Photo by Chris Unger/DWTNCS LLC
The world’s “toughest job interview” continues this evening as 10 fighters “vie to fulfill their dreams of earning a UFC contract.”
Following in the footsteps of last week’s strong season opener, Dana White’s “Tuesday Night Contender Series” continues on ESPN+ this evening (Tues., Aug. 11, 2020) with a full suite of 10 hopefuls.
Last week saw Dustin Jacoby reclaim a spot in UFC after eight years away with a dominant decision over Ty Flores, while Uros Medic and Jordan Leavitt joined him in the contract winners’ circle by scoring impressive finishes of Mikey Gonzalez and Luke Flores, respectively (full results here).
The main event this time around sees Germany’s top Middleweight, Dustin Stoltzfus (12-1), take on former Ring of Combat champion Joseph Pyfer (7-1). Also on tap are a clash between LFA vet Adrian Yanez (10-3) and URCC champion Brady Huang (11-1) and the returns of DWCS vets Anthony Adams (8-1) and Impa Kasanganay (6-0), the latter of whom scored one of the series’ biggest upsets with his decision over Kailan Hill last year.
Contender Series’ Quick Results:
Dustin Stoltzfus vs. Joe Pyfer — Stoltzfus def. Pyfer by TKO (arm injury) at 4:21 of Round One
Adrian Yanez vs. Brady Huang — Yanez def. Huang by TKO (punches) at 0:39 of Round One
Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Cory McKenna — McKenna def. Demopoulos by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
TJ Laramie vs. Daniel Swain — Laramie def. Swain by TKO (rib injury) at 5:00 of Round One
Anthony Adams vs. Impa Kasanganay — Kasanganay def. Adams by unanimous decision (29-27 x3)
‘Contender Series’ Play-By-Play Results:
185 lbs.: Dustin Stoltzfus vs. Joe Pyfer
Round one: Pyfer looking to jab, lands a leg kick and eats one in return. Counter right from Pyfer, tries to spin. One minute in. Stoltzfus catches a kick and comes back with a low kick. Both cracking the other’s lead calf. Pyfer to the body. More Stoltzfus low kicks, another heavy body hook from Pyfer in return. Two minutes in. Long right hand from Pyfer met by a teep. Stoltzfus with a Superman punch to low kick. Pyfer answers a low kick with a takedown into side control. Stoltzfus holding onto a guillotine as he looks to regain guard. Two minutes to go.
He loses the choke. Full guard. Stoltzfus attempts a triangle. Elbow from Pyfer. He lands a right hand and Stoltzfus looks for a heel hook. He sits up into a takedown attempt and Pyfer latches onto a guillotine. As Stoltzfus lifts and slams him, Pyfer attempts to post on his arm, which dislocates on impact Shogun-Coleman style. Gruesome and unfortunate end to the fight, though Pyfer bears no ill will towards Stoltzfus.
Final result: Stoltzfus def. Pyfer by TKO (arm injury)
135 lbs.: Adrian Yanez vs. Brady Huang
Round one: Low kick from Huang and he briefly takes Yanez to the fence. Huang steps in with a lead right and gets blasted by a 2-3 that knocks him out standing. He somehow manages to stay on his feet, but the follow-up shots crumple him. Huang still somehow stays upright, but he’s clearly done, and in comes the ref.
Final result: Yanez def. Huang by TKO (punches)
115 lbs.: Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Cory McKenna
Round one: Demopoulos sending out some heavy low kicks to start. Head kick caught, she pops back up. Sharp right hand. Combination lands for McKenna. Demopoulos falls to the mat for unknown reasons and looks to set up rubber guard when McKenna follows her down. Elbow form Demopoulos. McKenna looks to pass. In guard two minutes in. Hard elbows. Demopoulos trying to bring her guard up with overhook control. Two minutes to go.
Back to rubber guard, looking for a gogoplata. One minute to go. McKenna pops her head out and locks up an arm triangle as she passes to half guard. Loses it, elbows. More strikes until the bell. 10-9 McKenna.
Round two: Both land good right hands early. Counter right, 1-3 from McKenna, who gets caught with a left hook in center cage. Counter 1-2. Demopoulos lands a body kick and gets taken down, then let back up. One minute in. Demopoulos pulls half guard as they collide. Back to guard. Rubber guard once again. Two minutes in. Demopoulos looking to set up a triangle. McKenna stacking, so Demopoulos tries a teepee choke. Two minutes to go.
Now the triangle is in. Now looking for an armbar. McKenna manages to pass and look for the back. Punches from McKenna. One hook in with a minute to go. Can’t get the other hook in, chipping away with punches. Demopoulos takes top position and is about to deal with a triangle when the round ends. 10-9 McKenna.
Round three: Demopoulos tries a cartwheel kick. McKenna answers with a clean head kick that Demopoulos absorbs. 1-2 from McKenna, then another head kick. Demopoulos ties up and takes her to the fence. One minute in. McKenna reverses, eats an elbow and lands a left. Counter right from McKenna as Demopoulos slings overhands. Demopoulos attempts to pull guard and ends up on the bottom in side control. Left hands from McKenna. Two minutes in. Demopoulos trying to turn, gets to half guard as she eats punches. Big punches. Back to guard. Two minutes to go.
McKenna chipping away as Demopoulos brings up her guard. Now looking for an armbar. One minute to go. McKenna stacking. Demopoulos manages to roll her over, but loses the choke. McKenna slinging heat after they stand. Demopolous answering with equal fervor. 10-9 McKenna.
Final result: McKenna def. Demopoulos by unanimous decision
145 lbs.: T.J. Laramie vs. Daniel Swain
Round one: Swain lands an early body kick. Laramie puts him on the fence, eats a sneaky knee, separates. Teep downstairs met by a low kick. Swain tries a head kick, slips, rolls for a leg and ends up on the bottom in guard a mintue in. Laramie treis to pass and punch, but has to deal with an armbar. Laramie gets it out, punches, has his other arm caught. Two minutes in. Swain goes belly-down, can’t get it, gives up half guard. Hammerfists from Laramie, sharp elbow from guard with two minutes to go.
Half guard, punches to the body. Back to guard, more punches. One minute to go. Back to half guard, landing elbows. Brief guillotine consideration. Nasty punches from Laramie as Swain closes guard. 10-9 Laramie.
Swain’s in rough shape in the corner, saying he’s got damage to his ribs and can’t breathe. This one’s over.
Final result: Laramie def. Swain by TKO (rib injury)
185 lbs.: Anthony Adams vs. Impa Kasanganay
Round one: Kasanganay takes a low blow to start. Heavy exchange, neither lands clean. Adams fires kicks, tries knees inside and takes him to the fence. Kasanganay exits with punches. One minute in. Adams tries a head kick, lands a low kick and jab before eating a body shot. Kasanganay leg kick. Overhand falls short, low kick does not. Adams answers in kind. Two minutes in. More kicks from Adams. Kasanganay tries a 1-2 and front kick, lands a body shot after taking a low kick. Brief clinch, Adams tries a knee on the exit. Glancing right by Kasanganay. Two minutes to go.
Adams lands a counter jab and body kick, cracks Kasanganay with a right hook. Kasanganay tries to blitz and eats a knee. More Adams kicks. Kasanganay tries to open up as Adam changes levels. One minute to go. Adams lands an elbow on the break, tries a stepping knee. Big exchange, Kasanganay lands a left hook. Adams low kick. 10-9 Adams.
Round two: Trading kicks to start. Kasanganay goes low-high. Hard combination starts with the body, then a low kick, body jab, and overhand right that buzzes Adams. Adams tries to come back with a knee, counters a leg kick with a pair of right hands. Another. Kasanganay tries a spinning back fist. One minute in. Adams looks for a head kick, answers a whiffed right hand with one of his own. 1-2 connects. Kasanganay steps in with an up-elbow and tries to spin again. Counter hook. Straight right. Adams steps in with a knee, eats punches as he does two minutes in. Kasanganay sending out right hands, cracks Adams with a jab that appears to hurt the eye. They trade in the center with two minutes to go.
Adams tries the Roy Jones Jr. behind-the back attack and Kasanganay responds by putting him on his back. One minute to go. Kasanganay looking for the back after Adams gets to his knees. Knees to the body. Adams makes it up before the bell. 10-9 Kasanganay.
Round three: They swing to start the round. Adams catches a front kick to the face and takes him to the fence. Jockeying for position. Kasanganay pulls his base out and looks for the back. One minute in. Right hands piling up. Two minutes in. More heavy punches from Kasanganay as Adams remains stuck on his knees. Knees to the body. Two minutes to go.
Adams manages to turn and look for his own takedown as he stands. Kasanganay reverses. Elbow lands for him. Knee strays low; Adams takes plenty of time to recover. Kasanganay coming forward, tries a flying knee and right hand. Adams ties up, takes him down, looks for the back, tries the RNC but doesn’t have the angle. 10-8 Kasanganay.
Final result: Adams def. Kasanganay by unanimous decision
For more “Contender Series” news and notes, be sure to hit up our comprehensive archive right here.