The penultimate week of this 2024 season of Dana White's Contender Series begins at 8:00pm EDT/5:00pm PDT, live from the UFC Apex in Nevada Las Vegas.
This episode features several notable fighters like kickboxing champion Artem Vakhitov, highly touted Dagestani-German wrestler Islam Dulatov, and American grappler Kody Steele.
With one week left in the season and several fighters signed on every episode so far, the athletes gave it their all in search of a UFC contract.
Tune in as The Sporting News brings you live updates throughout the five-fight card and the annoucement of contract winners at the end of the night.
Sean Gauci vs Anthony Drilich
This battle of Australian flyweights stayed highly entertaining from start to finish, with Drilich starting strong with his striking on the backfoot and defending every takedown. Gauci made it competitive in the round two and landed two takedowns, but could get no control time.
The final round was again competitive, with Drilich landing more but Gauci closing the bout with a takedown, big ground strikes, and a string of obscenities directed at his opponent as time expired.
The boss indicated his appreciaton for the talented flyweights. The decision could have gone either way but in the end Sean Gauci won rounds two and three, taking the victory on the scorecards.
With a past victory over former title challenger Steve Erceg, Gauci has a good starting point for his UFC career.
Islam Dulatov vs Vanilto Antunes
Islam 'The Ripper' Dulatov came into his Contender Series bout having not lost since his pro debut in 2017. Sitting at 10-1 coming into this one, that means a win over Antunes would make eleven.
The fighter out of Dusseldorf blitzed his Brazilian counterpart early and hurt him, but paused to try and take his back after Vanilto covered up against the fence. He would continue to mix up striking and wrestling, especially showing more of his blazing-fast hands.
It all came to an end before long. Antunes could not keep up with Dulatov's speed; before the first round was halfway done he got set up for the perfect right elbow from Islam which put him to sleep.
That highlight reel knockout will ensure his spot in the contract-winners' circle at the end of the night, and propel his career forward in a big way due to the stage.
Mario Pinto vs Lucas Camacho
In the only battle of two undefeated prospects on the card, LFL heavyweight champion Mario Pinto finished foe Lucas Camacho in the first two minutes with a beautiful left hook.
At 9-0, and with an athleticism unlike that of many overweight light-heavyweights posturing as heavyweights, Camacho has serious potential in the UFC if he can keep finishing fights like that.
Kody Steele vs Chasen Blair
Popular undefeated 7-0 Fury FC fighter Kody Steele, who has also competed against some big names in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, won impressively against Chasen Blair with a second round TKO.
Steele took an early lead with good boxing, but Blair did well through the first three minutes of the second round, fighting off the back foot and nearly outlanding Steele two to one. However, Steele kept going to the body on Chasen and eventually one liver shot was just too much for him to handle.
Kody pounced on top and pounded away but his foe was in no state to fight back. With a big finish like that, he is also likely to recieve a contract at the end of the night.
Artem Vakhitov vs Islem Masraf
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