout 3: Geraldo de Freitas (12-4) vs. Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) (Bantamweight)

In the fourth fight of the show, two similar fighters in Geraldo de Freitas and Chris Gutierrez will compete. Both have similar amounts of fights and are still getting used to being in the UFC. Six months ago, de Freitas lost his promotional debut against undefeated Felipe Colares. Gutierrez is 1-1 in the UFC, with his stint in the promotion beginning under a year ago.

Bout 4: Raulian Paiva (18-2) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (15-1) (Flyweight)

In an all Brazilian matchup, rookie UFC flyweights Raulian Paiva and Rogerio Bontorin will face off. Both coming from the Brazilian spinoff of Dana White’s Contender Series, each fighter has fought once in the UFC before this meeting. Both going to decision, Paiva won his fight while Bontorin lost his. With finishes coming frequently from both fighters in the past, they’ll try to do so for the first time in the UFC on Saturday.

Bout 5: Tecia Torres (10-4) vs. Marina Rodriguez (11-0-1) (Strawweight)

Tecia Torres has had a rough year and a half. Losing three times in a row, all via decision, Torres will look to snap her losing streak against undefeated Marina Rodriguez. The Brazilian earned her stay in the UFC via the Contender Series, and has since picked up a win and a rare draw. While experience in the promotion weighs in favour of Torres, Rodriguez has yet to be bested by an opponent.

Bout 6: Ciryl Gane (3-0) vs. Raphael Pessoa (9-0) (Heavyweight)

In the next bout of the evening, it will be a classic “two O’s, one’s got to go” situation. Undefeated heavyweights in Ciryl Gane and Raphael Pessoa will face off, putting their flawless records on the line. Gane will be making his UFC debut, with his three pro wins coming from the French-Canadian MMA promotion TKO. Pessoa has never had loyalties to a promotion, but he has definitely been dominant everywhere he’s went, whether it’s LFA, Shooto Brazil or other places.

Bout 7: Gilbert Burns (15-3) vs. Alexey Kunchenko (20-0) (Welterweight)

Alexey Kunchenko has gotten big tests in his UFC run so far, yet he has stayed undefeated. In what should be yet another test for the Russian fighter, Kunchenko will face Gilbert Burns. The original bout for Kunchenko was against Laureano Staropoli, who has a less experienced record of 9-1 compared to Burns.

Bout 8: Enrique Barzola (15-4-1) vs. Bobby Moffett (14-4) (Featherweight)

Starting off the main card will be a featherweight clash between Enrique Barzola and Bobby Moffett. Training out of American Top Team, Barzola has had an extensive career in the UFC, despite holding a similar record to Moffett, who will be entering his third UFC fight. In his seventh UFC fight back in March, Barzola suffered his loss since his 2015 entrance into the promotion. Bobby Moffett was scouted through the Contender Series, and has since had a 1-1 record in the UFC. Back in March, he lost to Kevin Aguilar via decision. On Saturday, one fighter will come back from a loss, while the other will likely continue to struggle.

Bout 9: Oskar Piechota (11-1-1) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (5-0) (Middleweight)

One of the many undefeated fighters on the card is Rodolfo Vieira, who will make his UFC debut with a record of 5-0. A few of those fights were in the Russian MMA promotion ACB. His recent win was a first round rear naked choke, which ended the undefeated 10-0 pro run of Vitaliy Nemchinov. “The Black Belt Hunter” will see a challenge in his matchup with Oskar Piechota, who has a 2-1 record in the UFC. Piechota’s wins come from both striking and submissions, which differs himself from the BJJ focused Vieira. His first career loss came to Gerald Meerschaert in his last bout.

Bout 10: Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) (#7) vs. Ilir Latifi (14-6) (#9) (Light Heavyweight)

With three fights left on the card, names that are familiar to most UFC fans start to appear. The next bout is Volkan Oezdemir versus Ilir Latifi. Oezdemir came into the UFC with three straight wins, two of those via first round, sorry, first minute punches. But since then, the Swiss fighter has found himself in a losing streak, dropping to big names in Dominick Reyes, Anthony Smith and Daniel Cormier. He will try to turn around his misfortunes on Saturday, facing Ilir Latifi, who has had a consistent amount of wins with intermittent losses. He took a decision loss on the last 2018 show for UFC, losing to Corey Anderson. A win for either individual will advance them up the light heavyweight rankings, which they have already established themselves in.

Bout 11: Humberto Bandenay (14-6) vs. Luiz Eduardo Garagorri (12-0) (Featherweight)

Luiz Eduardo Garagorri will attempt to extend his undefeated record to 13-0 on Saturday when he faces Humberto Bandenay. Being the only fighter on the card from Uruguay, Garagorri will have the crowd behind him when he makes his UFC debut. His opponent, Humberto Bandenay is on a two fight losing streak. He won in his UFC debut against Martin Bravo with a head kick, but since then he has lost twice.

Bout 12: Vicente Luque (16-6-1) vs. Mike Perry (13-4) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event of the show, Vicente Luque will face fellow welterweight Mike Perry. Despite being on a five-fight winning streak, with all of those wins coming via stoppage, Luque is an unranked welterweight. On the absolute edge of the rankings, another victory could put him into the list. “Platinum” Mike Perry hasn’t had as flawless of a record as of late (8-4 since Luque started his winning streak, 6-4 in the UFC), his personality and fighting style has made him a fan favourite. His face-off with Luque earlier in the week included his significant other who is referred to as the “Platinum Princess” in the crowd taunting Luque with comments like “He lookin’ nervous” and “He not ready” And, like many Perry incidents before, he let out a loud shriek to express intensity before he left the stage. His radiating energy as a person, and his explosive style as a fighter is what has put him so high on cards as of late, despite being 2-3 in his last five. Similar to Luque, if he wins this bout, chances are he will crash the welterweight rankings.

The main event of the card is Valentina Shevchenko attempting to defend her UFC Flyweight Championship against #3 ranked flyweight Liz Carmouche. Both fighters have faced off before, with that fight taking place back in 2010 before either fighter stepped foot in the UFC. Carmouche came out of the fight as the winner, breaking Shevchenko’s 10-0 undefeated record at the time. A lot of things have changed since then. Carmouche went through Strikeforce and Invicta, and made her UFC debut in a title fight against Ronda Rousey, where Rousey came out as the victor in one of her biggest fights of her career. Shevchenko entered the UFC in 2015, going undefeated besides her two losses to Amanda Nunes, who currently holds the bantamweight and featherweight championships.

“Bullet” Valentina Shevchenko won her belt back in December at UFC 231, defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the co-main event of the evening. Just two months ago she made her first defense of the title, stopping Jessica Eye in the second round with a head kick. Carmouche’s last two wins have come against Jennifer Maia and Lucie Pudilova, both via decision. A win for Shevchenko would let her overtake Nicco Montano for longest time to hold the flyweight belt. Montano had it for 280 days in total, with Shevchenko marking the 245th day tomorrow.

Next week, UFC will hold UFC 241, including another rematch in the main event slot. Heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier will face Stipe Miocic after defeating him via KO back in July of last year. Miocic will aim to reclaim his heavyweight belt, which he defended three times prior to losing. The co-main will see the long awaited return of Nate Diaz, as he faces Anthony Pettis.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 Episode 7 Full Report

In the seventh episode of the season, Dana White’s Contender Series saw five more fights, with successful fighters having potential UFC contracts. It was an action-packed week with many stoppages, so let’s look at how it went down.

Bout 1: Jason Perrin (8-3) vs. Dwight Joseph (9-1) (Bantamweight)

The first fight was a bantamweight battle between Jason Perrin and Dwight Joseph. In the first seconds of the fight, Perrin caught a leg kick and got a takedown. They went back to standup, with Joseph trying for a takedown for not succeeding. Joseph got a slam takedown later in the round, taking his back briefly. The broadcast emphasized Perrin’s calmness. Throughout the round Joseph was out-striking. Another leg kick was caught and turned into a takedown by Perrin. Unfortunately for Perrin, Joseph put in a guillotine. He was deep in the hold and for a long time, but was able to eventually get out. In the final round, Perrin was on top position once again. He took Joseph’s back but didn’t do much. They stood back up with 90 seconds left. The fight went the distance. This was a fight where both fighter looked good. All three judges gave the fight to Dwight Joseph (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). The result shocked Jason Perrin.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Perrin	9	9	10	28
Joseph	10	10	9	29

Bout 2: Andre Muniz (17-4) vs. Taylor Johnson (5-0) (Middleweight)

The next fight had a returning Contender Series fighter versus an undefeated fighter. Andrew Muniz, who has fought on the Brazilian edition of the Contender Series, faced Taylor Johnson, who has never seen a professional loss. Right out the gates, Gary was hit with a counter left hook which dropped him. Johnson took top position. He slammed Muniz to escape an armbar. They stood up and Muniz took Johnson’s back. He put in a rear naked choke which put a quick conclusion to the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Muniz
Johnson

Bout 3: Darrick Minner (22-9) vs. Herbert Burns (8-2) (Featherweight)

The night fight had a very experienced fighter in Darrick Minner versus Herbert Burns. Just like the last fight, this one got to the action quite quickly. Standing up against the cage, Minner was on Burns’ back. He got back on his feet and landed some hooks. Burns tried for a guillotine on the ground but couldn’t get it. Minner was in top position. He got caught in a triangle choke, which ended the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Minner
Burns

Bout 4: Marilia Santos (10-2) vs. Lucrezia Ria (7-2) (Flyweight)

In the fourth fight of the night, Marilia Santos and Lucrezia Ria fought in a flyweight contest. The fight was on the ground for a few moments, with Santos in the dominant position. Santos landed some good punches. It looked as if she tripped when Ria threw some punches in her direction. On the ground, Santos tried for an armbar as the round was closing out. In the second round there was a great exchange of punches where both fighters were going all out with hooks. On the ground, Ria continued to have control for most of the round. Santos had a good first minute of the final round, continually coming forward and landing punches. Ria looked tired and defensive. On the ground, Ria tried for a guillotine. For the numerous minutes that they were on the ground, Ria was completely in control. The fight went the distance with both fighters showing great sportsmanship afterwards. Lucrezia Ria won via split decision with quite differing scorecards (30-27 Santos, 29-28 Ria & 29-28 Ria).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Santos	10	9	9	28
Ria	9	10	10	29

Bout 5: Harvey Park (12-2) vs. Omar Morales (7-0) (Lightweight)

In the main event of the evening, Harvey Park fought an undefeated Omar Morales. The first round was somewhat close and composed, until the final 20 seconds where both fighters started throwing wild punches. Morales had more outstanding moments in the first. Park tried for a takedown early in the second and ate some punches on the way down. He hurt one of his feet which left him standing up against the cage. Morales landed punches which dropped Park, and had referee Herb Dean intervene quickly.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Park	9
Morales	10

At the end of the night, Dana White awarded contracts to Andre Muniz, Herbert Burns and Omar Morales.

UFC on ESPN 5: Covington vs. Lawler Preview

UFC will ditch their usual start time on Saturday when UFC Newark takes place. With prelims starting at Noon Eastern Time and the main card three hours after, the sun will not go down before all winning arms are raised in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Along with 11 other fighters, ranked Welterweights Colby Covington and Robbie Lawler will face off in the main event of the card which will air on ESPN. Let’s look at the card from start to finish.

Bout 1: Hannah Goldy (5-0) vs. Miranda Granger (6-0) (Flyweight)

The night will kick off with a bout with high stakes involved. Both in their UFC debut, Hannah Goldy and Miranda Granger will put up their undefeated streaks. Goldy fought three times before being scouted on the ongoing season of the Tuesday Night Contender Series, earning her contract. Granger didn’t come through UFC’s star-finding show but recently fought in CFFC, a promotion which broadcasts on UFC Fight Pass. In her professional career, Granger has never gone into the final round, with numerous submission victories.

Bout 2: Claudio Silva (13-1) vs. Cole Williams (11-1) (Welterweight)

Heading into his fifth UFC fight, Claudio Silva has seen success so far, racking up four straight wins. As a matter of fact, if it wasn’t for his slip up in his pro debut, Silva would still be an undefeated fighter. But, most people eventually lose the big O on their record. He will be stacked up against Cole Williams, who similarily, has only taken one pro loss early in his campaign. Williams established himself in Iowa, fighting frequently in the Pinnacle Combat promotion. It was reported a few weeks back that Williams would replace Ramazan Emeev on this card after visa issues stopped the original pairing. On Friday, Williams failed to make weight, weighing 176 pounds over the 170 limit.

Bout 3: Mara Romero Borella (12-5) vs. Lauren Murphy (10-4) (Flyweight)

In the second flyweight matchup of the afternoon, Mara Romero Borella and Lauren Murphy will battle each other. Borella holds a 2-1 record within the UFC, while Murphy has had a less lucky 2-4 record (with an exhibition loss against Nicco Montano on The Ultimate Fighter). Murphy was pulled out of a fight against Ashlee Evans-Smith earlier in 2018 after she suffered an injury. Nearly six months later, Murphy will see her first matchup in 14 months.

Bout 4: Matt Schnell (13-4) vs. Jordan Espinosa (14-5) (Flyweight)

In another flyweight bout, two fighters on a hot-streak will collide. Matt Schnell, who is on a three-fight winning streak in the UFC, will face Jordan Espinosa, who has won five times in a row including one UFC victory. Schnell turned around his unsuccessful UFC career, not winning The Ultimate Fighter Season 24, and taking two pro losses. Since then, he has gotten three wins over Marco Antonio Beltran, Naoki Inoue and Louis Smolka. Espinosa is on a longer win streak, however, most of them have come outside of the UFC. Winning twice in 2017 and in 2018, Espinosa came in hot in his UFC debut, getting a decision victory over Eric Shelton. Someone’s momentum may come to a halt on Saturday.

Bout 5: Antonina Shevchenko (7-1) vs. Lucie Pudilova (8-4) (Flyweight)

In the Shevchenko family, it’s “Bullet” Valentina Shevchenko who is more well known. While this is the case, nowadays chances are that people might be talking about Antonina Shevchenko as well. Debuting in the UFC in late 2018, Shevchenko has defeated Ji Yeon Kim and lost to Roxanne Modafferi, handing “The Panther” her first pro loss. She will face Lucie Pudilova on Saturday, who is on a two-fight losing streak, albeit against formidable opponents in Irene Aldana (bantamweight bout) and Liz Carmouche. Pudilova has had a longer stint within the UFC, debuting in 2017 and having an overall 2-3 record.

Bout 6: Mickey Gall (5-2) vs. Salim Touahri (10-3) (Welterweight)

While young in his career, Mickey Gall is a name that most MMA fans will remember. His decisive win over former WWE wrestler CM Punk back in 2016 put many eyes on the then 24-year-old MMA fighter with a 2-0 record prior to the competition. He has since fought four more times, overall having a 4-2 record within the promotion. His recent loss came against UFC veteran Diego Sanchez, who got his first stoppage win in over a decade. In his next fight, Gall will be replacing Zelim Imadaev due to injury. Like some of his recent fights, Gall will be facing a more experienced fighter in Salim Touahri on Saturday. Touahri will attempt to snap his two-fight losing streak, which has been in place since his UFC debut.

Bout 7: Darko Stosic (13-2) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (6-1) (Light Heavyweight)

Starting off the main card, the show will have it’s heaviest bout on the card. Darko Stosic and Kennedy Nzechukwu will compete in a Light Heavyweight bout, as the broadcast flips to ESPN at 3 PM Eastern Time. Stosic and Nzechukwu haven’t started their UFC career in the way they necessarily wanted, with Stosic having a 1-1 record and Nzechukwu holding a 0-1 record. Although, one will likely see success on Saturday, turning the tide for their career.

Bout 8: Scott Holtzman (12-3) vs. Dong Hyun Ma (16-9-3) (Lightweight)

In the first of three lightweight bouts of the afternoon, two experienced UFC fighters in Scott Holtzman and “Maestro” Dong Hyun Ma will compete. Holtzman has fought eight times before in the UFC, currently with a 5-3 record in the promotion. Hyun Ma has fought six times, with an even record of 3-3. They have both lost recently, breaking their three-fight win streaks before. If Hyun Ma were to win on Saturday, it would be a real indictment for the UFC to not book him on the UFC Fight Night in Busan, South Korea set for December 21, 2019. Dong Hyun Ma weighed in at 158, going three pounds above the lightweight limit.

Bout 9: Gerald Meerschaert (29-11) vs. Trevin Giles (11-1) (Middleweight)

Gerald Meerschaert and Trevin Giles will compete in the next bout. The experience differential is large, with Giles having the same number of wins as Meerschaert has losses. Giles took his first pro loss in May, losing to Zak Cummings in his third UFC bout. Meerschaert is on a two-fight losing streak, making his current record in the UFC 4-3.

Bout 10: Joaquim Silva (11-1) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (10-2) (Lightweight)

Joaquim Silva and Nasrat Haqparast have the same amount of MMA bouts each, but a win for Haqparast on Saturday will make their wins and losses equal. Heading into his fourth UFC bout, Haqparast is 2-1 in the UFC, coming back after an eight-month layoff, defeating Thibault Gouti in a 2018 bout. Joaquim Silva is also coming back after a similar time of absence, beating Jared Gordon in December. Silva currently has a 4-1 record in the UFC.

Bout 11: Clay Guida (35-18) vs. Jim Miller (30-13) (Lightweight)

In the co-main event will be a battle between two very experienced UFC fighters. Clay Guida and Jim Miller have fought in the UFC since 2006 and 2008 respectively, making them some of the longest standing active UFC fighters. Both fighters have won already in 2019. Miller had a quick first-round rear naked choke win over Jason Gonzalez in April. Guida fought fellow veteran BJ Penn for three rounds in May, taking all three scorecards to get his victory.

Bout 12: Colby Covington (14-1) vs. Robbie Lawler (28-13) (Welterweight)

Back in June of 2018, Colby Covington seemingly sealed his fate as the next in line for a UFC Welterweight title shot, defeating Rafael dos Anjos and becoming the interim champion. That was the plan at least, until a nasal injury sidelined him from a bout, and also took away his expected title shot. He now finds himself scheduled to face fellow ranked fighter Robbie Lawler in a main event, but no belts are involved.

Robbie Lawler attempted to spoil Ben Askren’s UFC debut in March, but lost in a controversial stoppage due to a bulldog choke. Before then, he lost to Rafael dos Anjos in a decision. Before he beat Donald Cerrone in 2017, his last win, he lost in just over two minutes to Tyron Woodley, former Welterweight Champion. Whilst a much more experienced UFC fighter than Covington, he’s lost to people Covington has beat, and more importantly, has been losing much more lately.

Colby Covington’s personality, specifically online, has made him a polarizing figure. Through his Instagram videos and sponsored content, he often flaunts his lifestyle and mocks his viewers with terms like “snowflakes” and “nerds.” Despite his stripping of the interim belt, Covington has continued to carry a championship in his photos and videos.

Covington has also never been afraid to share his political values, being a vocal endorser of current President of The United States Donald Trump. He often wears Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hats in posts and visited the White House shortly after his Interim Championship victory. It was announced earlier in the week that two sons of the President, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. would be present for the main event on Saturday.

All antics will be put aside on Saturday when Colby Covington and Robbie Lawler face off in the main event. Covington currently sits in #2 in the Welterweight rankings, with Lawler at #11. A win for Covington could mean a now long-awaited title shot, with Lawler also being put in the conversation if he comes out victorious.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 Episode 6 Full Report

On Tuesday, ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass aired the sixth of nine episodes of Dana White’s Contender Series. The show showcased five fights, ranging from the promotion’s heaviest to lightest weight class. Let’s start with the first bout where the heavyweights showcased their talent.

Bout 1: Michal Martinek (7-0) vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (6-0) (Heavyweight)

The first fight was a clash of two undefeated heavyweights. From the Czech Republic, Michal Martinek faced Brazilian Rodrigo Nascimento. Early in the fight Martinek had Nascimento up against the cage. He tried for a takedown but Nascimento ended up on top. After landing some strikes, Nascimento put in a arm and head choke which made Martinek tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Martinek
Nascimento

Bout 2: Rico Farrington (7-2) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (8-1) (Welterweight)

The next bout was a welterweight bout. Despite being fight win-loss records, the two fighters in this bout made up one-half of the losses from all fighters records tonight. The first round of the fight had close striking, even though Farrington had the reach advantage. Rodriguez landed many leg kicks. He also landed a takedown in the final moments of the first round. They continued to keep it mostly stand-up through all three rounds. Rodriguez rocked Farrington with punches early in the third round. Farrington found a home for his left cross in this round. At the end of the third Rodriguez took the fight to the ground and nearly ended it due to strikes. The judges gave Daniel Rodriguez the fight unanimously (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Farrington	9
Rodriguez	10

Bout 3: Mariya Agapova (6-0) vs. Tracy Cortez (5-1) (Flyweight)

The next fight was a flyweight battle between Mariya Agapova and Tracy Cortez. Cortez landed a trip in the clinch in the third minute after evenly matched stand-up. She took the back of Agapova and landed some punches. Agapova flipped around and took top position. They stood back up, still in clinch. Cortez landed knees in clinch and then got a takedown as the round winded down. Cortez scored another takedown only seconds into the second round. Agapova got up and grabbed a leg of Cortez, although she was brought back to the ground. Cortez showed off amazing wrestling. Cortez was on Agapova’s back for the rest of the round but never fully got in a rear naked choke. In the final round, Cortez came in with a takedown but Agapova nearly got the better of it, putting in a headlock. Cortez was able to push out of it and take Agapova’s back once again. They stood back up near the end, with the fight going all three rounds. Tracy Cortez got her victory in quite decisive fashion (30-26, 30-26 & 29-27). She was emotional after the fight, as she fights her brother and mother who have passed away.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Agapova	9	9	9	27
Cortez	10	10	10	30

Bout 4: Aalon Cruz (7-2) vs. Steven Nguyen (6-0) (Featherweight)

In the co-main event fight, Aalon Cruz fought undefeated Steven Nguyen. The first round of the fight was strictly punches and kicks. Cruz was the one who threw more kicks throughout. Both fighters were in a close battle, until the final minute when Cruz landed a flying knee which ended the bout. Dana White, who was octagon-side motioned to Cruz that he had eanred his contract.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Cruz
Nguyen

Bout 5: Fabio Cherant (4-0) vs. Aleksa Camur (4-0) (Light Heavyweight)

In the main event of this episode, two undefeated light heavyweights in Fabio Cherant and Aleksa Camur competed. Camur made his way out of the first round for the first time in his career. In the second round Cherant landed a good punch but Camur responded with a flying knee which dropped Cherant. Cherant was still in it, but Camur kept hitting him with hammerfist punches. The referee eventually called off the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Cherant	10
Camur	9

After some time, Dana White decided to sign Rodrigo Nascimento, Tracy Cortez, Aalon Cruz and Aleksa Camur.

Gilbert Burns To Take Short Notice Bout Against Alexey Kunchenko At UFC Montevideo

Yesterday, news broke that Alexey Kunchenko wouldn’t see Laureano Staropoli at UFC Montevideo due to a broken nose. In a days time, Kunchenko has gotten a replacement in Gilbert Burns.

Gilbert Burns is taking the fight on short notice, as the event takes place on August 10th. Normally a lightweight fighter, Burns will be making the move up to welterweight for this bout. He is currently on a two-fight winning streak, recently defeating Mike Davis on an April Fight Night card. Kunchenko will be the first undefeated opponent that Burns has faced since his UFC debut against Andreas Stahl in 2014.

Alexey Kunchenko will have his trilogy fight in the UFC on the 10th, picking up wins against Yushin Okami and Thiago Alves back in 2018. Prior to joining the promotion, he saw success in the Russian MMA promotions M-1.

While 13 fights are currently scheduled for UFC Montevideo, a replacement opponent for Ariane Carnelossi is yet to be seen. The card is headlined by Valentina Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche, with Shevchenko attempting to defend her UFC Flyweight Championship in a rematch. Here’s the current status of the card:

Valentina Shevchenko (17-3) vs. Liz Carmouche (13-6) (UFC Flyweight Championship)
Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) vs. Ilir Latifi (14-6) (Light Heavyweight)
Vicente Luque (16-6-1) vs. Mike Perry (13-4) (Welterweight)
Humberto Bandenay (14-6) vs. Luiz Eduardo Garagorri (12-0) (Featherweight)
Oskar Piechota (11-1-1) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (5-0) (Middleweight)
Cyril Gane (3-0) vs. Raphael Pessoa (9-0) (Heavyweight)
Enrique Barzola (15-4-1) vs. Bobby Moffett (14-4) (Featherweight)
Tecia Torres (10-4) vs. Marina Rodriguez (11-0-1) (Strawweight)
Raulian Paiva (18-2) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (15-1) (Flyweight)
Alex da Silva (20-2) vs. Rodrigo Vargas (11-2) (Lightweight)
Gilbert Burns (15-3) vs. Alexey Kunchenko (20-0) (Welterweight)
Polyana Viana (10-3) vs. Veronica Macedo (5-3-1) (Flyweight)
Geraldo de Freitas (12-4) vs. Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) (Bantamweight)