Dana White's Contender Series
Results
Week 9 Results + Scorecards | Dana White's Contender Series Season 8
Contract Winners, Scorecards, Recaps And More From The Newest Round Of UFC Hopefuls
Whether fair or not, the bar was automatically set high for the five pairs of competitors that made their way into the cage on the penultimate week of Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday night at the UFC APEX.
Post-Fight Press Conference | Dana White's Contender Series Season 8, Week 9
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Post-Fight Press Conference | Dana White's Contender Series Season 8, Week 9
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Last week was without question the best week of the season and one of the best in recent memory, if not all time, as all five victorious fighters turned in impressive showings to earn the opportunity to compete in the Octagon next time out, including Torrez Finney, who finally delivered the type of performance UFC CEO Dana White had been hoping for in each of his first two successful appearances in Las Vegas.
After consecutive weeks where all five winners graduated to the UFC, this week’s group, which included the returning Kody Steele, who was all set to make the walk on Week 5 before his opponent backed out at the last minute, needed to bring it in order to continue the trend and send us into the final week of the season riding an incredible high.
And boy did they ever!
After the opening clash between Australian flyweights Sean Gauci and Anthony Drilich went the distance, the finishes flowed, resulting in another week full of action and excitement that gave White lots to consider.
The collection of impressive efforts and rapid finishes, it didn’t take the UFC head honcho long to make his decisions, welcoming finishers Islam Dulatov, Mario Pinto, Kody Steele, and Artem Vakhitov to compete inside the Octagon going forward. While Gauci didn’t get a contract on Tuesday night, White did say that he felt both he and Drilich would eventually find their way to the biggest stage in the sport in the future.
With four more contracts handed out this week, that brings the Season 8 total to 38 for the year, with 21 of the last 24 victorious fighters getting the call.
Check out the details of how things played out below.
Dana White's Contender Series Season 8, Week 9 Results
- Artem Vakhitov defeats Islem Masraf by TKO (strikes) at 4:23 of Round 1
- Kody Steele defeats Chasen Blair by TKO (body shot) at 4:07 of Round 2
- Mario Pinto defeats Lucas Camacho by KO (left hook and strikes) at 1:43 of Round 1
- Islam Dulatov defeats Vantilo Antunes by KO (elbow) at 2:44 of Round 1
- Sean Gauci defeats Anthony Drilich by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Contract Winners And Interviews | Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 9
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Contract Winners And Interviews | Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 9
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Dana White's Contender Series Season 8, Week 9 Fight Card
Sean Gauci defeats Anthony Drilich by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
It was an all-Australian affair in the flyweight division to open Week 9, with Sean Gauci and Anthony Drilich going the full 15 minutes in a close, competitive battle.
Drilich was the more effective of the two in the opening frame, landing the stiffer shots in a low-output round on both sides. Gauci continued dictating the terms of engagement in the second and found more success with his hands, scoring with bigger singular shots versus the superior volume of Drilich. It was more of the same in the third, with Drilich offering more and connecting at a higher clip, while Gauci picked his spots and landed with greater force more often.
After the final horn sounded and the scores were added up, it was Gauci that came out ahead, earning a clean sweep of the scorecards to secure his seventh straight victory. The 28-year-old from Ignite Martial Arts Academy hasn’t lost a fight since early 2017 and moved to 10-1 with this sound, technical outing.
Islam Dulatov defeats Vantilo Antunes by KO (elbow) at 2:44 of Round 1
Good grief!
Islam Dulatov stormed across the cage and put it on Vantilo Antunes to begin their welterweight battle. Antunes hung tough and Dulatov was forced to reset, but midway through the frame, the Chechen-born fighter connected flush with a step-in elbow that folded the Brazilian into himself as he fell to the canvas.
This was an absolute storm of a performance from the now 11-1 Dulatov, who lost his pro debut and hasn’t looked back since. Just a ferocious showing from the part-time model and tremendously impressive prospect.
Mario Pinto defeats Lucas Camacho by KO (left hook and strikes) at 1:43 of Round 1
Mario Pinto is one to watch!
The unbeaten Portuguese fighter, who trains under Stuart Austin in London, bided his time in his clash with Lucas Camacho on Tuesday, waiting for the right moment to unleash a sharp left hook that put the Brazilian on the deck. From there, Pinto unleashed a quick flurry of strikes that landed flush and brought about the finish.
Now 9-0 as a professional with six finishes, the 26-year-old has all the initial markings of a fighter to watch going forward. Just a beautiful finish from the Levels Fight League champ in the biggest moment of his career.
Kody Steele defeats Chasen Blair by TKO (body shot) at 4:07 of Round 2
Kody Steele had to wait a few extra weeks to step into the cage inside the UFC APEX, but once he did, the unbeaten lightweight prospect made the most of it.
Paired off with Chasen Blair, Steele got the better of the striking exchanges throughout the first, flashing his natural power and willingness to stand-and-trade. When Blair started clawing back in the second, Steele shifted his focus to the body, landing a sweeping left hook across the liver that finally put Blair down, kicking off the finishing sequence.
For a Brazilian jiu jitsu competitor, Steele looked pretty sharp on the feet, collecting his fourth straight stoppage and seventh consecutive victory to kick off his MMA career. The 29-year-old is still developing, but his upside is extremely high.
Artem Vakhitov defeats Islem Masraf by TKO (strikes) at 4:23 of Round 1
It took a little time for him to find a rhythm, but Artem Vakhitov showed why folks are intrigued by his transition into MMA, stopping Islem Masraf to close out Week 9 on Dana White’s Contender Series.
The former Glory kickboxing standout, who split a pair of competitive fights with light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira, showed his greenness in the early goings, struggling to find his range and making a few technical mistakes. But late in the opening round, Vakhitov started to connect and once he recognized Masref was hurt, he pressed on and picked up the finish.
Even with the win, Vakhetov is still just 3-1 in MMA now, but his incredible kickboxing credentials and unquestionable upside make him someone to keep very close eyes on going forward.
