Photo by Chris Unger/DWCS LLC
The world’s “toughest job interview” continues this evening as 10 fighters “vie to fulfill their dreams of earning a UFC contract.”
It’s that time of week again!
Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series returns tonight (Tues., July 16, 2019) on ESPN+ with 10 more fresh faces eager to make their name in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
This week’s hopefuls have big shoes to fill, as all five of last week’s victors walked away with UFC contracts.
Our main mixed martial arts (MMA) attraction sees Middleweight puncher Stephen Regman (9-3) look for his fifth consecutive knockout against Antonio Arroyo (8-2), who claimed victory over Diego Henrique on the inaugural “Contender Series: Brazil” episode. Other attractions include “Contender Series” veteran Don’Tale Mayes (6-2) and LFA Middleweight champ Brendan Allen (11-3)
‘Contender Series’ Quick Results:
Stephen Regman vs. Antonio Arroyo — Arroyo def. Regman by submission (arm triangle choke) at 3:31 of Round Two
Armando Villarreal vs. Ode Osbourne — Osbourne def. Villarreal by submission (armbar) at 4:39 of Round One
Don’Tale Mayes vs. Ricardo Prasel — Mayes def. Prasel by TKO (punches and elbows) at 4:59 of Round One
Lance Lawrence vs. Kevin Syler — Syler def. Lawrence by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)
Brendan Allen vs. Aaron Jeffery — Allen def. Jeffery by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:23 of Round One
‘Contender Series’ Play-By-Play Results:
185 lbs.: Stephen Regman vs. Antonio Arroyo
Round one: Arroyo opens with heavy kicks, landing hard ones to the body and legs. Another inside low kick. Regman leg kick a minute in, answered by a bigger one. Regman tries a high kick, eats a 1-2 on the fence. He falls short with a 2-3, counters a low kick for a blitzing combo. Two minutes in. Arroyo whiffs on an uppercut, eats a low leg kick. Front kick catches Regman in the ghoulies, no pause. Another Arroyo leg kick, follows it with a spinning back kick. Regman catches a low kick for a takedown with two minutes to go.
Regman with something like a Japanese necktie, snaps Arroyo back down. He lands a knee on the way up. One minute to go. Regman counters a leg kick with a right cross. Leg kick from Regman. Arroyo with a snap kick downstairs. 1-2s fall short. 10-9 Arroyo
Round two: Arroyo tries a wheel kick and gets taken down for it, ultimately ending up in guard. Arroyo kicks him away and stands a minute in. Low kick from the Brazilian, then a head kick that floors Regman. Arroyo follows him down and tries to pound him out, only for Regman to spin for an armbar. Arroyo gets his arm free and stands over him, looking for punches two minutes in. Diving right just misses, diving left does not and leaves Arroyo in side control. Regman nearly gives up his back. Two minutes to go.
One hook in for Arroyo, dropping hard right hands. He transitions to mount and locks up an arm triangle, forcing the tap.
Final result: Arroyo def. Regman by submission (arm triangle choke)
135 lbs.: Armando Villarreal vs. Ode Osbourne
Round one: They’re throwing right away. Osbourne catches a low kick for a takedown, takes half guard. Villarreal makes his way up and they go back to exchanging a minute in. Villarreal takes him to the fence. Knee on the break by Osbourne, who hurts Armando with a straight left. Osbourne sprawls on a reactive shot, back to trading. Two minutes in. Counter right by Osbourne, showing great head movement. Villarreal still trying to bully his way in, hauls him to the fence. Osbourne separates with a knee. He catches a kick, then front kicks Villarreal in the face. He follows up with a combo and sprawls on a shot, but a guillotine attempt allows Villarreal to take him down into side control. Two minutes to go.
Osbourne regains half guard. Full guard with a minute to go. Keeping a high guard. Villarreal looking for left hands. Osbourne spins for an armbar and lands it to cap off an excellent performance.
Final result: Osbourne def. Villarreal by submission (armbar)
265 lbs.: Don’Tale Mayes vs. Ricardo Prasel
Round one: Prasel opens with kicks. Hard leg kicks. He ducks an overhand right and ties up. Mayes defends, lands hard in the clinch before separating. Another low kick from Prasel. Mayes lands one of his own, has to fight off a single-leg. Prasel can’t establish. Two minutes in. Mayes with hard punches inside, eats a knee and again has a single-leg to deal with. Mayes lands some hammerfists and gets his foot out. Straight left lands for him. Swings big, doesn’t connect. Two minutes to go.
Oblique kick from Mayes, tries to spin. Low kick from Prasel. One minute to go. Mayes tries a Superman punch. Combo lands. He’s having a bit of trouble closing the distance. Prasel comes back with another leg kick. As they approach the fence, Mayes steps in and just clobbers Prasel with a left hook that crumbles the Brazilian. A few more shots and that’s all she wrote.
Final result: Mayes def. Prasel by TKO (punches and elbows)
145 lbs.: Lance Lawrence vs. Kevin Syler
Round one: Lawrence moving forward, eats a jab and overhand right. Syler ties up, Lawrence reverses. They separate. Uppercut by Lawrence, leg kick. Syler landing his jab. Uppercut and knee come back at him a minute in. Good exchanges in the clinch. 1-2s land for Syler, then a series of jabs. Lawrence looking for leg kicks, tries a combo. Better combo by Syler. spinning back kick misses. Two minutes in. Syler lands a leg kick, eats a right hand. Lawrence continues to advance and they trade at close range. Syler constantly landing his jab, but eats a straight left and uppercut. More good exchanges and it’s Syler landing the telling blows. Two minutes to go.
ESPN+ dies for a bit. Syler constantly landing 1-2s and jabs. Lawrence surviving and throwing back, but taking serious damage. One minute to go. Low kick by Lawrence. Syler popping him with the jab, takes a combination and grabs a body lock. He takes Lawrence down into side control, then takes the back. He maintains a hook until the bell. 10-9 Syler.
Round two: Lawrence just keeps coming, firing uppercuts and an elbow. Big 1-2 by Syler and he ties up, completing a single-leg into guard. Lawrence trying to work a high guard a minute in. Hard elbows from Syler, postures up for some punches as well. Two minutes in. More elbows and punches while Lawrence tries ineffective submissions. Syler moves to mount, looking for the back. Two minutes to go.
Lawrence gives up his back trying to stand, avoids the choke. Half guard now. Nasty right hands by Syler, avoids an illegal upkick. More shots. Syler falls back for a straight ankle lock. Lawrence avoids it, passes to side control. Tries a guillotine. 10-8 Syler.
Round three: ESPN+ dies until 30 seconds into the round. Trading in the center. Lawrence attacking, Syler coming back with jabs and 1-2s. One minute in. Lawrence tries a high kick, avoids a knee. Syler rips the body. Right hands upstairs. Lawrence changes levels and takes him down on the fence, moving to mount. Now looking for the back, has it with one hook in. Two minutes in. Second hook in. Syler spins into guard, avoiding a triangle. Now looking for the back, gets the body triangle with two minutes to go.
Syler puts on the squeeze and seems to have it, but Lawrence survives. Syler looks to wrap it up again with a minute to go. He lands some punches before the bell. 10-9 Syler.
Final result: Syler def. Lawrence by unanimous decision
185 lbs.: Brendan Allen vs. Aaron Jeffery
Round one: Allen on the advance, fires a 1-2. Trading jabs. Jeffery changes level, lands short punches inside. Allen reverses with the Thai plum, looks for his own takedown. Jeffery defends, but has to fight off a standing arm triangle. One minute in. Allen transitions to a rear body lock, then jumps on his back. Loses the hooks standing, tries an unsuccessful lift. Jeffery puts him on the fence, lands short shots. Two minutes in. Nasty blows on the break. Allen throws back, defends another takedown. Allen knee, Jeffery uppercut. Jeffery spends too long caught in the Thai plum and gets dropped by another knee to the head. Allen follows him down. Two minutes to go.
Allen spins to the back and wraps up the RNC, forcing the tap soon after.
Final result: Allen def. Jeffery by submission (rear naked choke)
For more “Contender Series” news and notes, be sure to hit up our comprehensive archive right here.