Dana White’s Contender Series ‘Week 8’ Play-by-Play & Results

Allen Crowder vs. Don'Tale Mayes

Round 1

The heavyweights are up first and the man in charge of the action is Jason Herzog. Mayes opts not to touch gloves and quickly delivers a few leg kicks. Crowder answer with one of his own. The big boys are throwing bombs early and often but nothing is landing just yet. Crowder lands a glancing overhand right to the head but the taller Mayes shakes it off. Mayes misses a left hook and is tagged by a right to the jaw and he stumbles back into the cage. Crowder dives into him and guns for the takedown, but “King Kong” stuffs it. Crowder drops down, inadvertently allowing Mayes to take his back. Crowder calmly slithers out of a loose rear-naked choke attempt, stands up but is stuck in a guillotine. Mayes doesn’t have it and Crowder powers out of it and takes his foe down. Crowder is in control on top and stays with Mayes while he scrambles out and tries to roll to a better position. Crowder halts the scramble and winds up in top, in half guard. After another wild scramble, Mayes explodes to his feet but he is exhausted. They trade punches and Crowder presses his opponent into the cage. 10-9 Crowder

Round 2

Crowder is the aggressor early and pops Crowder with a pair of rights to the face. Mayes shakes them off but he is looking fatigued. The heavyweights exchange punches to the head before Mayes lands a glancing spinning backfist. Crowder tags his foe with a few more punches, takes his back and tries to suplex Mayes, but the bigger ma is too heavy. He tries it again, misses and after a kimura is missed, Crowder lands in full mount. Mayes is exhausted as he eats a few elbows here and there. Crowder is being very safe while on top and he pays for it as Mayes explodes out and sweeps him. Crowder thinks triangle off his back and misses badly, allowing “King Kong” to slide over to side control. Mayes loses his position and gives Crowder the opening he needs to escape. However, Crowder loses his position and has to resort to pulling to half guard. Both men are completely gassed but with precious few seconds left, Crowder rolls into a textbook kimura. It’s deep and Mayes is ready to go, but time runs out. 10-9 Crowder

Round 3

The big boys are worn out and running on fumes to begin the third. Mayes slowly tries a body kick but Crowder is too gassed to capitalize on it. “King Kong” locks his foe up and presses him into the fence. Nothing comes of it and Herzog forces them to reset in the center of the Octagon. From there, Crowder cracks the taller man with a few punches and then takes him down, landing on tap and in half guard. Crowder is in prime position to launch a storm of elbows, but his inexperience and empty gas tank prevents it. After about a minute of top control. Crowder slithers to full mount and goes for a key lock, but can’t sink it. A few meager elbows precede another key lock attempt, but again he can’t get it. Crowder realizes that he can use his fists and elbows and begins ripping into Mayes, who can’t escape. After several land cleanly, Herzog intervenes, ending the battle.

The Official Result

Allen Crowder def. Don’Tale Mayes via TKO (Punches) R3, 4:12

Kelly McGill vs. Lauren Mueller

Round 1

John McCarthy is the third man in the cage for this bantamweight affair and Mueller comes right at her foe, landing a hard kick and then a knee. Velasco backs off the regroup, but she’s backed into the fence and tied up. Mueller pops her with a knee to the head, but it’s not a crushing blow. The ladies reverse position a few times before separating to the center of the Octagon. Velasco drills the shorter fighter with a stiff straight left to the nose, which snaps the Alliance MMA fighter’s head back. Mueller dives in and presses the taller woman into the cage, looking to bring it to the canvas. Velasco absorbs a pair of knees to the body before popping Mueller with a right elbow to the mouth. They tie each other up and trade punches, but when they split up, Mueller nails her opponent with a volley of punches, rocking Velasco in the process. Mueller winds up smothering her follow-up flurry and has to back off. Mueller explodes with a vicious barrage of punches and knees, but before she can put her away, time expires. 10-9 Mueller.

Round 2

The bantamweights trade some serious leather as soon as the frame begins, but Mueller has much more firepower. A series of punches to the face hurt Velasco, who backs into the cage and then dives down for a takedown. Mueller is all over her and quickly takes her back, but Velasco scrambles out and gets back to her feet. Mueller is taken down in a desperate shot by Velasco, but the Alliance fighter quickly backs up and away to rest. Both women are tired, but Mueller is huffing and puffing as she circles away to her right. Velasco comes in with a left hook and misses, taking a ruthless left to the liver and then a right elbow to the forehead. Mueller can’t put her away and then backs away, allowing the taller woman to nail her with a left. Mueller has a small cut under her right eye late in the round and she is gassing out badly. A huge overhand right to the face from Velasco, but Mueller shakes it off and walks right after her foe. Velasco closes strongly, but it’s still another Mueller round. 10-9 Mueller.

Round 3

Mueller opens the round by rifling her right shin to Velasco’s ribs. The ladies exchange punches to the head, though neither lands anything hard. Mueller connects with a right and the charges at her foe, but Velasco turns her back and sprints away from her. McCarthy warns her not to run, though. Mueller creeps in closer and delivers a few hooks to the body and then a right to the head before being tied up. Velasco is looking for a takedown, but Mueller eventually shucks her off and resets. Mueller is exhausted at the midway point and swallows a left-right to the head. Mueller finds another breath of wind and slams a right knee to the body and a few follow-up punches. Velasco goes for a guillotine but it’s loose, eventually vanishing. Velasco circles to her right and with a minute left, Mueller slams a spinning backfist into the taller woman’s head, rocking her. Mueller charges in for the kill and swarms her with strikes, but Velasco ties her up again. 10-9 Mueller

The Official Result

Lauren Mueller def. Kelly Velasco via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27) R3, 5:00

Adam Antolin vs. Casey Kenney

Round 1

Herzog returns as the referee for this flyweight encounter and Kenney strikes first with a left kick to the arms. Antolin returns the favor with a right hook and the two exchange blows. Kenney delivers another kick to the body and follows that up with a knee to the gut, though it’s blocked. Antolin misses a nasty right hook, only to absorb another kick to the body for his effort. A hard straight left to the jaw from Kenney momentarily dazes his foe, but Antolin shake sit off and resets. Kenney digs a few kicks to the arms, leg and body before popping his foe with a left to the head. Antolin delivers a spinning back kick to the stomach, but Kenney comes right back with a nasty kick to the arms and then drops him with a wicked leg kick. Antolin climbs back up to his feet, but Kenney is picking him apart. Antolin withstands another shin to the ribs, but he catches the foot and then trips him to the canvas. Kenney springs back to his feet and the flyweights tear into each other. Terrific back-and-forth action near the horn. 10-9 Kenney

Round 2

Kenney rifles off a pair of powerful kicks but he misses them both. Antolin pops the taller man with a right to the head and then a low kick, but Kenney walks through them both. Antolin turns sideways and unfurls a powerful kick to the belly, only to eat a loopy right upstairs. Kenny composes himself and cracks Antolin with a short left hook to the head, but Antolin shrugs it off. Kenney pops his foe with a left uppercut on the inside during a wild exchange. Antolin retaliates with a volley of punches, but Kenney drills him with a left high kick. A pair of rights to the melon from Antolin at with two minutes remaining and Kenney’s nose is bloodied. Antolin is relentless with his forward pressure but while he’s landing punches, Kenney is ripping kicks to the legs and body. The flyweights go toe-to-toe with wild punches upstairs, both landing hard shots with 30 seconds left. It’s an incredibly close round, one that can go either way. 10-9 Kenney

Round 3

They two men size each other up early, both missing sporadic low kicks and punches. Antolin is applying pressure, but he’s unable to land anything clean just yet. Kenney keeps his foe at bay with leg kicks, but he’s slowed down his attacks quite a bit. Antolin misses a right hook and has to eat one for his effort. Kenney is backing off quite a bit here in the final round, allowing Antolin to take over the round. A right to the head from Antolin, who likely needs a finish in order to win this. Antolin presses his right fist deep into his opponent’s guts, and then follows that up with a short combo upstairs. Kenney’s gas tank is emptying in a hurry and with 80 seconds remaining, he needs to close strongly. Antolin dives in for a double-leg attempt, but Kenney stuffs it. Kenney lands a nice left kick to the body, but Antolin closes the gap and connects with a few punches. Antolin shoots in again but Kenney locks him up in a D’Arce choke with little time left. Antolin fends it off and sees the end of the fight. 10-9 Antolin (29-28 Kenney).

The Official Result

Adam Antolin def. Casey Kenney via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) R3, 5:00

Bevon Lewis vs. Elias Urbina

Round 1

“Big” John McCarthy is the ref for this middleweight bout and we are underway. Lewis comes right at Urbina with a series of jabs, but Urbina fends them off. A hard left to the head backs Lewis off and then Urbina follows that up with a knee to the head. Lewis shakes it off and regroups, landing a right elbow to the head. Lewis relaxes as he uses the jab to set up a powerful kick to the ribs. Urbina lands a decent right hook upstairs, but he’s countered by a pair of Lewis rights to the noggin in return. Urbina catches a body kick and fishes for a single-leg, but he’s reversed and has to pull guard. Lewis is looking to pass to his right, but he’s somewhat lazy in his approach. Lewis avoids a triangle and powers his way to side control. He loses his position, though and stands back up. Back on their feet, the TUF 23 veteran pops Lewis with a left uppercut to the chin and then adds a few nasty hooks to the body. With a minute left, the Jackson-Win MMA fighter slams a right head kick onto Urbina, but he blocks most of it. Elbows exits a brief clinch with a body elbow and then tosses in a wicked shot to the body. Urbina grimaces in pain from the body shot but Lewis doesn’t notice it. 10-9 Lewis

Round 2

Lewis opens the frame with a loopy overhand right, though it misses its target. Urbina counters with a flying knee to the dome, but even though he backs up, Lewis takes it well. The Blackzilians fighter tags Lewis with a right elbow upstairs and then a straight right. Lewis walks into a right uppercut and stumbles back to the cage, though Lewis retaliates with a left to the head. Urbina’s legs buckle but again, Lewis doesn’t notice it. Lewis backs away and then digs a right to the body, followed by a glancing head kick. The TUF 23 vet swallows a Lewis fist and then is dropped by a vicious shot. Urbina covers up on the ground and Lewis pounces, slamming down punches form top. Urbina can’t recover and McCarthy has no choice but to intervene.

The Official Result

Bevon Lewis def. Elias Urbina via TKO (Punches) R2, 2:47

Jose Flores vs. Matt Frevola

Round 1

The ref for the lightweight main even is Jason Herzog. Frevola misses a wild right head kick but Flores doesn’t counter him. Frevola quickly drills his foe with a right hook to the jaw, dropping him. Frevola dives onto him and goes for the finish, but Flores scrambles back to his feet. Frevola swings for fences but takes a nasty kick to the body. Frevola grimaces but continues to swing wildly. “Luke” clears his head but has to defend a double-leg takedown as he’s pressed against the fence. Flores slams a right elbow onto Frevola’s cheek upon separation and they reset in the center of the Octagon. The action slows down as both lightweights settle down. Flores opens up with some teep kicks and picks apart his foe’s legs. “The Steamrolla” lands a decent right to the head and then scores a takedown with 90 seconds left. Flores scrambles out from the bottom, but Frevola takes his back, fishing for the rear-naked choke. “Luke” defends well and rides out the clock. 10-9 Frevola

Round 2

Frevola slams his right shin into Flores’ ribs but he stumbles into a guillotine. Flores has it tight, but Frevola is able to pop his head free and escape it. The 155-pounders spring back to their feet, but they clinch against the cage. When they split up, Frevola swings like a man possessed and misses every single one of his haymakers. Flores is looking to slow down the pace and tie his foe up, but “The Steamrolla” scores a takedown. Flores explodes off his back with an armbar and nearly locks it in, but Frevola slithers free and winds up on top. Frevola latches on a D’Arce and it’s tight. “Luke” fends it off perfectly and breaks the choke. However, Frevola slinks around to his opponent’s back, misses a rear-naked choke and then slides to side control, where he locks on an arm-triangle. Flores scoots to keep the blood flowing but “The Steamrolla” is relentless and eventually forces the tap.

The Official Result

Matt Frevola def. Jose “Luke” Flores via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) R2, 3:32