Dana White’s Contender Series 2022 Week 5 Play-by-Play and Results

Round 1

Gomes, a Parana Vale Tudo product, is on a five-bout winning streak
and coming off a win over UFC vet Milana Dudieva under the Invicta
FC banner. The Marajo Brothers-trained dos Santos has won four
straight — all inside the distance. Mike Beltran gets the call for
ref duties on the evening’s first bout. They touch gloves and dos
Santos opens things with a leg kick. Gomes responds with one of her
own. Dos Santos steps in with a two-punch combination. Gomes lands
a jab and then another low kick. Dos Santos partially connects with
a kick to the body. Gomes has a high kick blocked. They trade in
the pocket and dos Santos tags Gomes with a two-punch combo to the
head while exhibiting good head movement. Dos Santos moves in and
lands a nice body-head combination. A hard right hand backs up
Gomes briefly. Gomes lands a glancing spinning kick to the head and
goes on the offensive, marching forward with offense. Dos Santos
counters a missed wheel kick with a two-piece combination. Gomes
throws her third wheel kick and misses the mark. Moments later, dos
Santos shoots for a takedown. Gomes returns to her feet and frames
a kimura while dos Santos maintains a body lock. Gomes resists the
submission and keeps her hold on Gomes. Gomes gives up on the
kimura and eventually turns dos Santos into the fence. They
separate and dos Santos tags Gomes with a crisp jab. Gomes
continues to employ a spin heavy attack, but is largely missing the
mark. Dos Santos wraps up Gomes in the clinch and shoves her into
the fence. Gomes defends with a kimura until the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 dos Santos
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gomes
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Gomes

Round 2

Gomes answers a dos Santos right with a hard leg kcik. Gomes shucks
off a takedown try and lands a hard right. Gomes moves in and lands
a straight right followed by a left jab. Gomes changes levels and
dos Santos just misses an elbow. Gomes attacks the leg of her
opponent again and dos Santos counters. Gomes bakcs dos Santos up
and connects a hard right and then a high kick. Gomes goes leaping
in recklessly and dos Santos takes her down. Gomes gets up quickly
and shoves dos Santos away. Gomes continues to stalk her opponent,
throwing heavy right hands, leg kicks and high kicks. Gomes moves
in and lands an inside leg kick. Gomes whiffs on a spinning punch,
but she continues to be the one pushing the pace. Dos Santos works
behind her jab, and then they trade in the pocket. Another jab for
dos Santos. A nice 1-2 lands for dos Santos. Gomes backs her foe up
and lands a heavy combination punctuated by an elbow. Gomes
continues to wlak dos Santo down, but dos Santos slips and lands a
right. It doesn’t matter because Gomes wades in and lands a pair of
big rights. Gomes follows a leg kick with a right hand and then a
high kick. Dos Santos picks up the aggression and busts Gomes open
with an overhand right. They continue to trade heavy shots until
right before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gomes
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gomes
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Gomes

Round 3

They touch gloves once more and Gomes resumes her forward movement
as she lands a leg kick. Dos Santos sticks a jab. Gomes walks
forward and lands a hard 1-2. Dos Santos counters a low kick with a
right and waves her opponent forward. Another low kick from Gomes
and a counter right from dos Santos. Gomes misses the spinning
elbow. Gomes has a high kick and it slaps off the forearm of dos
Santos. They trade leg kicks. Gomes attacks the inside leg of dos
Santos. Gomes rushes in with a left hook and then misses a spinning
back kick, which allows dos Santos to counter with a combo. Gomes
picks up the intensity and lands a hard right and keeps the
pressure on, attacking with kicks, punches and elbows. Dos Santos
retreats and then goes back to the jab. They trade in the pocket,
and now it’s dos Santos leading the dance. An overhand right
counter lands for dos Santos, who is bleeding from the nose. A
stiff jab lands for dos Santos and Gomes counters with a low kick.
They both trade jabs, and Gomes goes with a high kick. Gomes
catches a body kick and lands a hard right on dos Santos. Another
right for Gomes and dos Santos nods approval. Gomes pressures
forward and lands a pair of hard knees in the clinch, drawing a
smile from dos Santos. Dos Santos pushes the pace behind another
overhand and eats a knee from Gomes before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gomes (29-28 Gomes)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gomes (30-27 Gomes)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Gomes (30-27 Gomes)

The Official Result

Denise Gomes def. Rayanne dos Santos via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

Round 1

Kim, a San Diego native with experience in Legacy Fighting Alliance
and Cage Warriors, locks horns with the undefeated Saaiman, a
bantamweight champion under the EFC Global banner. Jason Herzog
will be the third man in the cage. Saaiman lands a leg kick right
away, as Kim employs an unorthodox stance on the outside. Kim leaps
in with a quick high kick. Saaiman with another low kick, and Kim
responds with a body kick. A straight left from Saaiman stops Kim’s
forward movement momentarily. Kim is switching stancing constantly.
Saaiman blocks and spinning back kick, then fires back with a
standing side kick. Kim steps in and lands a straight left. A leg
kick lands for Saaiman. Kim pressures and follows a left hand with
a fornt kick to the midsection. Leg kicks land for Saaiman, and Kim
goes upstairs with a high kick that his opponent blocks. They trade
leg kicks and Saaiman misses a spinning kick. Kim moves in and
lands a slapping kick to the body. Kim forrces the clinch and
pushes Saaiman into the fence. Kim knees the thigh and then the
body. Kim with another knee to the thigh of his opponent. Kim gives
up on the takedown and they’re back at range. Another body kick
lands for Kim and Saaiman answers with a leg kick. Saaiman connects
with a counter left and Kim lands one of his own. Saaiman swings
heavy leather but Kim avoids it, and moments later he works the
body of Saaiman with another kick. A leg kick connects for Kim
before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kim
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kim
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Kim

Round 2

Kim opens with a leg kick. Kim closes the distance and lands a knee
in the clinch before tripping Saaiman to the canvas. Kim sets up in
side control. Saaiman scoots to the fence and lands some open hand
slaps to Kim’s back. The slaps continue, and Saaiman is up to one
knee. They stand and Saaiman has a tight guillotine in place. Kim
frees his head before Saaiman can move into mount. Kim scrambles up
and eats some strikes from Saaiman. Saaiman kicks the leg of Kim.
Kim lands another body kick. Saaiman lands a straight right
followed by a left hook. A front kick lands for Saaiman and he
follows that up with a combination. Saaiman is forcing the issue,
moving forward and throwing combinations. Saaiman with a pair of
kicks to Kim’s lead leg. Now Saaiman goes upstairs with a pair of
high kicks and the former EFC champ pressures witha combination.
Kim seems to be slowing as Saaiman’s offense increases. A body kick
lands for Saaiman, and he lands a combination moments later. Kim
has slowed considerably this round, and Saaiman is controlling the
pace. Kim lands a nice counter right, but Saaiman answers with a
spinning back kick that makes Kim bounce off the fence. Saaiman
shoots for a takedown late and secures it with a few seconds left.
He lets Kim up and lands a body kick as his foe stands before the
horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Saaiman
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Saaiman
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Saaiman

Round 3

Saaiman keeps his momentum going early, but he eats a solid counter
right from Kim as he applies pressure. Kim throws a front kick but
it’s blocked. Kim with a body kick and then another. Saaiman with a
leg kick and Kim answers with yet another body kick. Saaiman
continues to attack the lead leg of his adversary. Kim backs up
Saaiman with a straight left, but then his opponent goes back to
attacking his legs. Saaiman backs Kim up with punches and then
unleashes a spinning back kick to the midsection. Kim answers with
another hard body kick. Kim with another body kick and Saaiman
answers with a leg kick. Saaiman pressures Kim and backs him into
the fence with more punches. Saaiman backs up to reset, then
pressures forward again. This time, Saaiman lands a right hook,

then drops Kim with a left hook on the chin just as his opponent
was attempting to throw a left of his own. No follow-up is needed
as Kim face plants on the canvas.

The Official Result

Cameron Saaiman def. Josh Wang Kim via KO (Punch) R3 2:52

Round 1

Da Silva is back for a second go round on the Contender Series
after his unanimous decision win over Lun Qiu last November didn’t
net a UFC contract. Mexico’s Aguilar owns a seven-bout winning
streak that includes a pair of wins in the Combate Global
promotion. Mike Beltran will oversee the flyweight bout. Aguilar
kicks the inside of da Silva’s legs, but the Brazilian makes
Aguilar stumble with a low kick of his own. Da Silva kicks the body
and then moves in with a quick 1-2, slipping on the way in. Da
Silva lands an outside leg kick and Aguilar moves in, swinging
heavy leather. Aguilar times a double-leg takedown nicely and
grounds da Silva in the center of the cage. Da Silva grabs on to a
guillotine. For a moment he gets full guard and keeps Aguilar in
the choke, but the Mexican frees himself and they scramble up,
quickly trading heavy punches on the feet. Aguilar misses a trip
attempt, allowing da Silva to power him down and take top position.
Da Silva latches on to a guillotine and stands. He squeezes briefly
but Aguilar escapes and turns da Silva into the fence. Aguilar has
double underhooks against the fence. Aguilar pulls da Silva into
mount, and the Brazilian lands some ground-and-pound before Aguilar
gives up his back. Da Silva has his hooks in but might be a little
too high to flatten Aguilar out. Aguilar tries to tripod out, and
on his second try, he shakes da Silva off of him and dives into
full guard. Aguilar drops a furious series of punches and elbows
until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 da Silva
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 da Silva
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 da Silva

Round 2

Aguilar lands a couple heavy punches early, and they’re going at it
right away. Aguilar grabs a single leg. Da Silva frees his leg but
Aguilar closes distance in a hurry and shoves his man into the
fence. Once again, Aguilar makes a mistake and pulls da Silva into
top position. Da Silva is inside his foe’s full guard, but Aguilar
is doing a good job neutralizing his offense. Aguilar works his
guard up, creates space and stands. Aguilar gets a takedown in
short order and begins to work to take da Silva’s back. Da Silva
tries to buck Aguilar off him, but it’s to no avail. Aguilar gets
the back after a reset and has both hooks in. Aguilar lands a few
right hands from the position before rolling da Silva over. Da
Silva is doing well to control Aguilar’s hands. Aguilar frees his
right and punches the head of the Brazilian a few times. Aguilar is
able to maintain back control, and we’re under a minute to go.
Aguilar loses a hook, then regains it. With 15 seconds left, da
Silva reverses into top position. Da Silva stands as the horn
sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Aguilar
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aguilar
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Aguilar

Round 3

Aguilar stumbles forward behind a massive overhand. Aguilar keeps
coming forward and tags the Brazilian with several heavy punches
before changing levels. He lifts da Silva and plants his man on the
mat. Aguilar is in the full guard of his opponent, staying heavy on
top. A scramble ensues and Aguilar grabs a front headlock as da
Silva clings to a leg.
Aguilar jumps back on a guillotine and the choke is tight. Da Silva
begins tapping on the opposite side of the referee and at first
Beltran doesn’t see it until the Brazilian taps with his other
hand. Aguilar has his eighth straight victory.

The Official Result

Jesus Santos Aguilar def. Erisson Ferreira da Silva via Submission
(Guillotine Choke) R3 1:56