Joseph Pyfer was the only UFC contract winner on the season premiere of “Dana White’s Contender Series” this week.
Pyfer won during the show’s main event bout, scoring a first-round stoppage victory over Ozzy Diaz.
The fight headlined a card that took place Tuesday at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Pyfer’s win, the sole finish on the show, saw him catch Diaz in the second round with punches. He first connected cleanly with a counter left hook, earning a knockdown.
Pyfer then went to the ground to finish the fight with a few punches before the referee stepped in to end the fight.
The fight on Tuesday was Pyfer’s second consecutive finish win. His previous appearance came late last year when he handed Austin Trotman his first pro loss on a CFFC card.
Pyfer was making his second appearance on the “Contender Series.” His prior bout, a 2020 fight against Dustin Stoltzfus, saw him lose due to an injury.
Now on the UFC roster, Pyfer wants a rematch against Stoltzfus.
“If he doesn’t win his next fight and they cut him, so be it. If he wins his next fight, give me that dude. I want that s*** back,” said Pyfer.
Just one contract being handed out on a “Contender Series” is unusual for the show. Last year, it became regular for three or more names to become UFC fighters by the end of the fight.
After the show, UFC President Dana White criticized some fighters for not showing up in their performances.
“I don’t care what you did in your career the last fight years,” said White. “What can you do tonight?”
Turkalj Uses Wrestling To Remain Undefeated
Anton Turkalj improved his flawless record in Tuesday’s co-main event, defeating Acacio dos Santos in a one-sided unanimous decision.
Turkalj used his wrestling to control dos Santos throughout the fight. He earned numerous takedowns in the bout, stopping dos Santos from doing much.
Turkalj was scheduled to compete in last year’s “Contender Series” season, although visa issues stopped him from appearing. His last fight was on a Brave CF card in 2021, when he stopped Konstantin Soldatov in 13 seconds with a spinning backfist.
Dos Santos had the longer record in this matchup, having fought more than 15 times since turning pro in 2013.
Buzukja Returns To ‘Contender Series,’ Earns Win
Dennis Buzukja scored a win in his return to the “Contender Series,” using his striking to defeat Kaleio Romero on scorecards.
Buzukja landed strong kicks and punches to score points against a clinch-heavy gameplan from Romero.
Buzukja, the current Ring of Combat Featherweight Champion, is now on a four-fight winning streak. He previously appeared on the fourth season of the “Contender Series,” when he lost a unanimous decision to Melsik Baghdasaryan.
Romero had a two-fight winning streak in Combate Global prior to his appearance this week. He had a quick finish win in his previous showing, stopping Andy Perez in the first round with strikes.
Costa Hands Luna First Loss
Alessandro Costa kicked off the card by giving Andres Luna his first pro loss, going three rounds for a split decision victory.
Costa’s performance was strictly on the feet, out-landing Luna during most exchanges. His best moment came late in the second round when he knocked Luna down with a punch combination.
Costa has now scored six consecutive wins since 2019. He is the current LUX Fight League Flyweight Champion, a belt he earned in 2020 and has defended twice since then.
The fight was Luna’s first loss since turning pro in 2014. Previous wins include many fights on the Mexican regional scene.
Quick Results
Main Card (8:00PM EDT / 5:00PM PDT) (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass Canada)
Bout 4: Joseph Pyfer def. Ozzy Diaz via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 1:39)
Bout 3: Anton Turkalj def. Acacio dos Santos via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 2: Dennis Buzukja def. Kaleio Romero via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 1: Alessandro Costa def. Andres Luna via Decision, Unanimous
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