The final week of the latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series saw all five winners earn UFC contracts on a night of finishes at the UFC Apex.
Every winner on the card, from Mateus Mendonca in the first fight to Bo Nickal in the main event, was rewarded with a UFC contract as each victor picked up a stoppage win.
Here’s how Week 10 of the Contender Series panned out at the UFC Apex:
Bo Nickal def. Donovan Beard via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 0:52
Bo Nickal left Dana White with no option but to sign him with another virtually flawless display at the UFC Apex.
Nickal’s quickfire win earlier this season wasn’t enough to convince White to pull the trigger on a UFC deal, and the three-time NCAA Division I champion from Penn State was invited back for a second appearance.
Nickal took that opportunity and doubled down on his talent with another quickfire finish to finally earn himself a UFC deal.
Nickal needed 62 seconds to defeat Zack Borrego in his first appearance, and he shaved 10 seconds off that performance in his return as he finished CFFC middleweight champion Donovan Beard in just 52 seconds via triangle choke in a display that will only build the hype for the former wrestling prodigy’s upcoming UFC career.
Sam Patterson def. Vinicius Cenci via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:18
The English contingent on the UFC roster just welcomed a new member with the arrival of the super-impressive Sam Patterson.
The lightweight prospect weathered an early storm to claim a second-round submission finish of Vinicius Cenci, with the former Brave CF contender punching his ticket to the UFC with a rear-naked choke in the final minute of the second round.
Cenci started fast and put Patterson on the back foot early, and appeared to stun the Englishman with strikes during the early striking exchanges.
Patterson smartly adjusted his game and used the clinch to buy time, but had to be on his game to avoid further trouble against the Brazilian’s aggressive start.
The second round saw Patterson looking much more composed as he connected on Cenci, then snatched a D’Arce choke when the Brazilian shot in for a takedown. That led to a scramble on the mat that saw Patterson briefly attempt a guillotine choke before eventually taking his man’s back and locking up the rear-naked choke for the finish.
Jack Jenkins def. Freddy Emiliano Linares via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:30
Australian featherweight Jack Jenkins came in with a solid pedigree, and he had the opportunity to showcase that all-round ability in his third-round TKO victory over Freddy Emiliano Linares.
In an all-action encounter, Jenkins showed his striking prowess, then his ability to transition to the wrestling and grappling realm as he operated with comfort in both scenarios. He also showed solid takedown defence to keep Linares at bay.
With the action deep into the third round, it seemed like a shutout decision was imminent, but Jenkins didn’t content himself with a victory on the scorecards and instead pushed the pace and secured the TKO via ground and pound with just 30 seconds left on the clock.
Rafael Ramos Estevam def. Joao Elias via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:25
Rafael Ramos Estevam earned himself a UFC contract with a second-round TKO finish after a lively flyweight clash with Joao Elias.
Elias pushed the pace early, but Estevam ended up on top when the fight went to the mat. That didn’t stop Elias from chasing the finish as he looked for a submission, but it was Estevam whose work carried more impact as he came close to scoring a TKO through heavy ground and pound.
An accidental clash of heads halted the second round almost immediately after it started, but when the action resumed, Estevam looked to carry on where he left off at the end of Round 1.
Holding the dominant position on the mat once again, he unloaded a barrage of heavy ground strikes to force the stoppage mid-way through the round.
Mateus Mendonca def. Ashiek Ajim via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:48
Like the main event, the first fight of the night was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair, as Mateus Mendonca starched Ashiek Ajim in less than a minute.
A slightly strange glove touch kicked off the action and Mendonca looked to throw heat from the very start. He didn’t have his range calibrated immediately, but it didn’t take him long to adjust as he stunned Ajim with a straight right, then knocked him out with a short left.
It was a spectacular way to kick off the night as the man with the blue hair made sure he stood out on a packed night of finishes at the UFC Apex.
Dana White’s Contender Series: Week 10 Results
- Bo Nickal def. Donovan Beard via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 0:52
- Sam Patterson def. Vinicius Cenci via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:18
- Jack Jenkins def. Freddy Emiliano Linares via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:30
- Rafael Ramos Estevam def. Joao Elias via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:25
- Mateus Mendonca def. Ashiek Ajim via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:48
