Photo by Chris Unger/DWCS LLC/Zuffa LLC
The world’s “toughest job interview” continues this evening as 10 fighters “vie to fulfill their dreams of earning a UFC contract.”
Ten more fresh faces enter UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, tonight (Tues., Aug. 18, 2020) for the latest installment of Dana White’s “Tuesday Night Contender Series,” which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Despite a main event marred by a horrific injury, all five of last week’s victors earned themselves a spot in the Octagon. One of them, Impa Kasanganay, will make less than a three-week turnaround for his Aug. 29, 2020, Octagon debut opposite Maki Pitolo.
In this week’s main event, series veteran Victor Reyna (11-4) will attempt to redeem himself after missing weight and losing to Miguel Baeza last time out, taking on undefeated Louis Cosce (6-0). The card will also see Cheyanne Buys (4-1) fight fellow Strawweight Hilarie Rose (4-1) Cosce’s brother Orion (6-0) face Xtreme Fight League Champion Matt Dixon (6-0), TUF 28 veteran Josh Parisian (12-3) duke it out with knockout artist Chad Johnson (6-1), and Kevin Syler (10-0) return to the Contender Series opposite Ken Cross (10-3).
‘Contender Series’ Quick Results:
Victor Reyna vs. Louis Cosce — Cosce def. Reyna by TKO (punches) at 1:12 of Round One
Cheyanne Buys vs. Hilarie Rose — Buys def. Rose by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Orion Cosce vs. Matt Dixon — Cosce def. Dixon by TKO (punches) at 4:42 of Round Three
Josh Parisian vs. Chad Johnson — Parisian def. Johnson by KO (elbow and punches) at 3:43 of Round One
Kevin Syler vs. Ken Cross — Cross def. Syler by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
‘Contender Series’ Play-By-Play Results:
170 lbs.: Victor Reyna vs. Louis Conce
Round one: Cosce comes out swinging and Reyna puts him on the fence. They jockey for position before separating. Back to slugging, head kick blocked and body kick lands. 2-3 lands for Cosce as he marches forward. Body kick. One minute in. Huge left hook drops Reyna to his knees and Cosce slams home left hands for the upset stoppage.
Final result: Cosce def. Reyna by TKO (punches)
115 lbs.: Cheyanne Buys vs. Hilarie Rose
Round one: They start the fight slugging. Rose catches a kick and goes for a flying armbar. The elbow isn’t in and Buys slams her way out. Straight left into the clinch from Rose. Buys reverses a minute in. Rose goes for an outside reap and pulls half guard. She regains guard quickly. Hard left from Buys as she lets Rose up. ESPN+ dies for a second. Counter right from Buys, grabs the Thai clinch and lands a knee. She shoves and separates. Brutal counter three-piece. Two minutes to go.
Front kick to the body from Buys as she walks Rose down. She sprawls on a shot, ends up on top in half guard. One minute to go. Buys elects to let her up, then goes back to landing punches. Heavy combinations. Rose throwing back, eats a right before the bell. 10-9 Buys.
Round two: Back to the rapid-fire exchanges. Low kick exchange. Buys with a jumping switch kick to the body and she puts Rose on the fence. One minute in. Buys with a knee, eats a harder elbow in return. Rose lands a knee, eats a flurry that opens up a major cut by her right eye. Two minutes in. Buys continuing to grind against the fence. Rose lands some sharp elbows and they jockey for position. They separate and exchange kicks. Two minutes to go.
Brief clinch. Counter right from Buys. 1-2 connects, stiff jab behind it, counter combination. Rose slips throwing a body shot. One minute to go. Low kick from Rose. Big overhand right by Buys. Rose shoots under the next one and takes her to the fence. Buys ends up in mount in the ensuing scramble, then takes the back, dropping punches. 10-9 Buys.
Round three: Early combinations from Buys. Jab to the body. Good lead elbow from Rose. Buys tries to counter a kick, lands a right hand soon after. Right from Rose, takes one to the body. More body work by Buys and she grabs double unders. Jockeying for position. Hard elbow by Buys on the break and they trade jabs. Two minutes in. Big right hand by Buys. Rose tries a head-and-arm throw, Buys pops her head out and grabs a rear waist lock. Rose turns to face her, gets pressed against the fence. An elbow from Buys kicks off a heavy combo and she sprawls on a shot with two minutes to go.
Buys takes the back with a hook in. One minute to go. Rose stands, avoids a suplex, throws elbows behind her back. Knees from Buys. Buys with a heavy combo on the break, continues to bang it out until the bell. 10-9 Buys.
Final result: Buys def. Rose by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Orion Cosce vs. Matt Dixon
Round one: Dixon takes Cosce to the fence to start. He changes levels, gets him down, can’t keep him there. One minute in. They separate. Currently staying at range. Low kick exchange. Cosce tries a head kick. Jabs from Dixon. Well-timed reactive takedown into guard. Cosce gets back to his feet, takes punches on the way up. Stiff jabs by Dixon. Two minutes to go.
Cosce lands a knee in the clinch, takes a right hand upstairs. Hard lead left by Cosce and Dixon puts him on the fence. Cosce reverses, changes levels, nothing doing. One minute to go. 3-2 from Dixon, who ducks a spinning back fist for a takedown. Cosce latches onto a guillotine, drops it before the bell. 10-9 Dixon.
Round two: More jabs and a combination land for Dixon. Cosce with a right hook, then a straight left and he denies a takedown. One minute in. Hard 1-2 from Dixon, heavy overhand left and a knee come back. The knee strays low. When they resume, Cosce lands a good leg kick and knee that prompt Dixon to take him to the fence. Dixon with some foot stomps. Cosce cracks him with an elbow in return. Dixon twice changes levels, denied. Two minutes to go.
Body kick lands for Dixon. Cosce denies the next takedown and blasts him with a right hand before stopping a takedown. Dixon looking tired, but lands a left hook. Short rights by Cosce, knee, body punches in the clinch. Dixon shoots with a minute to go, eats Browne elbows. Cosce landing right hands as he’s pressed against the fence. Dixon lands a combo after separating. 10-9 Cosce.
Round three: Cosce advancing, lands a right hook and swings big. Dixon slips the first flurry but Cosce stays on him. Dixon shoots, takes him to the fence. Knees to the thigh. Cosce reverses with over-unders and lands a knee. He changes levels and slams him down before going to work in half guard. Chipping away with short punches. He steps into mount, looks for an arm triangle, loses it and back to half guard. He pins a wrist and lands a series of right hands. Two minutes to go.
More good right hands from Cosce. He passes to side control. One minute to go. He gets the crucifix and continues to drop punches and elbows. The blows pile up until the ref intervenes.
Final result: Cosce def. Dixon by TKO (punches)
265 lbs.: Josh Parisian vs. Chad Johnson
Round one: Johnson lighter on his feet early. Low kick from Parisian. One to the inside visibly dings Johnson, who trades inside and tries a level change. Parisian lands another leg kick and denies a takedown. They trade right hands in the center. one minute in. Anotehr calf kick lands for Parisian, who eats one in return. Parisian tries a lead right, eats counters. Hard lead right from Johnson. Lead right by Parisian two minutes in. Heavy combination from Johnson and he changes levels against the fence. Parisian frames and lands a pair of knees. More knees form Parisian and he drops him with a right hand on the break. He follows Johnson down into side control, dropping elbows. Two minutes to go.
Parisian tries a straight armbar, can’t get it, steps into mount. Heavy shots from Parisian and Johnson goes to sleep.
Final result: Parisian def. Johnson by KO (elbow and punches)
155 lbs.: Kevin Syler vs. Ken Cross
Round one: Syler slips to the mat, Cross doesn’t follow. 1-2 from Cross, straight left, brief takedown attempt. Cross fires a body kick and takes Syler to the fence. One minute in. Short left hand lands for Cross. He exits with a right hand. Coutner elbow from Syler, eats a body kick and straight lefts. Another hard body kick by Cross answers in kind two minutes in. Syler denies a takedown, hits one of his own and latches onto Cross’s back in the scramble. Trip briefly gets Cross back down as Syler tries to get hooks in. Cross slips out the back door and drops a hard left hand as he takes side control. Two minutes to go.
Cross looks for the back in turn. Syler looks for the switch, then grabs a guillotine that quickly proves futile. In guard with a minute to go. Short left hands from Cross. Hard elbow and some follow-up punches appear to sting Syler. 10-9 Cross.
Round two: Low kicks from Cross to start. Syler lands a body kick. Nasty body kick lands for Cross in return and he avoids a head kick before landing a straight left. Syler answers a body kick with a two-piece. Cross shoots, denied with a whizzer. One minute in. Syler lands a right hand, then jumps guard on a guillotine. Cross again manages to pop his head free. Syler looks for the switch two minutes in, can’t get it. He gets to all fours, takes some punches. Cross takes the back, looks to set up an arm triangle. Two minutes to go.
He drops the choke and postures up with punches and elbows. Back to mount, denies an attempt to bridge out. Syler uses the fence to roll into guard, then falls back for a straight ankle lock. One minute to go. Cross fights his grip and breaks it. 10-9 Cross.
Round three: Syler rushes out with a flying whatsit that Cross sidesteps. Wheel kick attempt. Cross ducks a 1-2 and looks for a single-leg. Syler defending with a kimura. Cross ends up on top in half guard as Syler holds onto the lock. One minute in. Syler drops it and tries to scoot to the fence. He gets to his feet, Cross still attached. Knees to the thigh from Cross. Syler tries to sit through, ends up on the bottom in side control. He regains guard. Two minutes to go.
Cross chipping away with short punches. He stands and Syler turns to his knees, then takes his back in the scramble. One minute to go. Syler too high, separates and stands. They get to trading. Stiff jab by Cross. Syler hits a slow-motion double-leg into side control and takes the back. Short punches by Syler. 10-9 Syler.
Final result: Cross def. Syler by unanimous decision
For more “Contender Series” news and notes, be sure to hit up our comprehensive archive right here.