Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5, Week 7 Results

October 12, 2021

Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) at the UFC Apex — Dana White's Contender Series, UFC Apex Credit: Jeff Bottari (UFC)

Week 7 of this year’s Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) was all about second chances.

For England’s Chris Duncan, it was a second chance to step into the cage and compete in front of Dana White. That, after his first opportunity fell through just two weeks ago.

Duncan had been scheduled to take part in week five against Manuel Gaxhja. But Gaxhja missed weight; worse, come the day of the fight, he pulled out entirely. A botched weight cut was reportedly to blame. Regardless, Duncan was left fired up but without an opponent.

Luckily, a quick turnaround was booked, and Tuesday night in week seven, Duncan gets his shot, opposite fellow lightweight Slava Borshchev.

Duncan wasn’t the only fighter getting a second chance on Tuesday. Lorenzo Hood had been expected to compete in Week 1 this season, only to be forced out. He was back, on short notice, against Martin Buday. An even bigger chance at redemption awaited Mitch Raposo, however.

Part of The Ultimate Fighter 29 bantamweight roster, Raposo had been ousted from the show in his first fight. Previously an undefeated bantamweight, he made to move to flyweight to take on Jake Hadley on the Contender Series this Tuesday night. Hadley, it’s worth noting, missed weight by a pound for the fight.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5, Week 7 kicks off at 8PM ET, airing live on ESPN+ in the United States, and on UFC Fight Pass elsewhere. Full results from the card, at the UFC Apex, can be found below.

Opening the card, Maria Silva went the distance at flyweight with Kathryn Paprocki, but the fight wasn’t close. Silva’s kicks were nasty, she hunted the finish, including sub attempts when things went to the ground. All three judges scored the fight 30-27, and it was all Silva by the end.

Chris Duncan finally got his moment on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, after fighting a gritty, determined fight in the opening round where he showed plenty of heart, Duncan wound up part of someone else’s highlight reel. Slava Borshchev opened the second round of the right with a massive knockout blow, putting Duncan away just 28 seconds into the round.

Despite Jake Hadley missing weight by a pound, he got the submission win against Mitch Raposo. Still undefeated, he’s left a difficult decision in the hands of Dana White.

Martin Buday was able to finish Lorenzo Hood thanks to some heavy knees in the clinch in the night’s heavyweight bout. And in another tough decision for Dana White, Christian Rodriguez, who missed weight for his bout with Reyes Cortez, picked up the unanimous decision win.