Dana White’s Contender Series 2020 Week 10 Play-by-Play & Results

Victoria Leonardo (125) vs. Chelsea Hackett (126)

Round 1

The flyweights touch gloves and we’re underway for the opening bout of the night. Hackett lands a delayed front kick, a leg kick and another front kick to the face before Leonardo forces the clinch. Hackett is able to separate and they’re back in the center of the cage, where Hackett lands a heavy leg kick. Hackett goes high with a kick, but Leonardo blocks it. Moments later, Hackett connects with a punching combination, but Leonardo closes the distance and trips her foe to the mat. Leonardo is in top position near the fence, sitting in half guard. Leonardo stays busy, landing periodic left hands to the face. Hackett works her way up and eats a knee. Leonardo maintains a body lock, but Hackett reverses position before separating. Back in the center of the cage, Leonardo lands a right and Hackett responds with a leg kick. Hackett closes the range lands a leg kick and avoids the clinch. Leonardo steps in and lands a head kick. It hits Hackett’s glove but still looks somewhat significant. They end the round in the clinch. 10-9 Leonardo.

Round 2

Leonardo lands an inside low kick and Hackett just misses a quick counter combination. A right hand lands for Leonardo during an exchange. They tie up and Leonardo shoves her foe into the cage. Hackett reverses position and lands an elbow on the break. Leonardo appears to be bleeding from the nose. Hackett tags Leonardo with a right hand, and her opponent looks to be hurt as Hackett fires off a combination. Leonardo forces a clinch out of desperation, where she regains her senses by grinding her foe into the fence. Leonardo has a rear body lock and briefly drags Hackett down. Hackett stands but Leonardo remains attached to her near the fence. Leonardo pulls Hackett off the cage and drags her down with about 1:30 to go. Leonardo assumes full mount. She postures up and drops ground-and-pound as Hackett attempts to buck her off. Leonardo drops more heavy blows, including several brutal hammerfists, as Hackett covers up. More heavy right and left hands land, and referee Marc Goddard warns Hackett to defend herself. Hackett turns to the other side, but Leonardo is relentless. Another volley of heavy punches to the head ensues, and Goddard has no choice but to wave off the fight.

The Official Result

Victoria Leonardo def. Chelsea Hackett via TKO (Punches) R2 4:41

Sherrard Blackledge (155) vs. Tucker Lutz (155.5)

Round 1

The lightweights immediately trade jabs in the center of the cage. Lutz presses forward with a combination, but Blackledge ducks under and presses Lutz into the fence. Lutz turns it around and drops low for a takedown. Sherrard lands a couple elbows to the side of the head as he maintains his footing. Now it’s Blackledge who muscles Lutz down to the floor. Lutz works his way up and eats a knee to the body as he shoves his opponent into the cage. They battle for positioning, trading positions on the fece. Blackledge turns his man around and lands a pair of knees to the gut, but the second one hits the cup. Lutz will get some time to recover. The action resumes and Blackledge almost immediately hits Lutz in the groin with a front kick. Another pause in the action follows, and Jason Herzog gives Blackledge a warning before the fight resumes. Lutz comes out with three whipping leg kicks. Blackledge using a variety of kicks, but he can’t find the range. Lutz pressures and lands a sharp right hand. He shoots for a takedown against the fence and slams his foe on the mat. Blackledge threatens with a guillotine but Lutz pops his head out easily. Lutz steps into mount and then Blackledge gives up his back just before the horn. 10-9 Lutz.

Round 2

Lutz lands another hard low kick followed by a left hook. Lutz continues to fire off punishing low kicks, then he switches gears and connects with a body kick. Another low kick-body kick combo finds a home for Lutz, and Blackledge shoot for a takedown. They trade knees in the clinch before Lutz takes the back and drags Blackledge down. Lutz has both hooks in, then switches to a body triangle near the fence. Lutz hunts for a choke but Blackledge turns around and stands up, where he looks for a takedown of his own. Lutz locks in a standing guillotine, than falls back and transitions to a mounted version of the hold. He can’t quite secure it, as Blackledge escapes. They’re back up, and Blackledge lands a takedown near the fence with about 1:30 to go. Blackledge tries to lock in a choke but Lutz powers his way up. Lutz has a body lock as Blackledge lands a few short rights to the face. Lutz gives up on a takedown in the waning seconds to land a knee and a quick combination near the fence. 10-9 Lutz.

Round 3

Blackledge with an inside low kick and a front kick down the middle to open things up. Lutz lands a knee to the head as they trade in close. Blackledge drives Lutz into the fence but can’t secure a takedown. Lutz reverses the position and changes levels for a single leg. Blackledge defends and attacks with elbows to the body.Lutz locks his hands a dumps Blackledge, who pops right back up to this feet. They clinch battle wages on, and Lutz reverses position and drops low for a takedown try. He picks Blackledge up and slams him down, landing in side control. Blackledge walks his legs up the cage and tries to buck Lutz off of him, but it’s to no avail. With one minute left, Lutz is still heavy on top. Blackledge keeps his foe close, so Lutz can’t land much in the way of meaningful ground-and-pound. Lutz ends the fight in top position. 10-9 Lutz (30-27 Lutz).

The Official Result

Tucker Lutz def. Sherrard Blackledge via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

Pauline Macias (115) vs. Gloria de Paula (115.5)

Round 1

De Paula connects with a couple long right hands early on. De Paula throws a straight-hook combination and Macias ducks under for a takedown. She’s momentarily trapped in a guillotine, but picks her foe up, adjusts to the side into a modified throw. De Paula is up in relatively short order. De Paula sprawls on another takedown shot and tries to lock up her opponent’s neck. The Brazilian is framing a brabo choke but so far Macias is maintaining her base and defending. Macias has both hands on the floor, so De Paula lands a few knees to the shoulders and arms of her opponent. De Paula keeps the choke while sitting back on her right hip. Macias gives the thumbs up as the action has stalled. De Paula adjusts the choke, leans back and tightens her grip. Macias survives until the horn. 10-9 de Paula.

Round 2

De Paula whiffs on a spinning back fist before attacking with a pair of high kicks. De Paula marches forward and lands a combination at range, which prompts Macias to force a tie-up. They separate and De Paula lands a body kick. A right to the body and a right to the head has Macias circling away. Macias changes levels and plants De Paula on her back. De Paula is active from her back, so Macias stands and lets her back up. De Paula lands a hard straight right to the body, then follows up with a kick and knee to the body as well. They clinch, De Paula lands a heavy elbow and hard knees. Macias pulls guard and eats some hammerfists for her efforts. De Paula stands and drops several hard right hands through Macias’ guard. She drops back down into Macias’ guard with less than a minute remaining. De Paula creates space to land a couple slashing, short elbows before the end of the frame. 10-9 de Paula.

Round 3

A counter right for De Paula lands as Macias presses the action. De Paula drives Macias into the cage and lands a pair of hard knees to the midsection. De Paula is doing a nice job with head positioning, and she creates room to land a nice elbow. On the break, a huge right elbow connects for the Brazilian, but Macias shakes it off. De Paula lands a pair of inside leg kicks and Macias answers with a body kick. A hard right cross lands for de Paulo, and Macias has a takedown denied. De Paula shakes off another takeown try with ease. De Paula ties up Macias and punishes her foe with knees to the body. De Paula lets the clinch go after more brutal knees, and Macias looks to be on wobbly legs for a moment. Macias misses a labored right hook and has a takedown stuffed. De Paula goes right back into the clinch, and she’s battering Macias with more knees to the body. They separate, De Paula lands a combination and Macias circles away. De Paula lands a high kick and avoids a pair of spinning punches before the horn. 10-8 De Paula (30-26 De Paula).

The Official Result

Gloria de Paula def. Pauline Macias via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27) R3 5:00

Nick Maximov (209) vs. Oscar Cota (263.5)

Round 1

Maximov cages a leg kick and immediately takes Cota down. Maximov sets up on top in half guard as he works to land ground-and-pound. Maximov mixes up his punches and elbows nicely from above against his much heavier opponent. Maximov laces up his foe’s leg, and he tees off with a series of left hands before Cota stads. Maximov drops low for a takedown and buries his head as Cota defends near the fence. Maximov maintains a hold of Cota’s right leg as the bigger man sprawls. Cota tries to lands some right hands under his foe’s armpit. Cota maintains a front head lock, and Maximov stands briefly. Cota is just leaning on Maximov, but not a lot else is happening. Cota thinks about scrambling to the back but returns to the front headlock. Cota does spin to the back and lands a handful of punches before the horn. 10-10.

Round 2

They trade high kicks before Maximov shoots for a takedown. Cota drops back for a guillotine and Maximov pops his head out easily. Now Maximov is in top position in side control. Maximov is doing his best to stay active whith short punches as Cota attempts to neutralize him. Maximov moves to full mount, but only for a moment as Cota recovers half guard. Maximov continues ot work his ground-and-pound, but nothing that lands is especially powerful. Cota connects with a slicing elbow from his back. Maximov peppers the ribs with punches and elbows. Maximov ends the round on top, landing more short shots from above. 10-9 Maximov.

Round 3

Cota counters Maximov with a two-piece combination and then sprawls on a takedown. Maximov is persistent and shoves Cota to his back in the center of the cage with more than four minutes to go in the round. Maximov tries to pass to mount, but Cota shoves his foe’s leg right back into half guard. Maximov lands an elbow and about five right hands as Cota briefly tries to power his way up. As he did in the previous round, Maximov is landing just enough offense to be allowed to keep top position. Cota just have any answers from his back, and Maximov continues to accumulate offense with short punches from above. That’s how the round ends, with Maximov in control. 10-9 Maximov (30-28 Maximov).

The Official Result

Nick Maximov def. Oscar Cota via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-28) R3 5:00

J.P. Buys (125.5) vs. Jacob Silva (125)

Round 1

Buys takes the center of the cage, throws a leg kick and then changes levels to take Silva down. Buys is heavy on top in half guard. He looks to push his other leg free for full mount, but he passes to side control instead. Silva attempts to scramble up, but Buys overpowers him and ends up in back mount. He lands some hammerfists and then locks up and arm-triangle choke. He passes to the right side of Silva, who pulls his own leg up to give himself space to breathe. Somehow, Silva fights out of the choke just as his face was changing color. Buys takes Silva’s back and pounds away with punches and hammerfists. He transitions to a guillotine choke with 20 seconds remaining. Marc Goddard takes a close look with time winding down, and the veteran official waves off the fight. Silva pops right up and protests that he wasn’t unconscious. Goddard simply informs him, “It’s over,” though replays indicate otherwise. It doesn’t matter now.

The Official Result

J.P. Buys def. Jacob Silva via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1 4:54