Mario Mingaj vs Wes Schultz

Round 1 – Mingaj brings the pressure early, but is quickly tagged by a left hook from Schultz that wobbles him. Schultz pours it on and looks for the finish. Mingaj pulls him into a clinch and Schultz gets a body lock takedown. Mingaj uses a near sweep to get back to his feet, but Schultz jumps the back. Once there he reaches right for the ankle and looks for suloev stretch. Mingaj is grimacing and it’s over!

Official Result: Wes Schultz def. Mario Mingaj by Submission (Suloev Stretch) – Round 1 (1:51)

Azamat Nuftillaev vs Jovan Leka

Round 1 – They don’t spend any time trying to feel each other out. Nuftillaev immediately lets go with wild shots and uses them to close the distance. He gets in on a takedown. After some solid defense from Leka, Nuftillaev does adjust and work his was to top control. He lands the requisite shots to not get stood up, although he does get warned multiple times. As the clock moves under two minutes, Leka makes it back to his knees and works back to his feet. Nuftillaev hits a mat return with locked hands, but again doesn’t get much from it. Referee Mark Smith warns Nuftillaev again to get the action going. He scores one more takedown with ten seconds left and Leka returns to the feet to close out the round. Nuftillaev 10-9

Round 2 – Nuftillaev looks gassed to start the second. He gets popped by Leka and then shoots a takedown, but it has none of the same gusto. Leka sprawls on it and takes Nuftillaev’s back. He gets a hook in and looks for a short choke, but doesn’t quite have the angle. Leka is making Nuftillaev carry his weight and he is clearly exhausted. Then Leka scores with some punches and a pair of 12-6 elbows. Leka keeps changing between choke attempts and more big shots. The pressure of another choke makes Nuftillaev go to all four and allows Leka to take the back with both hooks. He nearly gets the rear naked and then transitions to mount. It’s all Leka and Nuftillaev can’t even stand up. Leka 10-8

Round 3 – Nuftillaev backing up right away at the beginning of the round. He’s breathing heavily as Leka looks to land big. Leka throws a kick that Nuftillaev catches and turns into a takedown. He has none of the energy to do anything and Leka moves right back up. He tees off with some uppercuts and it forces Nuftillaev to dive for a desperation takedown. Leka sprawls on it and puts Nuftillaev in a crucifix. Leka nearly gets a stoppage and Nuftillaev moves just enough to get a hand free. He then gets a couple more elbows and Nuftillaev rolls to his knees. Leka jumps on the back and lands big elbow. Nuftillaev gets back to his feet and is dumped on his back at the horn. Leka 10-9

Official Result: Jovan Leka def. Azamat Nuftillaev by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Michael Oliveira vs Victor Valenzuela

Round 1 – Oliveira moving forward and pumping out his jab. He throws a couple leg kicks too and has Valenzuela on his back foot. The Chilean fighter looks to throw his way out, but Oliveira is staying safe early. Valenzuela eventually finds a home for the straight right and it stumbles Oliveira a bit. He rebounds and is right back on the pressure. He slips and lands some nice counters, which prompts a takedown attempt from Valenzuela. Valenzuela crashes in with another big right and they clinch. Oliveira lands nicely inside that position, but they break and the rounds comes to a close. It’s a close round, but the volume and impact favor the challenger early. Valenzuela 10-9

Round 2 – The pressure of Oliveira is again the story early. Both have a touch more urgency and are opening up more. Oliveira landing more now and he has Valenzuela bleeding. The Brazilian is building momentum. He ducks out of range and drops his opponent. After some ground and pound, he lets him back up and immediately drops him again. He beckons for him to join him back on the feet. He’s picking him apart with shots all over the place. Valenzuela is fading. He lunges forward with a shot and Oliveira lands another big counter and drops him a third time. This time the ground and pound is enough for a finish.

Official Result: Michael Oliveira def. Victor Valenzuela by TKO (Punches) – Round 2 (3:56)

Marwan Rahiki vs Ananias Mulumba

Round 1 – Mulumba comes out firing with big shots. He’s coming up short with the shots, and Rahiki is countering. One of those big rights scores for Mulumba and he drops him. He looks for the finish on the follow up shots. Mark Smith is calling for movement and warning for a stoppage. Rahiki keeps working enough to get to his knees. Mulumba grabs the back and nearly has a rear naked choke. Then Rahiki finds a home for some shots on the feet. Mulumba is wobbled now! He looks for the finish, but then Mulumba finds the button again! Rahiki back to the floor and Mulumba looks to end things. Rahiki rolls through to his feet and becomes a bit more defensively safe. They end on the feet in an insane round. Mulumba 10-9

Round 2 – Both men looking for bombs early. Mulumba in on a double to try to neutralize some things, but Rahiki grabs a ninja choke. They work to the mat and it looks like it’s in. Mulumba works him up against the cage and gets the hands loose. They get back to the feet and it’s clear that Mulumba is cooked. Rahiki backs him up against the cage and starts uploading with elbows. They are all landing and it’s all over.

Official Result: Marwan Rahiki def. Ananias Mulumba by KO (Elbows and Punch) – Round 2 (2:13)

Juan Díaz vs Won Il Kwon

Round 1 – Diaz clearly looking for the body shots out of the gate. He lands a kick to the midsection and a hook for good measure. A big overhand right is good for Diaz an it spins Kwon around. He lands with a couple more as Kwon finds his wits. Diaz follows up with another big right, but starts to fall in love with head hunting. Kwon, as a result, gets into his rhythm with some jabs. A few more rights kind home for Diaz and a left. He then closes the distance up and gets a clinch against the cage. He leaps to the back and grabs both hooks. Diaz switches to a body triangle, but gets a little overzealous with an armbar attempt. They head back to the feet where the round ends. Diaz 10-9

Round 2 – Kwon on his bike to start this one with a big more urgency. Diaz gets right back to the body lock. They dance along the cage. After a brief separation, Diaz shoots in for a true double leg and gets Kwon down. Back up and both men start getting budy with the hands again. Kwon is landing at a better clip, but Diaz is the far more active fighter. It’s a close round and with the time expiring, Diaz throws a spinning elbow and turns the lights right off.

Official Result: Juan Díaz def. Won Il Kwon by KO (Spinning Back Elbow) – Round 2 (4:58)

Freddy Vidal vs Levi Rodrigues

Round 1 – A battle of kicks is the story of the early fight, with Rodrigues clearly landing with more authority. Vidal looks for a takedown, but the shot is seen a mile away. Rodrigues stuffs it, but they stay in the clinch for a bit while they both look to advance their position. As they separate, Rodrigues lands some big rights that seem to stun Vidal. Vidal keeps trying to get in on a takedown, but in the process eats a knee and it’s done.

Official Result: Levi Rodrigues def. Freddy Vidal by TKO (Knee and Punches) – Round 1 (3:20)

DWCS Contract Winners:

• Wes Schultz
• Michael Oliveira
• Marwan Rahiki
• Juan Diaz
• Levi Rodrigues

And for more Dana White’s Contender Series coverage, check out all of the work here on Cageside Press. We have interviews with the fighters as well as analysis of those getting a chance on Tuesday.

The post Dana White’s Contender Series 2025: Week 10 – Play-by-Play & Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

A Contender Series fight is one that has stakes like none other, where fighters must showcase their skills to impress the UFC president enough for a contract with the promotional giant.  Holding the Contender Series with a smaller cage inside the UFC Apex venue makes for a tense atmosphere, and with only close friends and family of the competing fighters in attendance as spectators. Emotions always run high, as a limited number of contracts can be given out on any given night, and many fighters can potentially have their dreams snubbed out solely because of bad luck.

In rare cases, however, a fighter gets a second look. This series will examine those.

Wes “Party Time” Schultz (7-2 MMA)

Age: 29 years old

Height: 6’2″ / Reach: 76″

Weight Class: Middleweight (185lbs.)

First DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2024 (Week 1)

Old DW’s Contender Series Opponent: Mansur Abdul-Malik (5-0 MMA)

Second DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2025 (Week 10)

New Opponent: Mario Mingaj (7-0 MMA)

First Contender Series Fight

Wes went 6-1 as an amateur, winning multiple middleweight championships in the process from 2019 to 2021.

Schultz turned pro in late 2021, with his first three opponents having a combined record of 21-24.  Some very experienced matchups for a fighter starting out as a pro, with two of those fights being under the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) banner— a Texas, USA based promotion and leading producer of UFC talent. In his next fight, Wes lost a unanimous decision to then 4-1 fighter Dylan Budka. Dylan would go on to go 1-1 in his next two before winning a contract on the 2023 season of DWCS (Granted, Dylan went 0-3 with the UFC and was released earlier this year, but still).

Wes would bounce back ripping off a three-fight win streak, logging two victories in the LFA, all first round finishes. This attracted the attention of the UFC, and he was invited to the 2024 season of the Contender Series.

In the fight itself, Wes put up a valiant effort but was overwhelmed and finished deep in the second round via ground n’ pound.

First Contender Series Opponent

In Schultz’s first appearance on the Contender Series, he took on Mansur Abdul-Malik. Mansur won a contract as a result of his finish against Wes. Abdul-Malik would make his UFC debut a few months later stopping a then 12-4 Dusko Todorovic. The first-round finish earned Mansur a performance bonus in the process. Earlier this year, Mansur stopped a then 6-1, Nick Klein, in the second round of their bout.

Most recently, Mansur logged an ultra-controversial majority decision victory against Cody Brundage. The decision was overturned to a draw after the fact (incomplete rounds were scored, which goes against Georgia Athletic Commission rules).

Mansur is currently scheduled to take on Antonio Troccoli in December. So, all things considered, this is a loss that has aged exceptionally for Wes and is obviously a large part of why he is back.

The Road Back

In the year and two months since Wes last appeared at the APEX he has competed once and had two fights cancelled.

Wes was actually scheduled for redemption immediately as he was supposed to fight in week 10 of the same season of the CS. But instead, Wes withdrew from his fight against Heraldo Souza. Souza, then 9-1-1, would go on to be submitted in just over 30 seconds, by short-notice replacement, Nick Klein. Klein would receive a UFC contract (and later lose to Mansur Abdul-Malik).

Schultz took on 7-4, Dustin Pape, in Michiana Fight League (MFL) based out of Indiana, USA. Wes smoked Dustin, subbing the fighter with a guillotine in under a minute. This fight was back in April.

“Party Time” was scheduled to fight 4-14, Blake Breitsprecher, at heavyweight to stay busy in July. That fight was supposed to be under the Pure FC (PFC) banner based out of Wisconsin, USA. The bout fell through as another event was scheduled and Blake was rebooked with another opponent.

Gameplan/New Opponent

For his shot at redemption on the Contender Series, Schultz will be taking on another undefeated fighter in Mario Mingaj.

Mario is a towering figure at 6’4″ tall and has a good amount of experience in the cage. Mingaj was actually 2-3 in amateur MMA and started his amateur career in 2016.

Mario is a four-fight veteran of the Venator Fighting Championship (VFC) based out of Italy and a two-fight veteran of Cage Warriors FC based out of England. He’s got some good experience. As a professional, Mario started his career in 2021. Mario’s best opponent was his most recent fight against then 7-2 fighter Zura Zarnadze. Mario submitted Zura with a triangle choke in under two minutes of the first round of their fight in November 2024. In the fight prior to that, Mingaj’s Cage Warrior’s debut, he submitted undefeated Qendrim Pallata via triangle choke at the end of the second round.

Mario has finished all but one of his opponents, of those finishes, five were submissions, of those submissions, four were triangle choke. He’s nasty with the technique and finds himself in a position to execute it often.

Wes is drawing a difficult opponent for his shot at redemption but a victory by any means is a guaranteed ticket to the UFC.

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A Contender Series fight is one that has stakes like none other, where fighters must showcase their skills to impress the UFC president enough for a contract with the promotional giant.  Holding the Contender Series with a smaller cage inside the UFC Apex venue makes for a tense atmosphere, and with only close friends and family of the competing fighters in attendance as spectators. Emotions always run high, as a limited number of contracts can be given out on any given night, and many fighters can potentially have their dreams snubbed out solely because of bad luck.

In rare cases, however, a fighter gets a second look. This series will examine those.

Freddy “The Barbarian” Vidal (4-0 MMA)

Age: 31 years old

Height: 6’3″ / Reach: 79.5

Weight Class: Light heavyweight (205lbs.)

First DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2025 (Week 5)

Old DW’s Contender Series Opponent: Felipe Franco (8-0 MMA)

Second DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2025 (Week 10)

New Opponent: Levi Rodrigues (5-0 MMA)

First Contender Series Fight

Freddy’s first Contender Series fight was just five short weeks ago. Vidal looked stellar in his fight and was able to get the finish late in the fight, submitting his opponent in the third via rear naked choke. However, Vidal had missed weight for his first appearance on the Contender Series. Freddy weighed in at 210lbs. at weigh ins for the fight, missing weight by 4lbs.

Unfortunate as well, leading into the bout, Vidal was just 3-0 as a pro but had an extensive amateur career at 5-0. A truly meteoric rise. Starting his amateur career in early 2022, Vidal competed for Extreme Cage Fighting (ECF) out of New York, and Flex Fight Series (FFS) also out of New York while an amateur. Vidal won a light heavyweight title for FFS in 2023 before going pro.

Vidal made his pro debut in the Texas-based Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) and fought 1-1 Mike Kennedy to a unanimous decision. Freddy would go back to FFS where he stopped a debuting Mike Lee and a 2-4 Anthony Wilson, both in the first round, before getting a call to grace the Contender Series.

First Contender Series Opponent

For his first appearance on the Contender Series, Freddy took on Felipe Franco. Felipe was the most experienced fighter that Freddy had faced and had stopped all of his previous opponents. Though it’s worth noting that Felipe had faced seven fighters without a single victory and one fighter that was 19-16 on his path to the Contender Series. To call him largely unproven, would be a pretty large understatement.

Felipe also had the misfortunate of having two opponents withdraw from his Contender Series fight before he finally drew Freddy Vidal.

The Road Back

Freddy has not competed or had any bouts scheduled in the five weeks since he last appeared on the Contender Series.

Gameplan/New Opponent

For Vidal’s shot at redemption on the Contender Series, he will be taking on another undefeated fighter in Levi Rodrigues. Levi also had an extensive amateur MMA career going, 5-0, 1 NC and becoming the Copa Thunder Fight Light heavyweight champion (a promotion out of Sao Paulo, Brazil).  Levi also had multiple amateur boxing and kickboxing fights after he turned pro in MMA back in 2022.

Rodrigues is a three-fight veteran of LFA and has stopped all of the opponents that he has ever faced in competition. Levi has also faced considerably better competition than Felipe had in the lead up to this Contender Series bout.

At this weight class and level, everyone is dangerous. Plainly, someone is going to sleep in the main event on week 10 of the Contender Series. Should be a good scrap though, and fans should tune in to see if another light heavyweight will be added to the UFC’s shallow 205lb division.

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Through nine weeks, Dana White has awarded 41 UFC contracts, and should all five winners earn contracts this Tuesday, the total of 46 will match the show’s all-time high, set in 2023. Awarding over 40 contracts is unquestionably diluting the talent pool at this point, but it’s hard to argue with some of the fights this season — especially when Adrián Luna Martinetti and Mark Vologdin put on one of the greatest fights in Dana White’s Contender Series history just last week.

Yes, Vologdin was signed off a loss, but like Forrest Griffin and the late Stephan Bonnar two decades ago, he and Martinetti absolutely tore down the house, and reminded MMA fans just why they watch the sport.

In Episode 10 of DWCS 2025, recent ONE Championship title challenger Kwon Won Il will look to prove he belongs in the UFC, while a full five undefeated athletes also appear. Freddy Vidal also returns for his second fight of the season.

Light Heavyweight: Freddy Vidal (4-0) vs. Levi Rodrigues (5-0)

Notable Notes

• Second fight this Contender Series season for Vidal
• Both fought just a month ago
• Vidal only has one win over a fighter with a winning record
• Vidal is 1-0 in decisions
• Rodrigues has never gone to a decision
• Rodrigues has all wins by KO/TKO — one each in rounds one, two, and three

Freddy Vidal

Vidal gets another opportunity after earning a win but no contract on Week 5. The hard truth is that the fight was sloppy. Vidal gassed out and finished an opponent who essentially quit, with a choke that wasn’t even fully locked in — and he missed weight, too. To his credit, he fought through adversity and kept pushing until the final seconds. I don’t think five weeks will make him a different fighter, but he should at least be better prepared.

Levi Rodrigues

There isn’t a ton of footage available on Rodrigues. His last two fights are online, but the others from LFA aren’t. In one, he was chaotic and scored a clean KO win. In the other, he was low volume and got the win when his opponent injured his shoulder. He was winning, but didn’t react well to punches and panic-shot takedowns.

Rodrigues is someone you don’t want dictating the pace. He’s effective on the outside with heavy kicks and will explode with powerful hooks for a few seconds at a time. If you go first, he tends to shell up and either shoot or throw back wild. When pressured, he slows down and can be taken down. The power is real, but that’s about it — he’s not fast, far from technical, and doesn’t throw much volume.

Prediction: Rodrigues is the younger and more experienced fighter, with additional combat experience in boxing and kickboxing. I’d imagine Vidal will look to wrestle to avoid the more powerful striker in Rodrigues. There’s a path for Vidal if Rodrigues gasses out, but I’ll side with Rodrigues — he’s more likely to land the bigger shot, and that’s where the fight starts.

The post DWCS 2025: Episode 10 Breakdown and Predictions appeared first on Cageside Press.

Rafael Pergentino vs Luke Fernandez

Round 1 – Luke Fernandez meets him in the center of the cage. He throws a hard 1-2 and it drops Pergentino. He follows up with a couple of bombs on the mat and it’s all over before it even really started.

Official Result: Luke Fernandez def. Rafael Pergentino by TKO (Punches) – Round 1 (0:15)

Donavon Hedrick vs Luis Felipe Dias

Round 1 – The fighters feel each other out a bit and then Hedrick throws a big shot that misses the mark. Off-balance, Dias looks to capitalize and throws wildly himself. That prompts a takedown from Hedrick, but Dias quickly wrestles up and gets a back take of his own. After some solid positioning, Hedrick works his way back to neutral and the fight is back on the feet about halfway through. Hedrick is next to land with some straight strikes. Dias looking for the counters and finds a couple. Dias then gets on his horse and decides to be the aggressor. He backs him up and lands hard to the body with a kick. That prompts a clinch from Hedrick. On the separation, Dias lands and drops Hedrick and then takes the back again, which is where the round ends. Dias 10-9

Round 2 – A couple clashes into the clinch kick off the second round. Dias looks to be the more dangerous fighter in there with knees. Hedrick is the more active fighter from range and then he shoots a double. Dias is happy to jump guillotine, but it is not even close. Hedrick lands some big shots on top before Dias uses the cage to get back up. They separate and Dias uses a duck under to work to the back. He gets hooks in and gets to work. In three-quarter mount, he looks for a combination of choke attempts and punches. Hedrick continues to defend, but he’s in bad spots. Dias takes the back one more time and this time gets the choke.

Official Result: Luis Felipe Dias def. Donavon Hedrick by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) – Round 2 (4:37)

Imanol Rodriguez vs Roque Conceição

Round 1 – Some early kicks from Conceição find the mark as Rodriguez looks to feel him out. A sharp right drops Rodriguez. He hops right back up and starts to turn up the pressure to take a bit off of himself. Conceição falls awkwardly after getting clipped with a right and appears stunned – Rodriguez is all over him. He lands a knee that hurts him, and another couple hooks. Conceição back up and eats a shovel uppercut that puts the lights out for good.

Official Result: Imanol Rodriguez def. Roque Conceição by TKO (Punches and Knees) – Round 1 (2:12)

Adrian Luna Martinetti vs Mark Vologdin

Round 1 – The size discrepancy is obvious to start. Vologdin tries to beat it by working with some kicks particularly to the lead knee. He lands some work and Martinetti starts looking for a takedown. Vologdin stuffs and separates. Then he starts getting going with the pressure. A body shot drops Martinetti. He gets up and is dropped again with a right hand. He shoots a takedown off of that one, but Vologdin rolls through to avoid and separates again. Martinetti sticks with the low leg kicks to close out the round, but Vologdin is stepping through them to land big. He drops Martinetti a third time with just seconds left and goes for the finish. The time expires as they go to war. Vologdin 10-9

Round 2 – Both fighers start the second round a touch more measured after the chaotic end to the first. Then Martinetti gets him back to the cage and goes nuts with the body shots. The defense goes to the wind. Martinetti with knees to the body. Vologdin with hooks that stumble Martinetti. Martinetti back on the knees and adds an elbow. More hooks from Vologdin. Vologdin is gushing blood. Martinetti gets some top control and looks for a finish. Vologdin eventually works up and hurts him again. This is one of the most insane wars in the history of Contender Series! Martinetti 10-9

Round 3 – Martinetti looks for the kicks to start the round again. Vologdin marches forward and hurts him with a right hook. He looks to finish and Martinetti survives with a takedown against the cage. He doesn’t do much with the position and then Vologdin does a back roll to his feet. Vologdin uses the opportunity to turn the pressure up again. He is landing with the jab and head hunting. A knee lands for Martinetti, and he scores another takedown. He lands a few small strikes to try to take the round. Vologdin nearly sweeps to end the round, but it ends there. Martinetti 10-9

Official Result: Adrian Luna Martinetti def. Mark Vologdin by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Lucas Caldas vs Magomed Zaynukov

Round 1 – Quick kick to the calf from Caldas to start things. They trade down bottom and then the hooks start flying on both sides. Zaynukov getting the better of most exchanges early, but Caldas not backing down. Caldas having some success when moving forward, but Zaynukov is the much more accurate striker. Both attacking the body and putting a pace on. Caldas takes a kick to the nuts and has no interest in taking a break. A left hand from Caldas drops Kaynukov. He wrestles to survive and Caldas works to his feet. Another elbow seems to hurt Zaynukov again, but the sharpness of Zaynukov has him back in the fight. Tough round to call with the knockdown for Caldas and the volume from Zaynukov. I lean slightly to the Russian. Zaynukov 10-9

Round 2 – The kicks start this round as well with Caldas moving forward. Zaynukov landing the big kicks. Caldas finds a home for an elbow. A judo foot sweep sees Zaynukov grab some top control from guard. He does little with that time and then lets up Caldas. They trade again and Zaynukov is finding a home for the hooks and kicks. Zaynukov takes a poke to the eyes and we get a quick pause before heading right back for more of the same. Despite all the damage from Zaynukov, Caldas is still moving forward as the horn sounds. Zaynukov 10-9

Round 3 – More of the same in the third round. Caldas is having trouble keeping the range without eating some very sharp strikes from Zaynukov. He keeps chipping away at Caldas. He lands a big head kick as well before being poked in the eye yet again. Mark Herzog takes a point for this one. We restart with three minutes to go. Zaynukov immediately back on the horse and gets a knockdown with a right. Caldas pops right back up again and gets in his face. Caldas finds a home for a couple of rights and a spinning back elbow, but he doesn’t have the power to put him away. Zaynukov rips a half dozen upper cuts to close the show and should take this on the cards. Zaynukov 10-9

Official Result: Magomed Zaynukov def. Lucas Caldas by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

DWCS Contract Winners:

• Mark Vologdin (before the show was even over)
• Adrian Luna Martinetti (before the show was even over)
• Luke Fernandez
• Luis Felipe Dias
• Imanol Rodriguez
• Magomed Zaynukov

And for more Dana White’s Contender Series coverage, check out all of the work here on Cageside Press. We have interviews with the fighters as well as analysis of those getting a chance on Tuesday.

The post Dana White’s Contender Series 2025: Week 9 – Play-by-Play & Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Among the UFC hopefuls in DWCS 2025 Week 9, Luke Fernandez, an unbeaten CFFC light heavyweight champion with plenty of raw talent. With a favorable set for Tuesday, the slow path could seem Fernandez blossom into a real star in the UFC’s 205lb weight class.

We’ve got our breakdown and predictions ready for the upcoming instalment of DWCS, so let’s get to it.

Flyweight, Imanol Rodriguez (5-0) vs. Roque Junior (10-2)

Notable Notes

• Rodrigues fought this past season on TUF
• Rodrigues has a 100% finish rate outside of his last TUF fight
• Rodrigues is 0-1 to the decision (TUF fight)
• Junior is 1-2 to the decision
• Both have questionable decision losses
• Both guys have all their finishes inside two rounds
• Both have a submission win a piece

Imanol Rodriguez

In my opinion (and many others), Rodriguez should’ve won his fight on TUF 33 to move to the finals. Instead, the guy he “lost” to ended up winning the show, and that’s why I think he’s getting this spot. He came into the show a bit too soon, we thought, but during the show proved he belongs.

At his core, Rodriguez is a striker. While he occasionally throws opponents to the mat, it’s more about resetting the pace than controlling position. His style is chaotic yet calculated—he thrives in wild exchanges, launching power shots with both hands, attacking the body, and mixing up angles. He’s relentless, with legitimate finishing ability, and when he hurts an opponent, he knows how to close the show. His durability and knockout power allow him to take risks, and he is willing to absorb damage in pursuit of the finish. That can also hurt him at the higher level because a vet could be able to pace themselves better and pull away on Rodriguez late in the fight.

Rodriguez’s game is straightforward—about 60% chaos, 40% technique. He’s the type of fighter you’d bet on because he puts everything on the line. However, there are still unanswered questions. How will he fare in deep waters? How will he handle an elite wrestler? What does his ground game truly look like? This fight may have come sooner than ideal, but regardless of the outcome, it’s a crucial learning experience for Rodriguez.

I had three big questions for Rodriguez going into the TUF house: How will he fare in deep waters? How will he handle an elite wrestler? And what does his ground game truly look like? And I believe he answered those. He can be taken down and put in a bad position and controlled for a bit. Also, he scrambled well and stays composed and defends subs well. Rodriguez’s ground game as a whole looked good. He knew when to explode out of positions, and in round three, he dominated Morales on the mat, which is a great feat for a young fighter.

Roque Junior

Going into the tape on Junior, I wasn’t expecting much given the level of Brazilian talent brought in this season—but I came away impressed. He has a 2020 loss to Hugo Paiva, a solid prospect at the time, so there’s no shame there. His more recent loss to veteran Denis Araujo was a fight I thought Junior should’ve won, which means he could realistically be riding a nine-fight win streak with no official losses in the past five years.

Junior is primarily a striker, and he’s got sharp hands. He would benefit from mixing in more kicks and body work instead of relying so heavily on head-hunting, since his attacks can get a bit repetitive. That said, he applies steady pressure, cuts off the cage well, and throws with real intent. Adding more target variety would make him even more dangerous, but he already does a nice job of throwing in volume and working from different angles.

His wrestling and ground game are harder to pin down, though he seems capable of holding his own everywhere. He shows good awareness in scrambles—hitting switches, defending takedowns, and working constantly to stand up when he’s on his back.

Prediction: This should be a fun clash between two skilled strikers. Junior has the edge in raw power, but that’s about it. Rodriguez is the more layered striker—he works the body better, carries more speed, and has the option to mix in takedowns if needed. Junior’s power and Rodriguez’s tendency to get reckless make him live for a big moment, but I lean the other way. I think Rodriguez’s pace and pressure eventually wear Junior down, leading to a late-round TKO.

The post DWCS 2025: Episode 9 Breakdown and Predictions appeared first on Cageside Press.

The featherweight, who takes his name from the colorful feline, finished Demba Seck inside of a round on the Contender Series this week. You’ll be forgiven if you look at Campbell and don’t see a fighter, with his coke bottle glasses and unassuming looks. Don’t worry, he’s used to it.

“Everyone sees the glasses, everyone sees the top knot. I just didn’t get my pink shorts tonight, so hopefully I get that in the future,” noted Campbell (8-0), speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. “As much as I was the favourite tonight, everyone’s always thought I was the underdog.”

“I’m always on top at the end.”

Pink Panther, pink shorts? Why though? “The pink shorts is where it’s at. Trust me. Get them pink tighties and then I’ll show you what it’s about,” Campbell joked. At another point, he admitted that his father had dared him into wearing them, betting he wouldn’t go with the hot pink fight shorts. Instead, looking up to Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis, Campbell rolled with it, and quickly chose to make the Pink Panther his brand.

Thanks to his scouser accent, Campbell will no doubt be compared to another UFC star from Liverpool, Paddy Pimblett. The pair train at different gyms; “they’re all quality lads,” Campbell said of Pimblett’s team. “I have nothing but respect for all them lads over there. We’re all from one city, you know what I mean and at the end of the day, Liverpool stand up. That’s what we’re doing. We’re only a small fighting city, and we’re coming and we’re putting ourselves on the map.”

Asked about a debut date and location, Kurtis Campbell didn’t have one in mind on Tuesday. “I honestly don’t know. At the end of the day, when my coaches, my manager says I’m ready, I’m back out. London would be nice, but I can’t lie, I’ve been enjoying the traveling.”

In particular, Campbell seems to be enjoying Las Vegas. Still, he added, “anywhere, any time. Get us on the map, that’s what we’re built for.”

Watch the full DWCS post-fight press conference with Kurtis Campbell above.

The post DWCS: Kurtis Campbell Explains How He Became the “Pink Panther” appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I didn’t care how big the dude was, how scary he looked, it didn’t matter,” Alvidrez (7-1) told media outlets including Cageside Press at the UFC Apex on Tuesday, after winning himself a UFC contract. “I was like ‘I’m in the UFC already.’ I got so many messages, support systems, the signs I was seeing, just looking around— I would see so many signs. Just, I don’t know. God giving me a sign— this was really my time. I capitalized on it, and you seen what happened.”

The fighter nicknamed “The Newborn” is now one of the newest UFC athletes, after securing a violent finish of Eliezer Kubanza that saw punches, elbows, and even a knee flying. The end came inside of a round.

Alvidrez never doubted a contract was coming his way after that stoppage. “Come on now, you seen that against that guy? If I don’t get a contract, I’m taking everybody out in this arena,” he said with a laugh.

Christopher Alvidrez now wants to get right to work, and plans to work his way up the welterweight division.

“They don’t really got that many American, I feel, American top ten fighters, and I want to get that ranking up as fast as I can. Take out as many big hitters as I need to to get my spot solidified and start making that big money. Because I got a lot of mouths to feed. I’ve got seven brothers, I’ve got a mom back at the house. They’re still going through it.”

Alvidrez, who made the move to Miami to further his career, is now looking to get his family out of where they are back in California. “I’m really down to get going as soon as possible so I can get this bread. That’s the only thing missing in my life. I got God, I got family, I got love, I got a support system, coach, I got a roof over my head, but I just want to feed my family, feed the people around me.”

Watch the full DWCS post-fight press conference with Christopher Alvidrez above.

The post DWCS: Christopher Alvidrez Wants to Feed Family Care of UFC Deal appeared first on Cageside Press.

Jourdain, younger brother of Canadian UFC star Charles “Air” Jourdain, earned his way into the promotion care of a rear-naked choke submission of Magno Dias on the Contender Series this week.

“I’m so blessed to be here. I worked hard for it, so it’s even more worth it,” Jourdain (9-3) told media outlets including Cageside Press following the fight.

Having been cageside with his brother, Louis Jourdain is no stranger to the bright lights of the UFC. “I saw it so many times that it’s experience in my pocket, so it’s nothing new,” he stated. “The nerves were there, but it’s something I already saw, and I could picture it. What’s very good about having Charles as a brother is, every mistake he made over the years, I could see. And now I can correct them.”

“I’m like a new version of him when he was young, but more mature. All of his experience, it comes to me. It’s going to be a good run in the UFC from now on. And for him too; we’re going to terrorize the 135lb division from now.”

As far as a UFC debut date, while he has a medical suspension, Jourdain relayed the doctor was open to clearing him, depending on how things go. And he’s already asked to be part of the UFC’s next Canadian date.

“Maybe you’ll see me in two weeks in Vancouver. That would be very nice.”

Watch the full DWCS post-fight press conference with Louis Jourdain above.

The post DWCS: Louis Jourdain Looks to Build Off Brother’s Experience As He Enters UFC appeared first on Cageside Press.

Rashid Vagabov vs. Paulo Henrique

Round 1: Henrique opened the fight working from the outside, relying heavily on leg kicks. Vagabov stayed patient, picking his spots and taking whatever openings Henrique offered. His striking was clearly setting up future takedown attempts, but he still looked sharp on the feet.

Henrique appeared hesitant, almost intimidated by the Russian, throwing timid strikes and showing signs of uncertainty. Vagabov kept chipping away with leg kicks before mixing in shots to the head.

The Brazilian finally found his moment when Vagabov closed the distance a bit too much, unleashing an impressive flurry that forced the Russian to retreat and reset.

Just before the two-minute mark, Vagabov pressed forward, secured the clinch, and drove Henrique to the fence with a body lock. Henrique fought off the trips well, staying upright under pressure.

In the ensuing scramble, Vagabov threatened with a standing guillotine and used it to drag Henrique to the mat, but time expired before he could capitalize.

Round 2: Henrique came out more aggressive in the second round, standing his ground and forcing Vagabov to circle on the outside. He looked to land heavy shots, but without much setup—declining to use the jab early and leaving openings.

Instead, Henrique initiated the clinch and pressed Vagabov against the fence, trying to control the positioning. The two battled for control along the cage, with Henrique hunting for a high-crotch takedown that Vagabov defended with ease. Vagabov eventually created space, shoved Henrique off, and flipped the pressure back on the Brazilian, forcing him once again to fight on the outside.

Vagabov re-engaged on the feet, landing clean shots as Henrique repeatedly tried to clinch for his own takedown attempts. Henrique was driven backward and ate strikes in the process.

A sharp knee from Vagabov landed flush, drawing out his showmanship. The Russian began talking inside the cage and at one point even shouted, “Dana, that was for you!”

Round 3: Vagabov opened the round with a high kick that was blocked before shooting in for a takedown. Henrique defended well, but Vagabov refused to release the body lock, driving the action into the clinch against the fence.

From there, Vagabov quickly transitioned to Henrique’s back, forcing the Brazilian to defend both choke attempts and ground strikes. Henrique managed to return to his feet, but with Vagabov firmly attached like a backpack, the pressure never let up.

Vagabov locked in a body triangle and began cranking across the chin, mixing in punches to keep Henrique on the defensive. Henrique tried to fight the grip, but each adjustment only brought more punishment—including a clean right hand to the face.

Desperate to shake him off, Henrique leapt and tried to slam Vagabov to the mat, but the Russian held firm, maintaining control.

The fight closed with Vagabov still secured on Henrique’s back, piling on strikes as the final horn sounded sealing his dominance before the scorecards were read.

Official Result: Rashid Vagabov def. Paulo Henrique via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Kurtis Campbell vs. Demba Seck

Round 1: Campbell set the tone early, landing a sharp head kick on Seck that forced his opponent to charge forward in retaliation. Feeling the momentum, Campbell closed the distance, clinched, and secured the takedown.

From top position, Campbell looked to control, but Seck showed his athleticism by scrambling back to his feet. Campbell refused to let him off the hook, staying glued to him, landing a knee to the head, and then pouring on ground-and-pound to finish the fight.

England, you’ve got another one in the UFC!

Official Result: Kurtis Campbell def. Demba Seck via R1 TKO, 1:20

Christopher Alvidrez vs. Eliezer Kubanza

Round 1: Alvidrez opened by taking the center while Kubanza worked kicks from the outside. Alvidrez kept bouncing and switching stances to give different looks before landing a big right hand.

He followed with a leg kick that Kubanza brushed off, then tried to capitalize on a missed spinning attack, looking for a takedown. Kubanza managed to muscle his way out and reset.

Kubanza answered with a solid right hand and a leg kick—his best offense of the fight so far. But Alvidrez came back with a straight left that seemed to rock him, only for Kubanza to fire back with a heavy body shot that clearly hurt the Mexican.

Sensing an opening, Kubanza drove in for a takedown, pressing Alvidrez against the fence and landing knees to the legs and body. Alvidrez shook him off and returned fire with heavy punches.

A massive right hand wobbled Kubanza, and Alvidrez swarmed, dropping him and unleashing a relentless flurry from top position. Kubanza tried to stand, but was forced back down and absorbed more damage.

Referee Herb Dean gave him every chance, but Alvidrez never let up, pounding away until the fight was finally waved off giving the American an emphatic first-round finish.

Official Result: Christopher Alvidrez def. Eliezer Kubanza via R1 TKO, 4:44

Louis Jourdain vs. Magno Dias

Round 1: Right out of the gate, Jourdain dropped Dias with a calf kick—though it looked more like Dias stumbled trying to evade it. A stiff follow-up jab from Jourdain snapped Dias’ head back clean.

Jourdain worked behind his range, firing jabs and kicks to keep Dias at bay. Dias, however, came loaded with power, cracking Jourdain with a big right hand and showing he was willing to take damage to land his own shots.

Dias pressed forward, cutting off the cage and forcing Jourdain toward the fence, looking for chances to blitz or shoot. Jourdain answered with quick jabs and flurries to punish those entries, while repeatedly tagging Dias’ lead leg leaving his left calf visibly reddened.

A sharp left hook from Jourdain dropped Dias briefly, and the Canadian immediately pressed the action. Dias responded by clinching, driving Jourdain to the fence, and eventually dragging him down before taking the back. He hunted for a neck crank, but Jourdain fought it off. Dias let go, landed a shot, but Jourdain spun, reversed to top position, and scrambled back to his feet.

From there, Jourdain’s striking continued to shine, accurate, heavy, and relentless. Still, Dias showed he had plenty of power of his own, making every exchange dangerous.

Round 2: Jourdain went right back to the calf kick that had given Dias trouble in the opening round, and once again it paid dividends opening up strikes upstairs. A sharp jab followed by a nasty uppercut swung momentum in Jourdain’s favor as he pressed forward. Dias met the challenge, looking to close distance and land heavy shots of his own.

Dias shot for a takedown, secured a body lock, and snuck in an elbow before disengaging and returning to striking. Jourdain welcomed the exchange, snapping his jab to keep control of the range.

Another calf kick from Jourdain sent Dias to the canvas briefly, and as he got back to his feet, Jourdain leapt in with a flying knee. Dias was driven to the fence under pressure, but recovered quickly and tied Jourdain up in the clinch.

Still hunting takedowns, Dias dragged Jourdain down to a knee and momentarily took his back. Jourdain, slippery as ever, reversed into top position and dropped a few sharp elbows. He briefly threatened from the back himself but slid off, sending the fight back to the feet.

Once standing, Jourdain hammered the calf again, forcing Dias to switch to southpaw, a stance he clearly wasn’t comfortable in. Sensing the opening, Jourdain, a natural southpaw, dug shots to the body and strung together crisp combinations upstairs. With Dias’ left leg tucked away, Jourdain happily targeted the right, continuing to punish with calf kicks.

Round 3: Dias shot in desperately for a takedown but couldn’t finish it, eventually pulling Jourdain down on top of him with a body lock. Jourdain took full advantage, posturing up and landing heavy shots. As Dias rolled to his stomach, Jourdain continued to punish him with strikes.

Sensing the opening, Jourdain locked up a rear-naked choke—no hooks needed—and forced the quick tap from Dias.

Official Result: Louis Jourdain def. Magno Dias via R3 SUB (RNC), 0:39

Round 1:

Costa opened with pressure, using plenty of feints and movement, but Pinas quickly made him pay with a nasty uppercut that sent Costa stumbling backward. Costa answered with a calf kick, yet Pinas stayed in close, landing clean shots in the pocket.

Pinas’ jab may have been slow, but it was effective, repeatedly finding its target. Costa’s erratic movement did little to disrupt Pinas’ accuracy, and even when Costa tried to slow things down in the clinch, Pinas pushed him back with ease.

Then came the finishing blow, a massive right hand from Pinas that dropped Costa cold, sealing an emphatic first-round knockout.

Official Result: Damian Pinas def. Vitor Costa via R1 TKO, 1:46

Dana White’s Contender Series Contract Winners:

• Kurtis Campbell
• Christopher Alvidrez
• Louis Jourdain
• Damian Pinas

And for more Dana White’s Contender Series coverage, check out all of the work here on Cageside Press. We have interviews with the fighters as well as analysis of those getting a chance on Tuesday.

The post DWCS 2025: Week 8 – Play-by-Play & Results appeared first on Cageside Press.