Photo by Brandon Magnus/DWTNCS
The world’s “toughest job interview” continues this evening as 10 fighters “vie to fulfill their dreams of earning a UFC contract.”
Ten more mixed martial arts (MMA) prospects hit UFC Apex tonight (Tues., July 30, 2019) for the latest installment of Dana White’s “Tuesday Night Contender Series” on ESPN+ (and Fight Pass). Last week’s episode saw three men walk away with contracts, as Sean Woodson scored a vicious flying knee knockout, Billy Quarantillo defied the odds for a third-round finish, and Jamahal Hill demonstrated two rounds of dominant striking.
This week’s main event takes place at Light Heavyweight and pits Stipe Miocic training partner Aleksa Camur (4-0) against submission standout Fabio Cherant (4-0). Viewers will also get to see Kazakh finisher Mariya Agapova (6-0) and hulking Czech Heavyweight Michal Martinek (7-0).
‘Contender Series’ Quick Results:
Aleksa Camur vs. Fabio Cherant — Camur def. Cherant by TKO (flying knee and punches) at 0:48 of Round Two
Steven Nguyen vs. Aalon Cruz — Cruz def. Nguyen by KO (flying knee) at 4:36 of Round Three
Mariya Agapova vs. Tracy Cortez — Cortez def. Agapova by unanimous decision (30-26 x2, 29-27)
Daniel Rodriguez vs. Rico Farrington — Rodriguez def. Farrington by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Michal Martinek vs. Rodrigo Nascimento — Nascimento def. Martinek by submission (arm triangle choke) at 3:16 of Round One
‘Contender Series’ Play-by-Play Results:
205 lbs.: Aleksa Camur vs. Fabio Cherant
Round one: Camur tossing out kicks early on. Head kick attempt. One minute in. Hard straight right on the fence. Cherant with a head kick in return. Camur tries a leaping left hook, lands a body kick and blocks a head kick. Body kick again by Camur. 1-2 lands for Cherant. Both land to the body. Camur tries a jumping knee and ties up. They separate with two minutes to go.
Body kick from Camur and they trade punches. Lead right connects for him. Left hook on the fence. Body kick. One minute to go. Cherant lands a left hook on the break. Camur body kick met by a left hand. 10-9 Camur.
Round two: Hard left hand stings Camur, but Cherant walks into a gnarly flying knee that takes his legs out. A sloppy scramble ensues and Camur ends up on top, dropping punches for the finish.
Final result: Camur def. Cherant by TKO (flying knee and punches)
145 lbs.: Steven Nguyen vs. Aalon Cruz
Round one: Cruz throwing out kicks early. Nguyen tries a 1-2, catches a kick. Cruz combo falls short, head kick nearly lands. One minute in. Low kick from Nguyen, counters a body kick with a combo. Body kick of his own and a two-piece. Nguyen pressuring well two minutes in, has to block more head kicks. Cruz tries a hook kick. Jabs from Nguyen in return. 1-2s landing. Cruz leg kick. Two minutes to go.
Cruz with a body shot and leg kick. Leg kick met by a Nguyen body kick. Nguyen catches a kick, lands a low kick and 1-2 soon after. Catches another, left hook. Cruz head kick blocked. One minute to go. Right hand exchange. Low kick exchange, 2-3 by Nguyen. Hard counter combo after taking a leg kick. Left hand lands for him. Cruz fakes a level change, tries a Capoeira kick. Nguyen comes back with a wheel kick. 10-9 Nguyen.
Round two: Cruz tries an early takedown, lands a front kick. Punching well off of his back foot. Nguyen avoids an uppercut and lands an overhand. Cruz body kick. Good exchange in the center. Body kick from Cruz, 1-2. Much better round for him; Nguyen isn’t getting inside. Cruz tries an ankle pick, lands a head kick and a couple punches. Two minutes in. Now Nguyen with a nice combination. Straight right and left hook land for him. Body jab. Cruz lands a flush flying knee that Nguyen absorbs with two minutes to go.
Cruz abandons a single-leg and fires combinations. Body kick lands. Counter jab. One minute to go. Nguyen denies a shot. Cruz gets in deeper with the next shot, denied by underhooks. They separate and Cruz tries another shot. 10-9 Cruz.
Round three: Cruz still working from the outside. Nguyen looking to land punches. One minute in. Right hand to the body. Leg kick exchange, 1-2 from Cruz. Right cross by Nguyen. Two minutes in. Cruz tries an up-elbow. Lefts land, then a wheel kick. Two minutes to go.
Trading jabs in the center. Neither man landing clean this round. Left hook lands for Nguyen, who takes a body kick. Counter right. Stiff jab and body kick with a minute to go. Nguyen keeps pressing forward, looking for combinations, and Cruz just utterly obliterates him with a flying knee. That was some incredible hangtime.
Final result: Cruz def. Nguyen by KO (flying knee)
125 lbs.: Mariya Agapova vs. Tracy Cortez
Round one: Trading kicks to start. Agapova tries a head kick that’s blocked. Straight left lands for her. Combination by Agapova with her back on the fence, then another straight left. One minute in. Another heavy left on the counter this time. Cortez counters a side kick with an overhand right. She puts Agapova on the fence, lands knees to the body and a right hand on the break before shooting again. Two minutes in. Bodylock outside trip gets Agapova to the mat. One hook in. Now two with two minutes to go.
Agapova tries to roll into guard, can’t quite do so. Right hands from Cortez. Agapova finishes the sweep into guard and looks for some heavy shots. Cortez shoots, avoids a front choke. One minute to go. Cortez has her on the fence, lands knees downstairs. Agapova with double unders. More knees from Cortez and she shoots under a left hand, bringing Agapova to the mat. Hard elbow and she takes the back. 10-9 Cortez.
Round two: Cortez hits a quick takedown on the fence. She postures up and Agapova shoots, avoiding a guillotine but getting sprawled on. Cortez with a slick roll to the back, then mount. Hard elbows. Now the back, full body triangle. Two minutes in. Agapova trying to turn, cannot. Flurry by Cortez. Two minutes to go.
Cortez maintaining control. One minute to go. More short shots. 10-8 Cortez.
Round three: Agapova looking for left hands. Jab lands. Cortez shoots, powers through the sprawl and continues to drive. Outside trip gets her down a minute in. Agapova grabs a guillotine and tries to sweep, but ends up stuck in side control. North-south now. Looking for the back two minutes in. One hook in. Now both. Agapova trying to use the cage to better her position. Two minutes to go.
Agapova manages to roll into guard with about 80 seconds to go, lands on the way up. Counter right lands for her. Another counter jab. Cortez ties up briefly, eats a body kick soon after. Agapova with another counter. 10-9 Cortez.
Final result: Cortez def. Agapova by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Daniel Rodriguez vs. Rico Farrington
Round one: Rodriguez falls short with his early strikes. Low kick lands. Three-piece punching combo, overhand left met by some hard shots from Farrington. 1-2 to the body by Farrington a minute in. Rodriguez continues to target the lead leg. 1-2 from Farrington. Two minutes in. Another 1-2. Rodriguez trying to jab with him. More leg kicks. Farrington to the body. Two minutes to go.
Farrington looks for a left around the guard. Jab connects. Rodriguez left falls short, leg kick lands. Farrington with a left and 1-2 in return. One minute to go. Rodriguez with a right to the body after a combo falls short. 1-2 from Farrington and Rodriguez puts him on the fence. Knees from Rodriguez, then an inside trip into guard. 10-9 Rodriguez?
Round two: ESPN+ dies as the round starts and doesn’t come back until 80 seconds in. Farrington looking more aggressive, firing punches. Low kick by Rodriguez. Jab exchange, leg kick and Rodriguez ties up. Farrington separates. Low kick from Rodriguez. Counters from Farrington two minutes in. Counter right lands. Rodriguez leg kick. Looping left connects for Farrington. 1-2 from Rodriguez. Two minutes to go.
Rodriguez to the body. Fairly slow round so far. Rodriguez still coming up short with his bigger shots. Farrington 1-2 with a minute to go. Straight left from Rodriguez draws a nod. Farrington straight and jab. 1-2. Jabs and straights land for Farrington. Rodriguez shoots in and avoids a knee for a takedown. 10-9 Farrington?
Round three: Farrington sending out some early kicks. Rodriguez jabs. Nice overhand left. One minute in. Rodriguez forces him back with a combination. Leg kick lands. Again. Farrington lands a straight left. Two minutes in. Rodriguez backs him up and they trade on the fence, but Farrington gets the better of it. Farrington counters a leg kick with a straight left and lands a 1-2. Left hand to the body hurts Rodriguez, who hits a takedown in return. Two minutes to go.
Rodriguez looks for a front choke, loses it and they stand. Leg kick and left by Rodriguez prompt some combinations from Farrington. Farrington body shot. 1-2. One minute to go. Hook exchange. Rodriguez shoots, drags him down on the fence. Farrngtin stands, dragged back down and Rodriguez takes mount. He lands some big shots but runs out of time. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Final result: Rodriguez def. Farrington by unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Michal Martinek vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
Round one: Martinek opens with kicks, then leans right into a head kick in return. Nascimento flurries and puts him on the fence, gets reversed. One minute in. Knee from Nascimento. Martinek tries to muscle him down and winds up on the bottom. Nascimento stands over him and drops punches. Now side control. Two minutes in. Short elbows from Nascimento. He postures up for some better shots. Two minutes to go.
Martinek gives him the arm triangle on a silver platter and Nascimento obliges.
Final result: Nascimento def. Martinek by submission (arm triangle choke)
For more “Contender Series” news, notes, and updates, including lists of those who receive contracts, be sure to hit up our comprehensive archive right here.