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Round 1
Herb Dean will get the assignment for the first bout of the eighth
season of Contender Series, and it’s a matchup of undefeated
flyweights that may both be UFC ready. Kavanagh absorbs a leg kick
from Ho, who misfires on a head kick. Kavanagh counters an inside
leg kick, and the Englishman follows up with a front kick to the
body. Ho cracks his man with a straight right and absorbs a calf
kick in return. It’s been a kick heavy approach early — especially
for Kavanagh — but both men are still trying to make reads on their
opponent. And then just like that, Kavanagh lands a front kick and
then
leaps in with a left hook that detonates on Ho’s chin. The MMA Lab
product collapses in a heap on the canvas, so there’s
no need for any follow-up blows. Meanwhile, Kavanagh punctuates his
victory with a superhero back flip in the Octagon. Ho stays down
for a couple minutes until he is helped to his feet.
The Official Result
Lone’er Kavanagh def. An Tuan Ho via KO (Punch) R1 2:35
Round 1
The MMA Lab-trained Delgado will lock horns with the undefeated
Juarez, who has cut his teeth primarily with Urijah Faber’s A1
Combat promotion. Chris Tognoni will be the third man in the cage
for the featherweight affair. Juarez fires off a leg kick early. He
catches a kick from Delgado and they get to trading. Delgado is
already on the attack, blending in punches and kicks nicely.
Delgado moves in a plants Juarez on the canvas in the center of the
cage. Delgago lands a series of short punches and then moves to
Juarez’s back as his foe stands. Juarez defends well, but Delgago
lands a knee on the break. Delgado partially lands a head kick
before taking his man to the floor once again. Delgago stacks his
opponent near the fence and looks for openings to land offense.
Delgado looks to clear the legs and then jumps on Juarez’s back.
Delgado has a body triangle and makes Juarez carry him briefly.
Back at range, Juarez lands a couple heavy right hands. Delgado
follows a body kick with a flurry of punches and knees in close
before taking Juarez down again. Juarez works his way up and
Delgado elects to back away. Juarez counters a front kick with a
right hand. Delgado is pressuring again, landing knees and punches.
They go back to the center of the cage and Delgado fires off a
spinning back kick, but Jaurez has his guard up. Juarez stuffs a
takedown and lands a knee to the ribs before the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Delgado
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Delgado
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Delgado
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Round 2
Juarez lands a low kick, catches a front kick from his foe and rips
the body with a combination. A nice body kick lands for Juarez.
Delgado is firing long punches, but Juarez tags him with a
combination as he closes the distance. Juarez thinks about a
takedown but lets it go. Delgado tags Juarez with a left hook, and
Juarez shells up. Delgado remains on the attack as Juarez backs
into the fence.
He follows a distracting left hand with a knee that lands flush to
Juarez’s face. Juarez is out as he crumbles to the
canvas, but Delgado is able to land a few more hammerfists before
Tognoni steps in to wave off the fight. Delgado keeps his perfect
finishing rate intact even after accepting the bout on short
notice.
The Official Result
Jose Delgado def. Ernie Juarez via KO (Knee and Punches) R2
1:25
Round 1
Georgian light heavyweight Sazhiniani will take a six-fight winning
streak into the clash with Lopes, a Brazilian who fell to Brendson
Ribeiro via first-round knockout on the Contender Series last year.
Herb Dean will oversee the proceedings. Sazhiniani shoots early
from far away, but Lopes denies it easily. Sazhiniani swings heavy
leather from the outside. The Georgian connects with a thudding
calf kick. Lopes lands a calf kick of his own. Another leg kick for
the Brazilian, and Sazhiniani responds in turn. They briefly trade
and Sazhiniani just misses a massive overhand right. Lopes counters
a kick with a straight right. Sazhiniani leaps in and drops Lopes
with an overhand right. Lopes pops right back up and Sazhiniani is
winging punches at his opponent. Lopes answers with a two-punch
counter. Sazhiniani gets in on a leg and pushes Lopes into the
fence. They jockey for position against the fence before Sazhiniani
briefly grabs a front headlock. Lopes escapes and they’re back at
range. Sazhiniani wings another overhand but Loopes evades the
offering. Sazhiniani closes the distance and lands an elbow and
left hand in close.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sazhiniani
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sazhiniani
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sazhiniani
Round 2
Lopes pressures but his calf kick is countered by a left from
Sazhiniani. Lopes lands a leaping knee and Sazhiniani looks for a
takedown. Lopes defends and breaks free. Sazhiniani misses on a
head kick. Lopes steps in and lands a spinning backfist. Lopes with
a two punch combo and Sazhiniani fires back with heavy punches.
Sazhiniani changes levels but Lopes defends. They clinch and
Sazhiniani gets in on a single leg, but again Lopes denies it.
Lopes pressures forward and defends a takedown. Lopes backs up and
Sazhiniani goes back on the attack. Sazhiniani shoots again and
shoves Lopes into the fence. Lopes creates some space, lands an
elbow to the head and turns his man into the wire. Sazhiniani is
still winging punches, but Lopes steps in and lands a punishing
knee. Another knee lands for the Brazilian and he evades an
overhand from Sazhiniani. Sazhiniani appears to be slowing down,
and
Lopes hurts the Georgian with a left to the body in basically the
same spot where the knee landed. Sazhiniani backs up and doubles
over in pain. Lopes follows his opponent to the fence and flurries
with punches before Herb Dean steps in to rescue
Sazhiniani.
The Official Result
Bruno Lopes def. Mikheil Sazhiniani via TKO (Knee and Punches) R2
4:14
Round 1
China’s Ding boasts 27 KO/TKO wins among his 34 professional
victories. He’ll face Beirut’s Hamed, who has experience in Brave
CF and Titan FC and accpeted the bout on short notice. Chris
Tognoni will be the third man in the cage. Hamed misses the mark on
a head kick. Hamed steps in with a straight left as he utilizes a
traditional karate stance. Hamed switches stances and lands a
straight right. The welterweights appear to briefly clash heads.
Ding closes the distance and clinches, but he lands an accidental
knee to the cup. They’re back at range after a reset. Hamed with a
low kick. Hamed tries a leaping knee as Ding closes the range. Ding
drives his foe into the fence. Hamed is able to separate and circle
out. Ding tries to punch his way into the clinch but he eats a knee
for his efforts. Hamed gets his hooks in and he breaks free. Hamed
steps in with a left to the body. Hamed with another single counter
shot and Ding forces the clinch. Hamed digs to the body aafter they
break.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hamed
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hamed
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Hamed
Round 2
Ding moves forward and lands a leg kick. Another leg kick for the
Chinese welterweight, who follows up with a spinning back kick.
Hamed moves in with a straight left. Hamed counters with a left to
the body. Ding pressures and eats a body shot before clinching with
Hamed. Hamed gets underhooks and separates without issue. Ding
lands another low kick. They clinch and Ding turns his man into the
fence. Hamed lands a knee with his back to the cage. Ding lands a
knee of his own, and Hamed grimaces. They ‘re back at range, and
Hamed lands a counter left hook. A counter knee connects for Hamed.
Ding pressures with a 1-2 and Hamed fires back a combination. Ding
goes to the body but eats a left upstairs. A clean straight left
draws a reaction from Ding, who responds with a takedown in the
waning seconds of the round. He’ll end the period in side control.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hamed
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hamed
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Ding
Round 3
Ding begins as the aggressor and connects on a spinning back kick
to the body. Ding with a low kick. Ding is doing better now,
landing a body kick and a right to the head. A straight left
connects for Hamed. Ding pressures and Hamed counters with a jab.
Moments later, a kick from Ding lands low and time is called. Ding
gets a stern warning and the fight resumes. Hamed opens with a left
to the body and Ding gets animated, waving his foe on. Hamed with a
head kick and a lead hook to the head. Ding wants a brawl, but
Hamed is unlikely to oblige. Another Ding kick lands low during an
exchange and time is called. Tognoni promised a point deduction if
Ding landed another low blow, and he loses a critical point as a
result. Hamed circles on the outside, blocks a body kick and lands
a leg kick. A body kick lands for Ding. Ding forces the clinch, but
Hamed has double underhooks. Ding can’t do much before they break.
A straight left lands for Hamed. Ding shoots for a takedown, but
Hamed defends and digs to the body before the separate. Hamed
counters again as Ding moves forward. Ding rushes back into the
clinch and knees the body. Ding yells at Hamed as he circles on the
outside. Hamed tags him. Ding moves forward and ties up his man in
the waning seconds. Hamed lands a combination on the break, and
that’s how it’ll end.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hamed (30-26 Hamed)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 9-9 (29-27 Hamed)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-8 Hamed (29-27 Hamed)
The Official Result
Rami Hamed def. Meng Ding via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-27,
29-27) R3 5:00
Round 1
Abdul-Malik has finished all five of his triumphs inside of a
round. Schultz, meanwhile, is on a three-bout winning streak where
he has stopped each of those opponents in the opening stanza. Herb
Dean will officiate the final fight of the evening. Schultz is
looking to find his range with a variety of kicks. Abdul-Malik
moves forward and cracks Schultz with a combination. Schultz
scrambles to his foe’s back after another exchange, but Abdul-Malik
is able to reverse position and shove his man into the fence.
Schultz attacks with wheel kicks and back kicks, but it’s
Abdul-Malik who lands the damaging kick. Abdul-Malik sprawls and
ends up in top position. Schultz has a high guard, and Abdul-Malik
briefly clears the legs. Abdul-Malik drops a heavy shot before
Schultz scrambles up. Abdul-Malik has a head kick blocked.
Abdul-Malik fires off a straight left and a head kick. A right gets
through for Schultz. Abdul-Malik sticks a lead hook. Abdul-Malik
backs his foe up, but Schultz answers with a straight right.
Abdul-Malik pressures with punches in the waning seconds, but
Schultz won’t back down. Abdul-Malik will reach the second round
for the first time in his pro career.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Abdul-Malik
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Abdul-Malik
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Abdul-Malik
Round 2
Schultz begins with a toolbox of kicks, including a head kick that
partially lands. Abdul-Malik fires a kick up high, but Schultz has
his guard up. Abdul-Malik lands a left hook. Schultz follows a
spnning hook kick with an elbow. Moments later, Abdul-Malik lands a
right that prompts Schultz to shoot. The action is picking up, as
Schultz rushes forward. He briefly drops to his knees but appears
to be OK. Schultz has a body lock and initially can’t make
Abdul-Malik budge. He eventually gets Abdul-Malik down, but he gets
up quickly. Schultz is making his opponent carry his weight, using
a full nelson to control the head while chipping away with knees.
Abdul-Malik is able to break away and he sticks a stiff jab.
Schultz shoots out of desperation and a scramble ensues.
Abdul-Malik punishes Schultz with hammerfists before taking the
back. More heavy ground-and-pound lands for Abdul-Malik.
He takes full mount and rains down punishing elbows on Schultz.
Dean urges Schultz to fight back, but Abdul-Malik unloads with more
elbows and hammerfists. Finally, Dean has seen enough and this one
is over.
The Official Result
Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Wesley Schultz via TKO (Elbows and Punches)
R2 3:55