Dana White Contender Series Tonight
Welcome to another Tuesday night of prospect fighting at Film Fight Freaks play-by-play and results for the Dana White’s Contender Series season 4.
This week’s fights represent some of the best matchmaking of the season, so predictions were difficult, but that usually means that the fights will be great.
The fifth week of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series is going down inside the UFC Training Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Tonight, July 17, for fight fans around the world. Now the time has come for the night’s featured fight. Dana White’s Contender Series has been must-watch TV for MMA fans who have had the chance to see future UFC stars earn their way into the promotion. The show has produced the likes of Geoff Neal, Sean O’Malley, and Grant Dawson among others. In the main event of Week 8, Carlos Ulberg takes on Bruno Oliveira at light heavyweight.
*No prediction was given for Lutz v. Gibson, so it will go on our prediction record as a draw, bringing our prediction record to 14-5-1 before tonight’s fights.
Mixed martial arts on a Tuesday night? Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series kicks off later tonight live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass with a five fight card feature ten fighters who are looking to fight their way into the UFC. Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 29 goes down tonight (Aug. 18) inside the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dana White's Contender Series: Season 4, Week 7 TV, live stream ESPN+ Viewers can live-stream the Season 4, Week 7 show of Dana White's Contender Series on ESPN+, beginning at 8 p.m.
Tucker Lutz v Chase Gibson
Round 1.
Both fighters touch gloves to start things off.
Gibson is using active movement from the outside.
Nice superman punch from Gibson.
Gibson is being active, throwing hard and landing occasionally.
Pair of leg kicks from Lutz land.
Lutz gets tagged with a left and right hook from Gibson.
Gibson is throwing hard! Another hook lands.
Gibson is continuing to dance on the outside, confounding Lutz with his movement.
Missed left hook from Gibson.
Left hook lands for Lutz and Gibson hits the mat. Lutz gets on top in the guard of his opponent.
Gibson gives up his back against the cage as an effort to get up. Lutz is looking for hooks, but is content to knee the thigh of his opponent.
The round comes to a close as Lutz lets Gibson up, so he can land a couple strikes.
Round 2.
The men come out and touch gloves.
Lutz is being more active with the pressure and he lands a combination.
Gibson is continuing to move and attempts a ducking head kick.
Lutz blocks a head kick and counters with a strong leg kick.
Lutz is starting to utilize movement of his own as he is pressured.
Nice combination from Lutz is started with a crisp uppercut.
Lutz is starting to connect more with his combinations.
Nice right hand from Lutz! He is dialing in here.
Jab to a body kick to a right hand from Lutz! Sways out of the way of the counter-hook from Gibson.
Lutz is starting to cut off the movement of Gibson, and his strikes are starting to land.
Dana White's Contender Series Tonight
Big right hook from Gibson! Lutz eats it and moves forward with a 5-strike combination!
Ufc Contender Series Tonight Results
The men clinch-fight to end the round.
Round 3.
A little confusion to start the round, as both athletes weren’t sure if it had began.
Lutz is back at it with leg kicks and accurate jabs.
Gibson is staying aggressive in the face of adversity.
Lutz continues to plug away with combinations.
Gibson lands a solid straight right.
Jabs from Lutz to a straight to the body of Gibson.
Gibson is trying, but he is just a tad behind the seemingly more fresh Lutz.
Gibson looks for a double-leg, and ends up pushing Lutz against the fence.
Lutz reverses it, and after a successful trip from Gibson, a scramble results in Lutz looking to take the back.
Lutz is pounding on Gibson, who is turtled up against the cage.
A switch from Gibson, and he’s on Lutz’ back!
Gibson is looking for the choke! he has the body triangle with 10 seconds left!
Lutz is controlling the wrists of Gibson as the round ends.
Fight Overall: Fantastic stuff from these young men. They brought the drama that’s possible in three rounds of mixed martial arts. Each man had his moments, but I feel that Tucker Lutz did more than enough to win.
Result: Tucker Lutz def. Chase Gibson via Unanimous Decision (30-27)
Dana White Contender Series Tonight
William Knight v. Cody Brundage
Round 1.
The atheletes start with a glove touch.
Brundage shoots for a takedown quick!
Brundage has the back, and flattens Kight! He’s landing punch after puch!
Knight manages to grab the hands of Brundage, and Knight is being able to recover.
Brundage is really having trouble getting his hands free.
He falls off to try to get his hands fee, prompting a scramble.
Knight gets up, and Brundage is in on a takedown against the cage.
Hard elbows from Knight! Brundage is rattled and is getting pounded!
Brundage crumbles further against the cage, and referee Herb Dean has to save him!
Fight Overall: Knight survived a terrible position and comes back to win via TKO. Really great work from this athlete!
Result: William Knight def. Cody Brundage via TKO Round 1 (2:23)
Jose Johnson v. Ronnie Lawrence
Round 1.
The bantamweights move to the center and Johnson throws a front kick.
The two miss on leg kicks.
Nice right hand from Johnson, and a clinch ensues.
Lawrence with a bodylock takedown, but only a scramble results.
The men are back up and Lawrence hits another slam. Johnson is struggling to get up, but he cannot.
Lawrence is looking for the mount, but Johnson recovers guard.
Johnson is back up, but Lawrence is wrestling hard, and has Johnson down again!
Johnson gets his back taken, but he is standing.
Lawrence falls off and the two being striking again.
Lawrence is landing spinning back kicks, and leg kicks to the calf that are clearly affecting Johnson.
Lawrence forces another takedown.
Johnson is back up, but back down right again.
The round comes to a close.
Round 2.
Lawrence comes right back out with a hard leg kick.
Johnson is pressuring here, but clearly weary of the grappling.
Nice body kick from Johnson is answered by a great right hand from Lawrence.
Lawrence with a takedown and he’s briefly in mount.
Johnson is getting worn down here as Lawrence is staying acitive on top with strikes.
Lawrence is trying to advance position, but is striking in the meantime.
The men scramble back up.
Johnson lands some crisp strikes.
Lawrence hits a trip into side control.
Johnson scrambles, and the men are back up.
Johnson comes looking for a strike, but Lawrence slips and gets another trip into side control.
A scramble ensues and Johnson is on top. Lawrence is threatening with submissions, but Johnson is able to avoid it.
An armbar from Lawrence is looking tight! But Johnson escapes as the round ends.
Round 3.
The two men are looking a bit ragged.k
Spinning heel kick from Lawrence lands!
Johnson is pressuring, but Lawrence starts to grapple again.
Johnson threatens with a Kimura to counter the attempt.
Johnson is on bottom now, against the cage.
Lawrence gets the back of Johnson after his opponent misses with an armbar.
Lawrence is grinding here, and constantly working from the top.
Johnson looks worn out.
Lawrence is looking to advance position and he’s working his way to the mount.
Johnson recovers guard, but can’t get the momentum to get up.
Lawrence is pressuring, and passes to side control.
The bell sounds, and the fight is over.
Fight Overall: Wow. I thought Johnson would get the win here. I said in my prediction that Ronnie Lawrence would need to be the more complete martial artist to win, and he 100% did that.
Result: Ronnie Lawrence def. Jose Johnson via Unanimous Decision (30-27)
Jimmy Flick v. Nate Smith
Round 1.
The men touch gloves.
the two trade leg kicks.
Nice leg kicks from Flick.
Smith slips, and Flick is on top.
Flick has the back, and he’s working for hooks.
Smith grambys out and takes side control.
Flick is working for a straight armbar! This is unorthodox, but close.
Flick is throwing so many choke attempts out, it’s hard for me to keep up.
Smith is defending well.
Flick is now wrestling Smith against the cage.
The men are standing again.
Flick lands a nice body kick.
Smith looks a bit tired from dealing with the stress on the ground.
The round comes to an end.
Round 2.
The two come back out, and clash shins.
Smith counters a kick with an overhand punch.
Nice kicks from Smith.
A punch combination from Flick, and he’s back on the grappling.
Smith tries to defend the takedown with a kimura, but Flick uses that to get to mount as they hit the floor.
Flick is close on an arm triangle. Smith escapes.
Smith is threatening a triangle of his own. Flick is stuck.
Smith is keeping this locked, and Flick is slowly working his way out.
The threat is gone, and Flick takes side control.
Flick takes a mounted guillotine, but lets it go to strike.
A struggle for an armtriangle begins, but Smith survives.
Flick goes from an armbar to a triangle! This is tight!
The bell sounds, saving Smith in the process.
Round 3.
The athletes meet in the center.
Smith hits a front kick to the face of Flick! Flick smiles.
Flick is in on a takedown, and he slams Smith to the mat.
Smith is trying to work his way back up, but Flick is staying heavy.
Smith recovers half-guard, but Flick is pressuring hard for a pass.
Flick takes the mount, and he’s looking for some ground and pound.
Smith turns over and Flick is right on his neck for the choke.
Flick is back in mount and locks in an arm triangle.
Smith has no choice but to tap.
Fight Overall: Flick dominated here. Smith did well to survive as long as he did. Jimmy Flick simply outclassed Nate Smith in every aspect of this fight. Flick threw out so many submission attempts that it was impossible to keep up with in real time.
Result: Jimmy Flick def. Nate Smith via Submission (Arm Triangle) Round 3 (3:15)
Melsik Baghdasaryan v. Dennis Buzukia
Round 1.
The two featherweights start quick.
Bagh fires off a jab and is pressuring. He lands some bombs!
Bazuja clinches. they battle in the clinch.
Bagh is firing hard with every strike! Buzukja is surviving here.
Head kick from Bagh is blocked, but Buzukja is back to being bombed on.
Bagh gets a trip and goes back to striking.
Buzukja is getting tagged with straights and elbows.
Bagh is pushing Buzukja against the cage.
Buzukja whiffs with a heack kick.
Nice bocy kick from Buzukja, and Bagh goes back to advancing with strikes.
Buzukja gets the takedown. Bagh gets back to his feet, but is getting hit with strikes in the clinch.
The round comes to an end.
Round 2.
Bagh is eager to get back out there.
Leg kick from Buzukja.
Bagh is backing for the first time in this fight. Buzukja is narrowly avoiding heat from his opponent.
Head kick from Buzukja. The men trade strikes.
Both men are looking a bit worn down from the last round.
Nice punch from Buzukja, but Bagh is winning the exchanges.
Great trip from Buzukja and the two scramble back to their feet.
Buzukja clinches again, and he pushes the fight to the cage.
Takedown from Buzukja, but Bagh is back up.
Buzukja gets the back clinch on the feet.
Bagh whiffs a straight left, and Buzukja lands a crisp straight of his own.
The round comes to a close.
Round 3.
Both men are looking tired, which is understandable.
Buzukja storms across the cage, and he’s landing strikes.
Nice exchanges from these men in the center of the cage.
Takedown attempt from Buzukja is stuffed.
Bagh is coming back on in this fight.
The men trade punches.
Spinning back kick to the body from Bagh.
Buzukja is looking ragged.
Bagh gets a takedown of his own, but is momentarily reversed before two get back to their feet.
Bagh again shoots for a takedown, but Buzukja has an armbar! This is close!
The two get back to their feet, and Bagh is taking over here.
More strikes land from Bagh, and the round comes to an end.
The fight is over.
Fight Overall:
Result: Melsik Baghdasaryan def. Dennis Buzukia via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Who Won?
Tucker Lutz – Unanimous Decision
William Knight – TKO Round 1
Ronnie Lawrence – Unanimous Decision
Jimmy Flick – Submission Round 3
Melsik Baghdasaryan – Unanimous Decision
Who Got a Contract?
Tucker Lutz gets props from White, and he gets another shot in the DWCS this November.
William Knight gets a contract for his super impressive TKO win.
Dana White thinks that Ronnie Lawrence is special, netting him a UFC contract.
Jimmy Flick gets a contract for his impressive showing and his sheer finishing instinct.
Melsic Baghdasaryan is getting another shot at the Contender Series this November.
And that’s it! Needless to say, tonight was not great for our prediction record. We are now 14-9-1. Ouch. Oh well, the show keeps going, and we’ll try again for week 6 of the Dana White’s Contender Series.
Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you all next Tuesday.
Categories: UFC
Sean O’Malley will get his opportunity in the UFC tonight.
Montana is a huge state by area and small in population. The mixed martial arts scene there is close-knit and supportive. Brandon Olsen, Lloyd Woodard, and Tim Welch all game from Montana, and have tasted success on the big stages of the sport. Helena native Sean O’Malley will get the next opportunity, as he’ll face Alfred Khashakyan tonight in Dana White’s Contender Series.
Sean O’Malley (7-0) fought the first five fights of his career in Montana, before leaving to fight in North Dakota. In his last fight, he fought on AXS TV for LFA, knocking his opponent out via headkick in the first round. It was a very impressive performance, and likely put himself on the UFC’s radar.
In O’Malley’s 7 professional fights, he has only gone the distance one time. In all of his other bouts, he won by either KO or Submission He has four knockouts and two wins by submission. He’s a very athletic fighter. He trains in Glendale, AZ at an elite facility, The MMA Lab. The gym is home to great professional fighters like Ben Henderson, Tim Welch, Drakkar Klose, Bryan Barbarena and many others. It’s a hotbed for MMA talent.
Sean will be facing Alfred Khashakyan (8-3) who is a talented fighter in his own right. He lost to Ricardo Ramas while appearing on Dana White’s Looking for a Fight series. He defeated former UFC fighter Chris Beals in his last fight, which put him in line for a shot on Dana White’s new Contender Series show.
Tonight’s episode features a fight between Angel DeAnda and Dan Spohn.
The complete card lineup for tonight can be found here.