Andrey Pulyaev discusses when he’d like to debut for the UFC following a contract win at Dana White Contender Series 69.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Andrey Pulyaev[/autotag] doesn’t want to wait till 2025 for his UFC debut.
Following a UFC contract win at Dana White’s Contender Series 69 on Tuesday, the Russian middleweight made his plans clear – he wants to fight again this year, and hopefully return to Las Vegas for his UFC debut.
“In an ideal scenario, I would like to fight in December,” Pulyaev told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the DWCS 69 post-fight press conference. “And speaking of the venue, at this point it doesn’t really matter for me. As a matter of fact, I really like it over here in Vegas, and I would like a second to appreciate the help of all the UFC employees and UFC staff, all the athletic commission because everyone was super helpful. I could tell they’re professionals of really high class. We were watched and taken care of, and there was nothing that we wanted to have that we didn’t have.
“So I really felt great here, so I wouldn’t mind fighting in Vegas, maybe Apex arena again. But as I said, at this point the venue itself doesn’t really matter.”
Pulyaev (9-2) defeated Liam Anderson via unanimous decision to get himself a contract with the UFC. His bout served as the main event of the card, which drew more attention on his win.
“I didn’t feel any pressure because it was the main event,” Pulyaev said. “I really felt a lot of pressure because this was my first fighting the U.S. This was my first fight abroad and right away there was like a huge step in competition, a huge step in my career.”
MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the performances of the five winners from Dana White’s Contender Series 69.
Week 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series (2024) took place on Tuesday in Las Vegas, and we’re grading the winners from the five-fight card, which streamed on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex.
With a simple but digestible format that has had the MMA fanbase responding, this series has shown to have legs in multiple ways while serving as a crockpot for contenders the UFC matchmakers can use to fill their roster for future events. With that trend in mind, I once again will be taking a look at the winning fighters, regardless of whether or not they won a UFC contract, and grading their performances in regard to their probability of returning to a UFC stage.
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Nick Piccininni
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 27: (L-R) Nick Piccininni battles Jack Duffy in a flyweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season eight, week three on August 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Summary: Setting the tone for the night was an impromptu dogfight between [autotag]Nick Piccininni[/autotag] and Jack Duffy.
Despite my inherent bias for Piccininni as one of my : prospects to watch in 2023, I have to agree with the UFC president as far as scoring it two rounds to one for Duffy (giving him the first and third for the more varied striking volume and impact).
In Piccininni’s defense, the former All-American wrestler stepped up on just ten days’ notice, so not looking incredibly sharp or prepared is perhaps somewhat understandable for the OSU alum. Still, that same change-up also affected Duffy, who was previously scheduled to face more striking-based fighters.
Duffy acquitted himself well opposite Piccininni’s superior wrestling, and even stayed composed when finding himself wearing the Fortis MMA product as a backpack. Ultimately, it was the diverse striking and multi-dimensional threats of Duffy that set him apart in my eyes.
I feel like both fighters could’ve been justified signings for the UFC, but Dana White, unfortunately, felt different, calling for a Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo-type audible (something the UFC president seems to do when getting a result that he really disdains).
Considering that both flyweights and wrestlers alike have traditionally been given the short end of the stick from White, seeing these guys forced to jump through more hoops on short notice is sadly something we shouldn’t be surprised by. I just feel bad for both Piccininni and Duffy for only having six weeks between now and the final week of this season of the Contender Series to heal their bodies from this war and be ready for another.
Malcolm Wellmaker
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 27: (R-L) Malcolm Wellmaker punches Adam Bramhald of England in a bantamweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season eight, week three on August 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Summary: Despite walking a fine tightrope to entertain us in his audition for Dana White, [autotag]Malcolm Wellmaker[/autotag] earns the easiest A of the night in my book.
Wellmaker, who has apparent swagger and savvy from both stances, is a high-risk, high-reward striker who seemingly has an inherent feel for range.
Whether Wellmaker is slipping just outside of punches or darting to an outside angle, the American pokes and prods his opponents with trapping responses in mind. And once he gets the bite he’s looking for, Wellmaker clearly keeps heavy counters on a hair-trigger
Bramhald, to his credit, did a decent job of keeping Wellmaker’s lowered guard in check by looking to counter in combination. Unfortunately for the Englishman, he committed a little too hard with a jab that his opponent was waiting for.
Signing Wellmaker was a no-brainer, and I expect to see him thrown into action sooner than later – likely in a showcase spot opposite the likes of Steve Nguyen or Connor Matthews.
Marco Tulio
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 27: (R-L) Marco Tulio of Brazil punches Matthieu Duclos of France in a middleweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season eight, week three on August 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Summary: Someone cue Phil Collin’s “Sussudio,” because [autotag]Marco Tulio[/autotag] just earned a UFC contract on what was his second swing at bat.
Despite besting noted kickboxer, Yousri Belgaroui, Tulio failed to earn the thumbs up from the UFC president on last year’s season of the Contender Series.
Although this fight started as another classic middleweight slogfest that ran the risk of failing to impress the big boss, Tulio was able to build off his steady leg and bodywork to land an emphatic spinning back kick to Mattheiu Duclos’ liver that closed the show.
It’s nice to see another Chute Boxe Diego Lima product get signed off a clean stoppage win, so don’t be surprised to see Tulio compete again this year. For my money, I’d be willing to bet that we see Tulio booked opposite Americans like Zachary Reese or Sedriques Dumas for his first UFC assignment.
Bogdan Grad
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 27: (R-L) Bogdan Grad of Romania punches Michael Aswell in a featherweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season eight, week three on August 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Summary: Despite this being another split decision where I disagreed with the judges, I was hard-pressed to deny [autotag]Bogdan Grad[/autotag] anything lower than a B for his insane effort over three rounds.
Coming out like hell on wheels, Grad quickly turned the Apex’s octagon into the World War 2 battleground that his name sounds like.
This aggressive approach ran Grad right into the jab-cross continuums of Michael Aswell, who won the first round on my card. That said, Grad’s aggression and pressure steadily began the pay dividends by the middle of the fight, where the Austrian fighter was able to start winning exchanges and force a cut on his American counterpart.
Unfortunately for Aswell, the blood from said cut provided a solid distraction from the solid counters and bodywork that MMA judges continually undervalue (which is a shame since the most reaction-drawing offense in the final frame was clearly Aswell’s body punches).
Aswell is getting his name moved to the top of the queue when it comes to the UFC’s constant need for short-notice call-ups, while Grad gets the contract that both of the flyweights who opened the card were denied.
To be fair, Grad should make for a fun addition to the featherweight division. And though I’d love to see him paired straight away with recent Ultimate Fighter winner, Mairon Santos, I suspect that the matchmakers will book him on an upcoming international card against someone like Jeka Saragih.
Andrey Pulyaev
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 27: (L-R) Andrey Pulyaev of Russia kicks Liam Anderson in a middleweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season eight, week three on August 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Summary: Despite failing to find the finish that he was trying hard for, I found it hard to deny [autotag]Andrey Pulyaev[/autotag] anything less than a B for the effort he put up against Liam Anderson.
Tougher than a two-dollar steak, it was reminiscent of a Rocky movie watching Anderson take the damage he took this past Tuesday.
To his credit, Anderson had his moments throughout the fifteen-minute affair by making things ugly and getting to the grappling realm (where this fight was supposed to favor him on paper). Unfortunately for Anderson, Pulyaev proved to be just as scrappy on the floor – winning out on scrambles down the stretch.
Pulyaev may not be a top-shelf prospect coming out of Russia or your stereotypical ‘Dagestani destroyer,’ but the 26-year-old has a solid arsenal from southpaw that I see keeping him competitive with the bottom half of the division.
If Jose Medina and Robert Valentin get matched up like I suspect they do, then don’t be surprised to see Pulyaev paired up with anyone from Cody Brundage to Christian Leroy Duncan on the next international card (if those last two names are booked against each other, that is).
Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions.
The third week of the eighth season saw 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. In the feature bout at middleweight, Liam Anderson took on Andrey Pulyaev.
The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams live on ESPN+.
At the conclusion of the event, White handed out four UFC contracts to winners Wellmaker, Tulio, Grad and Pulyaev.
White also passed on Piccininni because he disagreed with the decision, but offered a rematch vs. Duffy in Week 10 of Season 8. Both fighters will get another chance to vie for a UFC contract.
Additionally, White said UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby will have Aswell on his short-list for replacements if the UFC is in need of short-notice fix.
Jack Duffy vs. Nick Piccininni
Round 1 – Duffy lays out on his back with his legs up against the cage as the referee starts the fight, then rolls over and charges at his opponent with strikes. Piccininni steps away and looks to land, but Duffy rushes him and pushes Piccininni into the fence. turns him and gets a takedown of his own, and Duffy immediately looks to counter with a guillotine choke then a triangle choke attempt. Piccininni stands up and looks to land sniping ground strikes while hovering over his foe. He dives in, and Duffy grabs Piccininni and rolls for a kneebar submission. Piccininni escapes and stands back up. Duffy lands a knee to the body and multiple leg kicks. Piccininni tries to push forward, but Duffy is hammering him with a relentless assault of strikes to keep the momentum in his favor to close the round.
MMA Junkie scores the opening round 10-9 for Duffy.
Round 2 – After receiving a scolding in the corner from coach Sayif Saud, Piccininni comes out and manages to get the fight to the ground in short order. He can’t do much damage from inside the guard, however, because Duffy is holding him close and only allowing space when he throws elbows and punches from bottom position. Piccininni scoots Duffy into the corner then takes the back off a scramble attempt. Piccininni gets the body triangle from the back and is working toward a rear-naked choke while landing rabbit punches. Duffy scrambles back to his feet but is still being controlled along the cage wall. Piccininni lands a trip takedown with less than 30 seconds left, and again takes the back but can’t finish it before the end of the round.
MMA Junkie scores the second stanza 10-9 for Piccininni.
Round 3 – Both men trade hard strikes to begin the final round. The punches and kicks are flying to start a potentially definitive round, and Duffy is the first to shoot a takedown that ends up being stuffed. Piccininni advances forward and gets a takedown just over 60 seconds in, and he works hard to establish control before taking the back. Piccininni is too high on the back and falls off, but he quickly gets it back while Duffy stands up. Piccininni steps away and looks quite fatigued, and Duffy senses the chance to attack with more knees and punches. Duffy lands a front kick to the face and another series of strikes. Piccininni goes for a takedown and Duffy grabs the fence to stop it, but the referee doesn’t do a damn thing. They break back into striking range and both sides are fighting with urgency as the clock reaches 60 seconds remaining. They trade spinning backfist attempts and Piccininni gets a critical takedown as the seconds wind off the clock. Duffy stands back up, then Piccininni steps away and the pair trade bombs until the final buzzer, bringing Dana White to his feet in applause.
MMA Junkie scores the final round 10-9 for Duffy, giving him a 29-28 edge on our scorecard. But that was an extremely competitive fight.
Result: Nick Piccininni def. Jack Duffy via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Best photos Records: Piccininni (7-0), Duffy (7-1) Division: Flyweight Broadcast: ESPN+ Referee: Keith Peterson
Adam Bramhald vs. Malcolm Wellmaker
Round 1 – Both men start the fight with clear intention to stand and trade. They use footwork to move into kicks and punches, with Wellmaker connecting with a good series of leg kicks in the first few minutes. Wellmaker is the first to shoot for a takedown, but it’s easily stuffed by Bhamhald, who charges forward and eats a gigantic counter right hand from Wellmaker that faceplants him into the canvas out cold! A brilliant highlight-reel knockout to build on his undefeated record.
Round 1 – Tulio is eager to attack with leg kicks from the outset and it causes Duclos to move back and attempt to time a chance to throw his own kick or counter with a punch. Tulio beats him to it with a pressing combination, however, and managed to land a shot that briefly drops Duclos as he’s moving backward. Duclos recovers quickly and escapes from close range to get it back to a striking fight from distance. Tulio senses his opportunity to do more damage, though, and is still pushing forward with his hands and mixing in leg kicks. Duclos gets some respect back with a stinging left hook. Tulio charges forward, but Duclos evaded and throws a looping overhand right that’s blocked. Duclos slips to the ground off a kick and that allows Tulio to close distance and press him to the fence. He circles away and it’s clear Duclos is growing in confidence with less than a minute remaining. They crash into each other in the final seconds, and Tulio tries a body lock takedown, but Duclos reverses it and ends on top.
MMA Junkie scores the opening round 10-9 for Tulio due to the knockdown.
Round 2 – The pace is somewhat slowed to open the second stanza but picks up about 30 seconds in when Tulio just misses with a spinning back elbow during a wild exchange. Tulio lands a nice straight right hand to the sternum and Duclos is trying to stay patient while answering back. Tulio’s pressure is giving him a tough time, and the leg kicks are seemingly adding up. Tulio staggers Duclos with a hard punch then crashed into the clinch with a serious of knees that are partially blocked. They battle from close range against the fence. They break and Tulio lands an absolutely perfect spinning back kick to the body that folds Duclos. He tries to survive, but Tulio needs the referee to save him and the fight is over! Nasty finish from Tulio.
Round 1 – There is zero caution shown from both sides to start the fight as they meet in the middle and trade blows. The kicks are landing low and to the body, but Aswell and Grad are barely missing on some absolute bombs with their hands. Aswell lands a nice straight punch that earns some respect but he’s still the one moving backward as Grad stalks him. Grad lands a nice left body kick and some clean shots with the hands. Aswell is finding his timing on the counters but the pace and output on both ends is very high. The fight settles in and Aswell is getting the better of the exchanges and showing solid defence. Grad answers with a pair of hooks, then a spinning backfist moments later that’s barely blocked. Grad shoots for a takedown with less than a minute left and gets it, but Aswell pops back to his feet. Grad tries for a standing guillotine, but Grad pushes him against the fence to break leverage then separates back into striking range. They trade to close the round, with Grad landing a stiff left hook late to close a tight round.
MMA Junkie scores the opening round 10-9 for Grad.
Round 2 – Defense goes out the window in the opening moments of the second round. Both men are tagged clean but look rather comfortable taking each other’s power at this point. Grad mixes in a leg kick, and Aswell has only thrown one kick to this point according to the commentary team. He finds more success with his hands moments later and snaps Grad’s hand back, but Grad fires back with a hard right hand. Grad is growing in confidence as he moves forward with his hands low, then throws some more leg kicks. Aswell lands a few nice jabs and evades a big spinning head kick attempt. Grad eats some more jabs then an overhand and a straight right seconds later. He charges with an overhand then shoots for a takedown against the cage, and Aswell stands up after being grounded for a moment. Grad lands a knee to the body and nearly an elbow as they break, and Aswell is now bleeding from near his left eye. Grad lands more good punches late to close out a strong round.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Grad.
Round 3 – Aswell comes out with a sense of desperation to start the final round after the doctor was brought into the cage to check it. He pressures with solid boxing combinations and is landing, but Grad doesn’t look deterred. He is standing in the pocket and trading with success of his own, and the blood is leaking more significantly from the cut around Aswell’s left eye. Grad shoots for a takedown and engages in a grappling sequence, but it doesn’t last long and Aswell gets it back to the feet. Grad is showing some fatigue as the fight enters the final minutes, and Aswell is all over him with big punches to the body and hand. Aswell is applying tons of pressure and output late and both men land hard blows. They leave it all in the cage as it reaches the final bout, and the broadcast reveals UFC CEO Dana White called the production truck to say both men will receive the show and win portion of their purse.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Aswell, with a 29-28 victory for Grad.
Result: Bogdan Grad def. Michael Aswell via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27) Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Best photos Records: Grad (14-2), Aswell (9-2) Division: Featherweight Broadcast: ESPN+ Referee: Eric McMahon
Liam Anderson vs. Andrey Pulyaev
Round 1 – Anderson closes the distance on Pulyaev within the first few seconds and has him on the back foot and against the cage inside of the 30 seconds ticking off the clock. Anderson changes levels and is putting full effort into a takedown from either a double leg of a body lock. Pulyaev shows good balance and defense but there is minimal damage. They finally break at the midway point of the round and Pulyaev starts unloading with body kicks and solid boxing combinations, one of which snaps Anderson’s head back. Pulyaev starts to open up with his striking attack and Anderson is starting to display some concerning sides. Anderson fights his way inside the clinch, but can only end the round by pressing him against the cage. Anderson heads back to his corner with a busted and bloody nose.
MMA Junkie scores the opening round 10-9 for Pulyaev.
Round 2 – Pulyaev is beaming with confidence to start the round, but Anderson is standing his ground agains the attacks. Anderson clinches Pulyaev in the center of the cage and pushes him toward the fence. He fights hard for a single leg takedown and spins Pulyaev, but the Russian shows sharp takedown defense and get gets himself toward the cage and upright. Pulyaev eventually gets himself free andgoes back to work with diligent striking. He’s tagging Anderson over and over from all ranges and Pulyaev is taking control of the contest in all forms. Anderson shows all kinds of courage and spins Pulyaev into a takedown with less than 75 seconds remaining. He works for a Hail Mary submission as the clock winds down, then adjusts to some ground-and-pound in the closing seconds.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Pulyaev.
Round 3 – Anderson pursues the takedown again right of the bat and manages to push Pulyaev against the cage. They trade elbows and uppercuts from inside before Pulyaev escapes. Pulyaev lands a series of powerful punches and Anderson somehow absorbs them without going down. Anderson clinches Pulyaev and tries to get a takedown from the front headlock, but Pulyaev counters him and ends up in top position. Pulyaev goes to work with punches and elbows from inside Anderson’s guard, and precious time is ticking off the clock as the final round hits its midway point. Pulyaev continues to work effective ground and pound as Anderson struggles to get free with less than 90 seconds left. The blood of Anderson is getting smothered all over the mat, and that forces him to turn around and give up his back. Pulyaev tries to get a choke but is too high on the back and falls off. Anderson takes the back with just under a minute left and tries to get a choke! Pulyaev fights the hands perfectly and turns him around, ending up back in guard as the time expires.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Pulyaev, giving him the 30-27 sweep on the scorecards.
Result: Andrey Pulyaev def. Liam Anderson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Best photos Records: Pulyaev (9-2), Anderson (6-3) Division: Middleweight Broadcast: ESPN+ Referee: Keith Peterson
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 69.
For the third event of the season, 10 fighters will vie for UFC contracts in their fights, including middleweights [autotag]Liam Anderson[/autotag] (6-2) and [autotag]Andrey Pulyaev[/autotag] (8-2), who headline the show.
At the conclusion of the official weigh-ins, the fighters came face to face for staredowns. Check out the highlights in the video above and a photo gallery from the weigh-ins and faceoffs below.
Dana White’s Contender Series 68 takes place Tuesday and streams on ESPN+.
Check out the results from the third week of Dana White’s Contender Series weigh-ins in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Monday’s official Dana White’s Contender Series 69 fighter weigh-ins, which kick off at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
The weigh-ins take place at the UFC host hotel in Las Vegas. The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams on ESPN+.
For the third event of the season, 10 fighters will vie for UFC contracts in their fights, including middleweights [autotag]Liam Anderson[/autotag] (6-2) and [autotag]Andrey Pulyaev[/autotag] (8-2), who headline the show.
Below are the complete Dana White’s Contender Series 69 weigh-in results include:
Liam Anderson (185) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (185)
Michael Aswell (145) vs. Bogdan Grad (145.5)
Matthieu Duclos (185) vs. Marco Tulio (184)
Adam Bramhald (135.5) vs. Malcolm Wellmaker (135.5)
