The world’s “toughest job interview” continues this evening as 10 fighters “vie to fulfill their dreams of earning a UFC contract.”
The second season of Dana White’s “Tuesday Night Contender Series” rolls on this evening (June 19, 2018) with a fresh crop of mixed martial arts (MMA) hopefuls, kicking off as always online at 8 p.m. ET on Fight Pass.
Last week saw Alonzo Menifield and NFL veteran Greg Hardy score contracts via first-round knockout (highlights).
Tonight’s main event features Featherweight up-and-comers Matt Sayles and Yazan Hajeh, while the rest of the lineup includes LFA Middleweight champ Anthony Hernandez, GLORY elite Giga Chikadze, and Season 1 competitor Ryan “Superman” Spann.
DANA WHITE’S ‘CONTENDER SERIES’ QUICK RESULTS:
Matt Sayles vs. Yazan Hajeh — Sayles def. Hajeh by TKO (punches) at 1:57 of Round One
Anthony Hernandez vs. Jordan Wright — Hernandez def. Wright by KO (punches) at 0:40 of Round One
Giga Chikadze vs. Austin Springer — Springer def. Chikadze by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:10 of Round Three
Emiliano Sordi vs. Ryan Spann — Spann def. Sordi by submission (guillotine choke) at 0:26 of Round One
Tyler Hill vs. Dwight Grant — Grant def. Hill by KO (punches) at 2:08 of Round Two
DANA WHITE’S ‘CONTENDER SERIES’ PLAY-BY-PLAY RESULTS:
145 lbs.: Matt Sayles vs. Yazan Hajeh
Round one: Hajeh sends out a front kick to start, then gets clipped by an overhand right. Straight right this time for Sayles, who backs away from a tornado kick. Hajeh shoots, eats a knee. Sayles separates. One minute in. Body kick by Sayles, who hits a foot sweep and has to avoid a rolling triangle. He lets Hajeh stand, then drops him hard with a straight right. Sayles drilling him with ground-and-pound, steps directly to mount. He just keeps punching until the ref steps in.
Final result: Sayles def. Hajeh by TKO (punches)
185 lbs.: Anthony Hernandez vs. Jordan Wright
Round one: Wright opens with a wheel kick attempt. Leg kick lands. Hernandez bullies his way inside on the fence and unloads with combinations. A left hook takes Wright’s legs out from under him and Hernandez knocks him stone cold out with the subsequent flurry.
Final result: Hernandez def. Wright by KO (punches)
145 lbs.: Giga Chikadze vs. Austin Springer
Round one: Chikadze tries a snap kick, sends out some round kicks. Glancing head kick lands for him and Springer ties up, taking him to the fence. One minute in. Chikadze reverses, ultimately separates and fires the liver kick. Counter left stings Springer and Chikadze tries a flying knee, only to get taken down. He immediately starts looking for a triangle, then transitions to an armbar. Springer slips out and drops ground-and-pound. Two minutes to go.
Both land elbows. Chikadze catches him with a pair of upkicks when he tries to posture up. One minute to go. Diving right hand from Springer, who gives Chikadze enough space to stand. Springer catches the liver kick for another takedown, has to fight off an omoplata that Chikadze uses to stand. 10-9 Chikadze.
Round two: Brazilian kick whips by Springer’s chin. Springer catches the body kick, can’t take him down. Springer catches a leg and lands some shots while Chikadze is on one leg. One minute in. Body kick lands for Chikadze , wheel kick does not. Springer avoids an uppercut and shoots, scrambles up from a hip toss. He lands a body kick as they separate two minutes in. Counter left by Springer. Chikadze looks for a head kick. Two minutes to go.
Springer gets in deep on a double-leg and takes him down on the cage. Half guard for Springer. One minute to go. Chikadze regains guard, kicks him away and stands, eating a left hook as he does. Brazilian kick misses, as does a rolling thunder at the bell. 10-9 Springer.
Round three: Springer sends out an early flurry, eats a straight left. Body kick from Chikadze. Springer lands an inside low kick, eats one in return. One minute in. Overhand right dings Springer, who comes back with a leg kick. Wheel kick misses for Chikadze. Leg kick connects. Chikadze catches a kick and lands a right hand to knock Springer over. Springer shoots on the way up and denies a hip toss before separating. Two minutes in. Springer catches a side kick for a takedown attempt, eats elbows before Chikadze separates. Two minutes to go.
Chikadze lands a knee as Springer shoots, still gets taken down into half guard. He uses the threat of an arm triangle to take mount and pounds away. Chikadze gives up his back under the onslaught and taps to a rear naked choke.
Final result: Springer def. Chikadze by submission (rear naked choke)
205 lbs.: Emiliano Sordi vs. Ryan Spann
Round one: Spann pressing forward, drops Sordi with a counter right. He catches Sordi in a palm-to-palm guillotine on the way up and draws the tap.
Final result: Spann def. Sordi by submission (guillotine choke)
170 lbs.: Tyler Hill vs. Dwight Grant
Round one: Grant lands an overhand right and they get to swinging. Left hook from Grant. Hill pops him with a right hand to counter a leg kick, eats a left in return. One minute in. Hard low kick from Grant. Combination lands. Counter left hook. Another counter left hook knocks Hill back. Two minutes in. Again. Hill lands a leg kick. Harder leg kick. Grant lands one in return and looks for the body. Two minutes to go.
Hill lands a right hand after whiffing on a big one. Leg kick from Hill. Grant catches the next one, can’t keep him down. Body kick from Hill, Grant looks to respond in kind. One minute to go. Grant catches him coming in with another left hook. Long left hook on a retreating Hill. Leg kick exchange. Hill shoots and puts him on the fence. Grant separates. 10-9 Grant.
Round two: Hill sending out low kicks, eats a leg kick and overhand right. He’s still pressuring. Low kick by Hill, just misses with an elbow. One minute in. Straight right hand connects. Grant lands one in return. Hill pops his head back with a jab, gets knocked over by a counter right. Another counter hook and overhand by Grant. Two minutes in. Grant steps in with another overhand right that discombobulates Hill, who gets knocked into dreamland by a followup left hook.
Final result: Grant def. Hill by KO (punches)