The 64th installment of Dana White's Contender Series produced a stellar night of MMA action, with six fighters earning contracts from UFC CEO Dana White.
Four of the night's five winners earned contracts, with two losing competitors also impressing White sufficiently to also earn UFC deals.
In the featured bout of the night, undefeated welterweight Danny Barlow needed just 79 seconds to stop former CFFC welterweight champion Raheam Forest with strikes to put a cap on a spectacular night at the UFC Apex.
In the opening bout of the show, former UAE Warriors bantamweight champion Vinicius Oliveira showcased his knockout power as he starched Victor Madrigal with a stunning left hook three minutes into their 135-pound bout, to claim the 19th win, and the 15th knockout, of his career. He then took a pen thrown into the cage by his corner to suggest to the UFC boss that he needs to be putting pen to paper on a contract.
"Lok Dog's" eye-catching finish got the night off to a spectacular start, with Ernesta Karackaite and Carli Judice battling all the way to the judges' scorecards after a breathless back-and-forth war that drew a standing ovation from White at the final horn.
Lithuania's Karackaite got the nod via split decision to take the victory, but both women's incredible performance saw them earn contracts from UFC boss White, who hailed their performances after the event.
Karackaite and Judice set the bar high for the fights to follow, and in the next bout, Danny Silva and Angel Pacheco did their best to match it as they engaged in a three-round scrap of their own. The winner was much clearer on the scorecards, as Silva took all three rounds on all three scorecards, but, once again, White awarded contracts to both fighters after they both showed the desire the UFC CEO was looking for in potential new signings.
There was an unfortunate end to the co-main event, as Alexander Soldatkin was disqualified for an illegal knee to an already-downed Mario Piazzon, who took the win, but not in the way he would have hoped. The unfortunate nature of the result also gave White a moment's pause, as he declined to offer a deal to either man.
But the night ended in spectacular fashion, as Barlow blitzed Forest to claim a first-round TKO stoppage and claim the final contract of the night.
Dana White's Contender Series 64: Official results
- Danny Barlow def. Raheam Forest via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:19
- Mario Piazzon def. Alexander Soldatkin via disqualification (illegal knee to a grounded opponent) – Round 3, 0:20
- Danny Silva def. Angel Pacheco via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Ernesta Karackaite def. Carli Judice via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Vinicius Oliveira def. Victor Madrigal via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:02
