All five winners on Tuesday’s episode of “Dana White’s Contender Series” were offered UFC contracts, continuing a signing-heavy season of the show.
Farid Basharat, Ikram Aliskerov, Trevor Peek, Bruna Brasil, and Daniel Marcos were all given the opportunity to become a UFC fighter following their performances at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Tuesday was the fifth time this season that all winners on an episode were offered a spot on the UFC roster.
A total of 33 fighters have now been signed during the 2022 season of the “Contender Series.” With two episodes to go in the season, the show is now six signings away from matching its previous record in a season, which is a total of 39 fighters signed.
Basharat Sweeps Scorecards Against Begosso
Farid Basharat showcased a well-rounded skillset in his main event victory over bantamweight Allan Begosso to win via unanimous decision
Basharat was able to control Begosso in positions both on the ground and on the feet. In stand-up positions, Basharat constantly pressed forward with shots and out-landed Bogosso.
And on the ground, Basharat had an overwhelming amount of control time through three rounds.
Basharat is now on the UFC roster, which already includes his brother, Javid Basharat.
Basharat, 25, has now earned nine wins since debuting in 2018.
Begosso was coming off a highlight-reel finish win from July, stopping Paris Stanford in just 45 seconds with a knee knockout at LFA 135.
Aliskerov Submits Sousa With Kimura Early
Ikram Aliskerov picked up the quickest win of the evening, submitting Mario Sousa in just over two minutes with a kimura.
Aliskerov took the fight to the ground in the second minute with a takedown. Only seconds later, he fully applied a kimura that caused Sousa to tap out.
Aliskerov’s sole pro defeat through 14 appearances was against now-UFC star Khamzat Chimaev. Aliskerov’s win on Tuesday was his fifth consecutive victory as a pro.
Sousa was making his third appearance on the “Contender Series.” In 2021, he was finished by veteran Chidi Njokuani. Before then, he beat Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz in 2020 but didn’t get offered a UFC contract afterward.
Peek Stops Lewis Following Hectic Start
Trevor Peek survived a first-round war against Malik Lewis, getting past that moment to score a finish victory in the second frame.
Peek used ground and pound to finish Lewis in the second round. After scoring a takedown, Peek moved into full mount, where he landed a long series of hammerfist shots. After a steady pace of these shots landed, the referee stepped in to end the fight.
Peek survived past a back-and-forth first round to earn the finish. The opening frame of the fight saw both lightweights rock each other with shots. Lewis had his big moment early in the round, although Peek eventually answered back and turned the fight into a brawl.
Peek’s record is now an undefeated seven wins since his 2020 debut. He earned wins on the Tennessee regional scene before the fight on Tuesday.
Lewis took his first pro loss in Tuesday’s result. He earned a regional title in his previous fight, defeating Marcos Vinicius to pick up the Peak Fighting Championship in May.
Brasil Scores Head Kick Knockout
Bruna Brasil scored a walk-off win in her flyweight bout, stopping Marnic Mann late in the second round with a head kick.
Brasil floored Mann with the shot with just 27 seconds to go in the second round of their fight. Brasil didn’t go for any more strikes after then, as the referee immediately swooped in to stop the fight.
Mann’s best moments were when she was able to take the fight to the ground. In stand-up situations, Brasil’s height and reach allowed her to land at distance with her kicks.
Tuesday was Brasil’s seventh consecutive win as a pro. She has mostly fought on the Brazilian regional scene as a pro, including an appearance earlier this year in the LFA.
Mann had her undefeated record of five wins broken with this appearance.
Marcos Overwhelms Lewis For Decision Win
Daniel Marcos used his sharp striking skills to defeat Brandon Lewis via unanimous decision, keeping his undefeated record intact.
A diverse selection of shots from Marcos allowed him to prevail on scorecards.
The biggest moment of the fight for Marcos came quite early. He dropped Lewis in the second minute of the bout, connecting with a clean front kick.
Leg kicks that accumulated on Lewis visibly hurt him early on, causing him to limp and slip many times during the bout.
Punches, knees and kicks to the head of Lewis allowed Marcos to continue to lead the fight until the end. While Lewis lost, he showcased his toughness by remaining in the fight and constantly throwing return shots against Marcos.
Most of Marcos’ previous wins came in Peru-based regional promotion 300 Sparta. Tuesday ended somewhat of an absence from the cage for him, with his prior appearance dating back to early 2019.
Lewis was making his second appearance on the “Contender Series.” He took his first pro loss in his previous appearance, losing to Mo Miller in 2021.
Quick Results
Main Card (8:00PM EDT / 5:00PM PDT) (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass Canada)
Bout 5: Farid Basharat def. Allan Begosso via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 4: Ikram Aliskerov def. Mario Sousa via Submission, Kimura (RD 1, 2:09)
Bout 3: Trevor Peek def. Malik Lewis via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 2:37)
Bout 2: Bruna Brasil def. Marnic Mann via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 4:33)
Bout 1: Daniel Marcos def. Brandon Lewis via Decision, Unanimous
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