2 brothers jumped for joy after both earned full-time UFC deals for impressing Dana White on Contender Series
- Dana White handed out four more UFC contracts to Contender Series athletes Tuesday.
- Karl Williams, the Bonfim brothers, and Vitor Petrino all received deals.
Dana White's Contender Series returned Tuesday for the seventh episode in its sixth season from the Apex, with another 10 athletes hoping to impress Dana White and earn a full-time UFC contract.
Tuesday's event featured two brothers competing in separate bouts, and heavyweight wrestler Jimmy Lawson fighting a three-rounder.
Here's the full card, which was broadcast on ESPN+ from Apex in Las Vegas:
- Nayara Maia vs. Tereza Bleda — women's flyweight
- Ismael Bonfim vs. Nariman Abbasov — lightweight
- Jimmy Lawson vs. Karl Williams — heavyweight
- Gabriel Bonfim vs. Trey Waters — welterweight
- Vitor Petrino vs. Rodolfo Bellato — light heavyweight
Tereza Bleda beat Nayara Maia with a lopsided decision win (30-26 x 3) in the first fight of the night.
Pure, unadulterated chaos unfolded when lightweight pair Ismael Bonfim and Nariman Abbasov entered the Octagon.
Things got wild in the opening round as both fighters exchanged heavy leather from the off.
Though the fight was a back-and-forth battle, Bonfim — one of two brothers fighting on Tuesday's card — maintained the upper hand throughout the contest.
UFC boss White applauded the action midway through the bout.
Though Bonfim had banked the win, he still sealed a buzzer-beating slam at the end of the third for good measure.
Bonfim scored a decision win over Abbasov, and likely did enough to earn a UFC deal from White, who was watching the action closely from the front row.
One of the most baffling fights of the night was the heavyweight bout between Penn State wrestler Jimmy Lawson and kickboxer Karl Williams.
In an unexpected turn, the kickboxer outwrestled the wrestler and earned a unanimous decision win at the Apex.
See Williams take Lawson down right here:
He refused to rest on his laurels and showed off his striking later in the bout, too:
It wasn't until the fourth fight of the night when we saw our first stoppage of the evening, when Gabriel Bonfim — the other brother on the card — wrapped Trey Waters up with a von flue submission.
Watch the first-round win right here:
UFC commentator and former two-weight UFC champion Dan Cormier analyzed the von flue submission live on ESPN.
Perhaps the only person happier than Gabriel Bonfim when his win was confirmed, was Ismael, who could be seen jumping for joy while cheering his sibling Octagonside.
Vitor Petrino fought Rodolfo Bellato in the main event of the evening and scored one of the most devastating knockouts of the summer.
From looking the part, scoring a powerbomb, and sealing his win with a knockout, Petrino appeared like a future star.
Watch the powerbomb right here:
Petrino did not have it all his own way, though, as Bellato gave him things to think about.
Through seven episodes of the Contender Series this season, Petrino has looked the most impressive.
Petrino's striking — his boxing, and his kickboxing — continued to find a home on Bellato's face and body.
The finish seemed like a foregone conclusion, and when it came, it still delivered.
Dana White handed out four UFC contracts before conceding that he may be getting softer in his old age, speaking to Insider and other reporters.
White gave deals to:
- Vitor Petrino
- Gabriel Bonfim
- Karl Williams
- Ismael Bonfim
The UFC remains in Las Vegas for a big event Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena, before returning for the eighth episode of Contender Series on August 13.
UFC 279 on Saturday is headlined by Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz's welterweight fight. Li Jingliang and Tony Ferguson support the show.
Dana White's Contender Series returns Tuesday, September 13, and concludes with its 10th show on September 27.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement