Three more fighters were offered UFC contracts on this week’s episode of “Dana White’s Contender Series.”
Jamal Pogues, Erik Silva, and Clayton Carpenter were all given the opportunity to become a UFC fighter after their wins Tuesday at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Nickal Wins Main Event In 62 Seconds, Doesn’t Get UFC Contract
Bo Nickal, one of MMA’s most-hyped current prospects, walked away from Tuesday’s episode without a UFC contract despite earning the quickest win of the night.
Nickal submitted Zack Borrego in just over one minute, catching him with a rear naked choke attempt.
Nickal shot for a takedown immediately to start the fight, then started searching for a choke submission immediately after. It didn’t take long after for a submission to cause a tap from Borrego.
Nickal, a highly decorated collegiate wrestler turned MMA fighter, now has two wins in the sport. He won his debut on the regional scene earlier this year, stopping John Noland in just 33 seconds with strikes.
After his win, Nickal wasn’t offered a UFC contract. However, UFC President Dana White said that he will give him a second “Contender Series” bout later this year to earn more experience.
“It’s what I expected,” said Nickal, reacting to the decision made by White.
Borrego entered this card with a pro record of three wins from regional promotion Fury FC earlier this year.
Pogues Uses Boxing For Decision Win
Heavyweight Jamal Pogues went three rounds against Paulo Renato Jr. for a contract on Tuesday night.
Pogues out-landed a significantly smaller Renato Jr., using his boxing to lead the fight throughout. Renato Jr. would frequently be the fighter advancing during these exchanges, but Pogues would periodically snap forward with jabs and straight punches that would connect and keep him ahead on scorecards.
Pogues was making his second appearance on “Dana White’s Contender Series.” He beat Marcos Brigagao during the 2019 season but wasn’t offered a contract after that victory.
He was a short-notice fighter in this matchup, stepping in to replace Caio Machado.
Renato Jr. entered this week on an extensive nine-fight winning streak, albeit against low-level talent.
Silva Hands Boynazarov First Loss With Fast Win
Erik Silva earned a quick victory in a featherweight bout, making quick work of Anvar Boynazarov.
Silva scored a takedown early, earning half guard from this action. He then unloaded with a series of elbows and punches that made Boynazarov cover up, causing an end to their fight.
Silva was appearing on this week’s episode after a strong run in LUX Fight League, earning their featherweight championship recently.
Boynazarov had a short undefeated record of three wins before his loss. The trio of wins that he previously earned were all via first-round finish.
Carpenter Builds On Flawless Record
Undefeated flyweight Clayton Carpenter kept his undefeated record alive on Tuesday night, pulling off a decision victory over Edgar Chairez.
Carpenter battled past early explosive moments against Chairez, gaining better control of the fight later on in the battle.
The bout started with an explosive opening round that saw both fighters showcase their stand-up skills. Chairez in particular succeeded here, scoring a knockdown at one point.
Carpenter regained control of the fight later on, succeeding on the feet and scoring takedowns against Chairez.
Carpenter’s record is now six wins and zero losses. He scored two first-minute finish wins in the LFA last year, defeating Rodney Kealohi and Nick Clem in a combined 58 seconds.
Chairez was coming off a first-round finish victory from earlier this year.
Wojcik Earns Ninth Win
Strawweight Karolina Wojcik earned her ninth win as a pro in the opening bout, controlling Sandra Lavado for a unanimous decision win.
Wojcik had dominant positions over Lavado for most of the bout, taking her down and keeping her in controlling positions. She also briefly attempted submissions, although none of them went far enough to stop the fight.
The decision victory for Wojcik on Tuesday night moved her winning streak to four consecutive victories. Previous fights in Wojcik’s career include appearances in notable Polish promotion KSW.
Lavado got the “Contender Series” bout after attaining two wins on the regional scene in Mexico last year.
Quick Results
Main Card (8:00PM EDT / 5:00PM PDT) (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass Canada)
Bout 5: Bo Nickal def. Zack Borrego via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 1:02)
Bout 4: Jamal Pogues def. Paulo Renato Jr. via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 3: Erik Silva def. Anvar Boynazarov via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 1:32)
Bout 2: Clayton Carpenter def. Edgar Chairez via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 1: Karolina Wojcik def. Sandra Lavado via Decision, Unanimous
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