The world’s “toughest job interview” continues this evening as 10 fighters “vie to fulfill their dreams of earning a UFC contract.”
Despite four fights falling through, Episode 3 of Season 2 of Dana White’s “Tuesday Night Contender Series” hits your computer screens tonight (June 26, 2018) at 8 p.m. ET. Last week saw an unprecedented four fighters earn UFC contracts, so the latest batch has much to live up to.
Antonina Shevchenko — sister of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) standout Valentina Shevchenko — faces late replacement Jaymee Nievera in Fight Pass’ main event. Other competitors of note include Season 1 Heavyweight Greg Rebello and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) / UFC veteran Julian Erosa.
DANA WHITE’S ‘CONTENDER SERIES’ QUICK RESULTS:
Antonina Shevchenko vs. Jaymee Nievera — Shevchenko def. Nievera by TKO (knees) at 3:22 of Round Two
Austin Tweedy vs. Te Edwards — Edwards def. Tweedy by KO (punch) at 0:28 of Round One
Greg Rebello vs. Josh Parisian — Parisian def. Rebello by KO (spinning back fist) at 1:31 of Round One
Julian Erosa vs. Jamall Emmers — Erosa def. Emmers by KO (head kick and punches) at 1:10 of Round Two
Tim Caron vs. Jordan Williams — Williams def. Caron by TKO (elbows) at 3:37 of Round Three
DANA WHITE’S ‘CONTENDER SERIES’ PLAY-BY-PLAY RESULTS:
125 lbs.: Antonina Shevchenko vs. Jaymee Nievara
Round one: Shevchenko lands a right hook and turns aside a takedown. Low kick by Nievera, takedown stuffed. They trade knees inside. Shevchenko’s are the harder, doing damage from the plum. Nievera ducks in for an outside reap that Shevchenko counters into a takedown, avoiding an armbar. One minute in. Shevchenko staying tight, not doing much. Two minutes in. Now she postures up for some bigger shots and tries to step away. Nievera grabs a foot as she steps away and eats punches for her trouble. Hard punches by Shevchenko, who grabs the Thai plum and lands knees on the way up. Two minutes to go.
More heavy knees. Piling up to the head and body. Nievera shoots in, stuffed, surrenders half guard. Shevchenko pounding away, lets the horribly bloodied Nievera to her feet. She looks done. They restart it on the feet. 1-2 from Shevchenko. Right hook. Thai plum, more knees to the face. Nievera finally hits a takedown with just over 20 seconds to work. 10-8 Shevchenko.
Round two: Combination from Shevchenko. Teep upstairs. Straight left. Head kick attempt. Hard teep to the face. One minute in. Combination on the fence. Heavy punches, back to the Thai clinch. Counter right lands for Nievera. Body kick. Nievera shoots, stuffed. Shevchenko digs more knees in. Right hook. Body kick connects. Nievera tries to shoot off a Shevchenko knee and eats yet more knees from the clinch. Brutal shots to the head and body. Herb Dean steps in as the onslaught shows no sign of slowing.
Final result: Shevchenko def. Nievera by TKO (knees)
155 lbs.: Austin Tweedy vs. Te Edwards
Round one: Tweedy opens with a leg kick and left hook. Edwards’ very first punch, a straight right, knocks Tweedy stiff.
Final result: Edwards def. Tweedy by KO (punch)
265 lbs.: Greg Rebello vs. Josh Parisian
Round one: Parisian tossing out early kicks, including a couple spinning ones. Spinning back kick lands on the fence and they clinch. Good elbow on the break a minute in. REbello finds the mark with a left hand and they clinch again. Separation. Another spinning back kick by Parisian. Parisian’s next spin is a back fist that detonates on Rebello’s jaw. Rebello crumbles and eats a few more shots while unconscious before the ref moves in.
Final result: Parisian def. Rebello by KO (spinning back fist)
145 lbs.: Julian Erosa vs. Jamall Emmers
Round one: Emmers falls short with a right, lands a body kick. Oblique kick from Emmers. Counter right lands for Erosa a minute in. Emmers fires low kicks. Right hand downstairs. Erosa catches a spinning kick, can’t take him down. Low kick exchange. 1-2 from Emmers after trying a Hug Tornado. Counter uppercut lands clean for Erosa. Combination from Emmers and they exchange in the clinch. Two minutes to go.
Erosa fires a straight left, answered by a side kick. clean 1-2 from Emmers and Erosa waves him on, looking for hooks. Lead right this time from Emmers. One minute to go. Erosa lands a front kick and a knee inside. Emmers tries to charge in. Erosa connects with a stepping knee. Right hook this time. Emmers drops Erosa with a stiff jab before the bell. 10-9 Emmers.
Round two: Erosa opens with low kicks and opens up with punches. Trading bombs in the center. Erosa getting the better of it. Emmers attacks the body. One minute in. Erosa steps in and cracks Emmers with a left high kick. Emmers stumbles down and Erosa punches him to sleep.
Final result: Erosa def. Emmers by KO (head kick and punches)
185 lbs.: Tim Caron vs. Jordan Williams
Round one: Caron opens with a body kick, eats a flurry and ties up. Caron slips throwing a knee and Williams sets up in guard, looking for ground-and-pound. One minute in. Solid shots from Williams. Still staying heavy, doing work. Caron looking for a kimura, can’t lock his hands. Two minutes in. Williams passes to half guard. Caron goes for a deep half guard sweep, can’t get it. Two minutes to go.
Williams looking to isolate an arm.. No duce. Caron scoots to the fence, Williams dings him with left hands. Opening up with the elbows now. Caron stands and cracks Williams with his own elbow on the break. Williams drags him down and lands some borderline punches at the bell. 10-9 Williams.
Round two: Williams lands a 3-2 that has Caron retreating. Caron looks a bit shell-shocked as Williams goes to work with combinations, ultimately taking him down into half guard. Caron regains full guard. One minute in. Caron offering jack squat from his back. Two minutes in. More ground-and-pound. Williams threatens an arm triangle. Two minutes to go.
Caron tries deep half guard again, eats elbows. This continues until the bell. 10-9 Williams.
Round three: Williams continues to land punches on Caron, who does not seem to understand the basic concepts of defense. Williams landing basically every punch he throws. Caron ties up on the fence, surrenders an easy takedown into guard. One minute in. Williams not looking to pass, Caron not looking to submit or stand. Caron is doing so little that the ref is threatening to stop it from intermittent, mediocre punches from guard. Caron goes for a kimura/straight armbar. Two minutes to go.
Caron keeps trying to crank while Williams easily passes to side control, after which Williams lands a handful of elbows to get the finish.
Final result: Williams def. Caron by TKO (elbows)