Dana White’s Contender Series looks to one-up last Tuesday’s card for the ages tonight (Tues., Aug. 9, 2022), starting at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
After a damp squib of a season premiere, Week 2 of Season 6 wound up being one of the most entertaining events in the history of the series. Billy Goff’s and Chris Duncan’s comeback knockouts, Vinicius Salvador’s and Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s beatdowns, and Francis Marshall’s dominant decision win all resulted in UFC contracts.
This week’s main event features wrestling legend Bo Nickal (1-0), who squares off with the overweight Zachary Borrego (3-0) at 185 pounds. Up at Heavyweight, Paulo Renato Jr. (10-1) looks for his tenth straight win against late replacement and series veteran Jamal Pogues (8-3), while Venezuelan Featherweight Erik Silva takes on Glory veteran Anvar Boynazarov (3-0). Also on tap are a Flyweight battle between LFA regular Clayton Carpenter (5-0) and Combate vet Edgar Chairez (8-3) and Sandra Lavado (10-2) versus Karolina Wojcik (8-2) at 115 pounds.
‘Contender Series’ Quick Results:
Bo Nickal vs. Zachary Borrego — Nickal def. Borrego by unanimous decision at 1:02 of Round One
Paulo Renato Jr. vs. Jamal Pogues — Pogues def. Renato by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Erik Silva vs. Anvar Boynazarov — Silva def. Boynazarov by TKO (elbows and punches) at 1:32 of Round One
Edgar Chairez vs. Clayton Carpenter — Carpenter def. Chairez by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Sandra Lavado vs. Karolina Wojcik — Wojcik def. Lavado by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
‘Contender Series’ Play-By-Play Results:
185 lbs.: Bo Nickal vs. Zachary Borrego
Round one: Nickal avoids a flying knee and lands a takedown. Looking for a guillotine on the way up. As soon as Borrego goes to a knee, Nickal spins to his back and hunts the RNC. It’s on the jaw, but Nickal’s squeeze is enough to draw the tap.
Final result: Nickal def. Borrego by submission (rear naked choke)
265 lbs.: Paulo Renato Jr. vs. Jamal Pogues
Round one: Pogues looks to swing early and Renato puts him on the fence. They separate. Jabs from Pogues a minute in. Renato low kicks. Solid combination from Pogues met by a counter. More jabs, lead right. Two minutes in. Slowly advancing, potshotting with jabs and crosses. Low kicks from Renato. He’s starting to bite on feints. Pogues tries a head kick, eats a body shot. Two minutes to go.
Renato just offering leg kicks for the most part. High-low two-piece met by more jabs. Pogues right hands, Renato low kick. Renato catches a kick, can’t use it. Jab exchange. One minute to go. Inside low kick by Renato this time. 1-2. Pogues still advancing, stabbing with the jab. Nice counter hook and double jab by Pogues, who eats a low kick in return. 10-9 Pogues.
Round two: Renato tries an uppercut. Still landing low kicks. Pogues still just potshotting with jabs and crosses. One minute in. 1-2 from Pogues, comes back with punches after eating a low kick. Renato 3-2. Jab exchange. I’m gonna be honest with you all, this is a sparring session. Neither of these two is getting a contract at this rate. Two minutes in. Renato goes high-low. More quick punches from Pogues, eats a hard leg kick in return. Two minutes to go.
Pogues considers a takedown, bails. Sharp jabs land for him. Renato really doing damage with the leg kicks. Low kick to right hand. One minute to go. More low kicks. Pogues shoots, denied, lands a knee downstairs. 10-9 Renato.
Round three: Pogues literally just standing there and getting leg kicked right now. One minute in. Pogues just jabbing. There’s a nice 1-1-2 from Pogues. Looking for left hooks. There’s some combination work. Aaaand he slows right back down again. Renato falls short with combos. Body shot. Solid counter combos by Pogues two minutes in. Lead right. Counter jabs, lead right. More jabs, eats a leg kick. Pogues talking trash but refusing to actually commit to a finishing sequence. More Renato low kicks and a nice left hook with two minutes to go.
More Pogues jabs, quick right hand. Renato low kick, Pogues jab. Pogues low kick. One minute to go. Check hook appears to buzz Renato. Pogues follows up with a combo. 3-2. Body kick. Renato still plodding forward. 10-9 Pogues.
Final result: Pogues def. Renato by unanimous decision
145 lbs.: Erik Silva vs. Anvar Boynazarov
Round one: Silva hits an immediate takedown against the fence. Shots from half guard. One minute in. Brutal postured-up elbows sting Boynazarov and Silva follows with some vicious right hands for the finish.
Final result: Silva def. Boynazarov by TKO (elbows and punches)
125 lbs.: Edgar Chairez vs. Clayton Carpenter
Round one: Trading low kicks to start. Right hands from Carpenter. He wades in with punches and nearly runs right into a flying knee. Hard right cross by Chairez. Snap kick downstairs. One minute in. Carpenter looking for cross counters. They trade in the center. Sneaky right cross from Chairez, Carpenter tries to rush. Exchanging low kicks. Two minutes in. Chairez working behind his jab, lands a low kick and blocks a head kick. Left hook by Carpenter, who avoids another flying knee but gets dropped by a check hook. Chairez stalking forward. Two minutes to go.
Carpenter leads with his hands and shoots. He looks to pull Chairez down into back mount, but ends up on the bottom in guard. Carpenter stands and puts him on the fence. They trade elbows on the break. Heavy lefts by Chairez. Carpenter kicks his leg out to avoid a kick, pops him as he stands, and shoots with a minute to go. Unsuccessful on the takedown. More Carpenter leg kicks, eats one in return. Chairez tries to spin, then goes for a flying knee. 10-9 Chairez.
Round two: Counter left by Campbell. Nice calf kicks. Chairez sends out more front kicks. Spinning back fist to left hook. One minute in. 1-1-2-3 from Chairez to answer a leg kick. Knee stomp. Two-piece by Carpenter two minutes in. Chairez leg kicks. Carpenter tries a flying knee, lands a pair of left hooks. Low kick, slip. Chairez jabs, Carpenter low kick. Two minutes to go.
Carpenter shoots, completes it into guard. Looking to pass, makes it to half. Elbow lands with a minute to go. Chairez appeals to the ref for a standup. Carpenter mounts, drops elbows. 10-9 Carpenter.
Round three: Chairez fires a body kick, lands weirdly on his leg. Counter hook by Carpenter. Some posturing from Chairez. Side kick a minute in. Carpenter leg kicks, left hook behind them. Lead hook this time. Clash of heads in center cage. Carpenter lands a two-piece, slips throwing a knee. Two minutes in. Counter hook to body kick. Head kick attempt. Chairez not throwing much and Carpenter double-legs him to the mat. Nice triangle attempt to standup for Chairez, who gets hauled on the fence. They separate. Carpenter front kick with two minutes to go.
Carpenter catches a front kick for another takedown into guard. Nice elbow from Chairez off his back. Carpenter moves to half guard. One minute to go. Heavy elbows until the bell. 10-9 Carpenter.
Final result: Carpenter def. Chairez by unanimous decision
115 lbs.: Sandra Lavado vs. Karolina Wojcik
Round one: Low kick from Wojcik after avoiding a 1-1-2. Quick exchange in the center, another low kick. Counters from Lavado. Clash of heads a minute in as they tie up. No major strikes yet. Wojcik hops into the clinch and takes her to the fence. Two minutes in. They separate. Hard counter right by Lavado to answer a low kick. Wojcik punches into the clinch again and takes her to the fence. Lavado reverses with two minutes to go.
Separation. Wojcik low kick, avoids a counter hook. The next check hook lands. Wojcik jumps into the clinch yet again with a minute to go. Knee up top. She trips Lavado up, looks for the back, no dice. 10-9 Wojcik.
Round two: Wojcik briefly ties up. Back to the low kick. Lavado puts her on the fence. Jockeying for position. One minute in. Trading outside position on the fence. They separate. Lavado takes a thumb in the eye. Two minutes in. They trade kicks. Remarkably dull fight so far. Wojcik tries to rush in, whiffs, lands a swatting right on the next entry. Lavado waiting to counter and doing little else. There’s a solid two-piece. Wojcik barrels into the clinch once again and takes her down with two minutes to go.
Lavado regains half guard. Short elbows from Wojcik. Lavado works her way up with a minute to go. Wojcik puts her on the fence, lands elbows. Lavado hits her own trip, holds onto a rear waist lock before the bell. 10-9 Wojcik.
Round three: No urgency whatsoever from Lavado. She fires a body kick, only for Wojcik to catch it and take her down into guard. Short shots from Wojcik a minute in. More ground-and-pound. Lavado entirely passive off her back two minutes in. Wojcik lifts her up, then slams home an elbow. Chipping away. Two minutes to go.
Continuing to work against the fence. Wojcik tries to pin an arm, then looks for the back as Lavado works her way up. One minute to go. Wojcuk nearly has the RNC but the angle’s bad and she ends up on the bottom. Now Lavado jumps on her back. Both hooks in, landing punches. 10-9 Wojcik.
Final result: Wojcik def. Lavado by unanimous decision
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