Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series: Week 5 play-by-play kicks off Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET from the UFC Training Center in Las Vegas.
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Round 1
Mark Smith is the referee for this heavyweight encounter and the two giants tentatively square off in the center of the Octagon. Graves dives in and ties up the taller Sims, forcing him into the cage. After about a minute of little action, Sims lands a knee to the body but Graves scoops him up and takes him down. Sims thinks guillotine off his back, but the Baltimore fighter easily fends it off. From there, Sims wall walks back up to his feet and is quickly pressed back into the fence. “Sexual Chocolate” lands a few knees to the body, though they aren’t as damaging as he’d like. Graves powers his way through to another takedown but Sims is threatening with a kimura off his back. Sims continues to try that kimura, but he eventually lets go of it. From there, Graves, who now has his left arm back, hammers him down with punches from on top. Sims scrambles out from underneath, but Graves rolls with him and maintains control, landing a few more punches before the horn. 10-9 Graves
Round 2
As expected, Graves immediately ties Sims up and drags him to the canvas. Sims is turtled up against the cage as Graves pampers him with soft punches from on top. “Sexual Chocolate” seems to have no idea how to get out from this position as Graves continues to hit him with moderate punches to the head and face. Smith warns Sims to do something and he seems have accepted defeat. Graves continues to land at his foe’s body, though virtually none of them are what anyone would consider brutal. Finally, Graves slams a left knee to the ribs. Another. Smith warns Sims to improve his position again and again, but the Louisiana native remains in turtle. Several more knees land for Graves, who wins the second 10-8.
Round 3
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Graves dominated Sims on the floor.
Sims’ corner is begging him to do something out there in the third, imploring him to go for the knockout. Graves circles around the taller man for 25 seconds before stuffing Sims into the cage. Sims is easily taken back down and allows the Baltimore fighter to quickly move to side control. Graves taps Sims with a series of punches to the head and body and then slithers to full mount. Sims ties up Graves’ head, possibly looking to stall for a stand-up. Sims finally moves but when he turns over, Graves takes his back, though he doesn’t put hooks him. A few knees land to the body and, finally, Smith intervenes, ending the mugging.
The Result
Official result: Shelton Graves def. Everett Sims via TKO (Knees) R3, 2:20
Round 1
Jason Herzog is the veteran ref for this bantamweight battle. Simon lands a decent kick to Frelow’s ribs but Frelow charges right at him with a tempest of punches to the head and body. The two men clinch up against the cage and Frelow is taken down. From there, Simon, delivers a nasty knee to the body and then two left fists to the head. Frelow explodes to his feet and they separate, resetting in the center of the cage. Simon shoots in and scores a takedown, but Frelow scoots back to the fence and wall walks back to his feet. Simon scoops his foe up, carries him across the cage and slams him down, but he can’t keep him there. Simon goes for another takedown, but this time Frelow is wise and thwarts it. Frelow reverses position before disengaging to the center of the cage. Both men try – and fail – sloppy flying knees with about a minute left. A hard right to the head from the Washington fighter backs Frelow up. With 12 seconds remaining, Simon lands yet another takedown. Easy round for Simon, who wins it 10-9.
Round 2
Simon opens the frame with a powerful takedown, but just like the first, he can’t keep Frelow down. They exchange punches and one of Frelow’s strikes opens a cut around his opponent’s left eye. Simon is unfazed and tosses a left-right to the head. After they exchange decent punches, Simon shoots in and scores a double-leg. Per the norm, Frelow quickly springs back to his feet and regroups. Simon doesn’t care and scores another takedown but moments later, Frelow scrambles back to his feet. Frelow tags Simon with a straight right to the head but then misses a wild, sloppy left hook and stumbles into the cage. From there, Simon ties him up against the cage but he can’t take him down. It’s a close round but Simon’s takedowns are the difference. 10-9 Simon
Round 3
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Simon took a split decision.
Simon wastes no time in tying Frelow up and then dragging him to the canvas. As expected, Frelow breaks free and powers back to his feet. Frelow lands a nice left uppercut, but he’s countered by a right hook to the head. Frelow returns the favor with a left-right to the noggin, which snaps Simon’s head back. Frelow likely needs to go for broke and gun for a knockout, and he is. The two exchange rights to the face, but neither man budges. Simon uses punches to the head to get inside and when he does, he changes levels and nabs the easy takedown. Frelow stands back up, but Simon quickly takes him right back down. With a minute left, Frelow needs a miracle. Simon is all over his foe as Frelow stands back up and from there, he slams him right back down, sealing the Las Vegas fighter’s fate. 10-9 Simon
The Result
Ricky Simon def. Donavon Frelow via Split Decision R3, 5:00
Round 1
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Perez scored the quick finish.
Mark Smith is the third man in the cage for this flyweight battle and the two come right at each other. Perez misses a knee on the inside but Perez is playing safe by staying on the outside. Gray lands a nice kick to his foe’s body, but he’s tagged by a right to the forehead for his effort. Perez lands a pair of leg kicks and then a right uppercut as Gray comes in. It’s a glancing blow, though, and Gray shakes it off. Perez tags the Kansan with a right cross and Gray is wobbled. Gray shoots in and misses takedown and from there, Perez locks in a D’Arce. Gray can’t escape and he is put to sleep.
The Result
Alex Perez def. Kevin Gray via Submission (Anaconda Choke) R1, 2:54
Round 1
Jason Herzog is the referee for this featherweight fight and the two meet in the center of the cage, tossing out punches. Petties lands a nice right upstairs, but Arce shakes it off. The men clinch up against the cage and Arce is looking to drag this one to the canvas. Petties reverses position but just misses a powerful right elbow to the head. The clinching continues as Arce presses him deeper into the fence before Petties is able to break free and rest in the center of the cage. Petties lands a kick to the chest, avoids counter punches and then drives Arce into the cage. Petties slams a knee into the New Yorker’s thigh as he tries to soften him up. Petties misses a spinning elbow and then tags Arce with a right-left to the face. Arce answers with a combo of his own but neither featherweight is shaken by the strikes. During an exchange late, Arce delivers an overhand left to the head. 10-9 Petties.
Round 2
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Arce took it to Petties in round two.
Arce comes right at Petties to begin the second and is looking to bang. Petties obliges and mixes it up with his foe early. There is a little bit of swelling around Arce’s left eye as he tags Petties with a hard left to the head. Arce tears into him, looking to knock him out. Petties fires back and it’s a terrific exchange against the cage. Arce lands several punches to the head, but Petties is rolling with most of them. Arce drills him again and Petties drops onto his back. He’s in trouble as Arce is mauling him. Petties struggles back to his feet, but Arce keeps him against the fence and unloads left after left until Herzog finally steps in and stops it.
The Result
Julio Arce def. Peter Petties via TKO (Punches) R2, 2:39
Round 1
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Rodriguez ended the night with a bang.
Mark Smith is the referee for this, the light heavyweight main event. Jones is the first to strike; a left leg kicks. The men are tentative early as they size each other up. Rodriguez has a low kick caught but Jones can’t finish the takedown. Rodriguez explodes with a flying knee to the head and Jones is out. Rodriguez lands some follow-up punches but they aren’t needed as Smith jumps in right away to stop it.
The Result
Mike Rodriguez def. Jamelle Jones via KO (Flying Knee) R1, 2:15