Dana White’s Contender Series ‘Week 4’ Play-by-Play & Results

John Castaneda vs. Cheyden Leialoha

Round 1

Bantamweights are up first tonight and the referee is Chris Tognoni. The two trade kicks to the body as soon as the fight begins. Leialoha follows that up with a head kicks, though it’s mostly blocked. After they two trade some jabs, Leialoha shoots in scores the takedown, winding up in Castaneda’s full guard. Castaneda looks for a few sweeps but the Hawaiian is staying heavy. Castaneda has a small cut under his right eye from the moderates strikes from Leialoha, who gets a bit sloppy with his ground-and-pound. From there, the Minnesotan explodes to his feet and resets in the center of the cage. Castaneda eats a punch upstairs, one that opens a gash on his hairline. Leialoha backs away as he eats a right straight, forcing him to shoot in again. Castaneda stuffs the attempt and circles away and has to dodge a wild overhand right. Castaneda, bleeding profusely, shoots in for a single, but the Hawaiian easily stuffs him with 40 seconds left. Castaneda has a left high blocked late, but it does no damage. 10-9 Leialoha

Round 2

Leialoha opens the second with a right kick to the ribs. Castaneda counters with one of his own and when Leialoha comes inside, he swallows a knee. Leialoha appears to be shaken a bit and he shoots in, but Castaneda thwarts it. Back up to their feet, the bantamweights circle each other, slamming leg kicks into each other. Leialoha shoots in again, but he’s stuffed 90 seconds in. Castaneda is composed, peppering his foe with leg kicks before scoring an easy double-leg takedown. Castaneda scoots over to half guard form on top before standing over him against the cage. The Minnesotan lands a few punches to the head, but Leialoha is squirrely. Finally, the Hawaiian slips out and explodes to his feet and cracks Castaneda with a right hook. Castaneda lands a decent right elbow to the head before pressing him into the cage with 40 seconds left. 10-9 Castaneda

Round 3

The two trade some decent punches early but Castaneda complains to Tognoni that he’s been poked in the eye. After being examined, he’s okay to continue (replay shows a clear accidental eye poke). Castaneda is fired up and unleashes a volley of punches, but Leialoha defends the entire flurry. The Minnesotan briefly clinches his foe into the cage, but the Hawaiian breaks free and resets. Before long, Leialoha scores a single-leg and presses Castaneda into the cage. Castaneda’s cut has opened again and now the blood is flowing freely. Leialoha is mauling his opponent on the ground but he creates too much space, allowing Castaneda to explode back to his feet. With two minutes to go, the fight remains completely up for grabs. Castaneda thinks leg lock as he drops to the ground, but he misses badly. After the scramble, Leialoha takes his back. The Minnesotan powers out of it and turns to tables, forcing Leialoha into the cage. From on top in half guard, Castaneda is landing elbows and punches to his foe’s head and body. Leialoha tries to scramble out but Castaneda takes his back and unloads a series of punches. Leialoha somehow breaks free and escapes to his feet but runs out of time. 10-9 Castaneda

The Official Result

John Castaneda def. Cheyden Leialoha via Decision R3, 5:00

Austin Arnett vs. Brandon Davis

Round 1

Tognoni is the referee again and the featherweights circle gingerly, looking for openings. Davis lands a few hard leg kicks before rocking Arnett with a knee upstairs. He slips and falls during his follow-up flurry, which allows Arnett to retreat and clear his noggin. Davis continues to be the aggressor with punches and kicks while he talks trash to Arnett. Arnett is a little flustered as he regroups, trying to figure out his opponent’s timing. Davis lands a low kick but eats a straight right in return. He shakes it off and then swallows another. Now Arnett is trash talking in the cage but he gets knocked down. Arnett isn’t hurt and Davis backs off, allowing him to stand back up and bang. The feathers trade rights to the face, which leads to a brief exchange in the center of the Octagon. 10-9 Davis

Round 2

Davis opens the frame with aggression, landing a few punches to the head before going back downstairs with the leg kicks. Arnett fires back, but he walks into a straight right, though he takes it well. Arnett is on his heels as Davis charges right at him, dishing out kicks to the head and body with punches mixed in. After tasting a few more punches, Arnett clinches with his foe and latches on a standing guillotine. It’s tight and Davis is in trouble. However, after several moments, Arnett slips off and has to pull to full guard. Davis unloads a violent barrage of elbows to the face, which opens a nasty gash on Arnett’s forehead. Arnett scrambles back to his feet, but Davis is all over him, digging knees to the body. With bloody gushing down his face, Arnett eats a knee to the face but he keeps coming. During an exchange, Arnett drills Davis square in the groin with a kick; Davis is given time to recover. Davis is ready to go after about two minutes and he picks up right where he left off. The trade some serious leather down the stretch, but Davis lands the cleaner blows again. 10-9 Davis.

Round 3

Davis opens the frame with aggression, landing a few punches to the head before going back downstairs with the leg kicks. Arnett fires back, but he walks into a straight right, though he takes it well. Arnett is on his heels as Davis charges right at him, dishing out kicks to the head and body with punches mixed in. After tasting a few more punches, Arnett clinches with his foe and latches on a standing guillotine. It’s tight and Davis is in trouble. However, after several moments, Arnett slips off and has to pull to full guard. Davis unloads a violent barrage of elbows to the face, which opens a nasty gash on Arnett’s forehead. Arnett scrambles back to his feet, but Davis is all over him, digging knees to the body. With bloody gushing down his face, Arnett eats a knee to the face but he keeps coming. During an exchange, Arnett drills Davis square in the groin with a kick; Davis is given time to recover. Davis is ready to go after about two minutes and he picks up right where he left off. The trade some serious leather down the stretch, but Davis lands the cleaner blows again. 10-9 Davis.

The Official Result

Brandon Davis def. Austin Arnett via Unanimous Decision R3, 5:00

Carlos Candelario vs. Ronaldo Candido de Oliveira

Round 1

Herb Dean is the referee for this flyweight bout. Candido wastes no time in taking Candelario down and he immediately takes his back. Candido gets one hook in as he searches for the rear-naked choke and then switches to the body triangle from back mount. Candelario is fending off the attacks as he tries to break free, but the Brazilian is all over him like a spider. Candido opens him up with a few punches from behind but Candelario is able to power his way around and winds up in his foe’s guard. Now on top, Candelario peppers the Brazilian with a few punches but Candido explodes up to his feet and they reset. Candido looks fatigued already as he eats a few punches before missing badly on a takedown attempt. Candelario fends off another takedown attempt and rains down some hard elbows and hammerfists. Candido is hurt, but Candelario backs away and makes his foe stand back up. Candido is rocked by a pair of left hooks and the American opens up a vicious flurry to the head. Candido is cut badly on his face and he has choice but to shoot in, landing the desperate takedown. Terrific round, but it goes to Candelario 10-9

Round 2

The two trade blows as soon as the second begins, but Candido shoots in. Candelario sprawls perfectly and forces his opponent to stand back up. Candido is backing away, looking worn out as Candelario slowly walks him down. Candido shoots in again, misses, but presses the American into the cage. Candido finally drags him down to the canvas, but he can’t keep him there. The flyweights scramble again and the Brazilian scores another takedown and slithers onto Candelario’s back. Candido fishes for the rear-naked choke and misses, allowing Candelario to spin around and wind up on top. From there, Candelario tosses out some elbows and punches to the head and body. The Brazilian rolls over and digs for a knee bar, but Candelario sees it coming a mile away. Candido switches to a heel hook and then a calf slicer and Candelario is in trouble. Candelario is calm, though, and starts dishing out several rights and lefts to the head. Candido avoids the punishment and tries another heel hook, but he can’t get it and has to absorb an elbow to the cheek. 10-9 Candelario

Round 3

Candido opens the third with a nice right-left to the head, his best punches of the fight. After taking a few leg kicks, Candido shoots in twice, but can’t land the takedown. Candido is tagged by a short left hook as he misses a wild head kick, but there is nothing on it. They clinch and scramble, which leads to a powerful slam takedown for the Brazilian. Candelario pulls guard and both men are exhausted. Candido lands a few left elbows to the head from within his foe’s guard and then quickly slithers to mount. Candido sneaks his arm around and looks for the mounted guillotine, but Candelario feels it coming and defends it. Candido softens the American with punches to the body and then slides to his left with an arm-triangle. Candido scoots back to mount and can’t get it before Candelario escapes. They trade elbows on the ground before they explode to their feet. A takedown for Candido ends the fight. 10-9 Candido

The Official Result

Carlos Candelario def. Ronaldo Candido via Unanimous Decision R3, 5:00

James Gray Jr. vs. Kyler Phillips

Round 1

Chris Tognoni is the third man in the cage for this bantamweight showdown. Gray comes right after Phillips with a head kick and follow-up punches, but he misses them all. Phillips is relaxed as Gray charges at him with a takedown attempt. Phillips slams a series of punches onto Gray’s head and he’s hurt badly. Phillips unloads a barrage and forces Tognoni to intervene. Gray is complaining, but it’s a good stoppage.

The Official Result

Kyler Phillips def. James Gray via TKO (Elbows and Punches) R1, 0:46

Phil Hawes vs. Julian Marquez

Round 1

Herb Dean is the referee for this middleweight main event. Hawes opens the fight with a pair of stiff jabs, followed by a high kick. Marquez is playing it safe at a distance before tagging the wrestler with a right to the face. Hawes misses a takedown attempt but is able to land a few elbows to the head in exchange. The Jackson-Wink fighter scores on his second takedown and he immediately takes Marquez’ back. Marquez rolls over to half guard, but Hawes is all over him, slamming down left fists to the head. The TUF 23 veteran is all over Marquez early, slamming punches into his body. Marquez scrambles up but Hawes climbs onto his back. Hawes jumps down and the two separate. Marque stuffs another takedown attempt, but Hawes is relentless. Hawes misses another takedown and is caught in a guillotine, but Marquez is unable to seal his fate. Once he breaks free of the choke, Hawes shoots in and scores another takedown. Marquez is fighting off his back in half guard, but Hawes is all over him. It’s all Hawes in the first 10-9

Round 2

Hawes comes in wild early and Marquez cracks him with a multi-punch combo to the head. Hawes stumbles as his legs instantly turn gelatinous, and Marquez follows him down onto the canvas. Marquez slams a right elbows to Hawes’ face from on top and Hawes is in serious peril. Hawes powers back up to his feet and Marquez drills him with an uppercut on the inside. Hawes is seemingly out on his feet and misses with a wild right hook before stumbling into his opponent against the cage. Hawes pulls guard, which allows Julian to unload several left hammerfists to the dome. Hawes scoots his back to the cage and stands up but “The Cuban Missile Crisis” levels him with a head kick, ala Pete Williams to Mark Coleman. Huge knockout.

The Official Result

Julian Marquez def. Phillip Hawes via KO (Head Kick) R2, 2:20