Tag: Dana White’s Contender Series 52

Blake Bilder loving underdog status, proving doubters wrong with UFC contract at DWCS 52

Blake Bilder thinks he was being counted out before his shot at a UFC deal, but is relishing in proving doubters wrong.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Blake Bilder[/autotag] thinks he was being counted out before his shot at a UFC deal, but is relishing in proving doubters wrong.

Bilder (7-0-1) submitted Alex Morgan (11-5) in the first round Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 52. The win got the former CFFC featherweight champion a UFC contract from president Dana White.

The 32-year-old Bilder said he’ll be ready to get his UFC started in earnest.

“(Morgan) comes from Tristar Gym. He’s with Firas Zahabi and whatnot – No. 1-ranked fighter,” Bilder said at his post-fight news conference at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. “On paper, it looks like, ‘Man, this guy’s the real deal,’ which he is. I just showed I’m the realer deal. Three minutes, we got him out of there, unscathed, and I’m ready for the next opportunity.”

White said he’s not normally that interesting in bringing older first-time UFC fighters into the mix, but in Bilder’s case, he made an exception.

“It’s a fact: I’m not looking for 32-year-olds to come into the UFC,” White told MMA Junkie after the event. “So what the matchmakers do is they make the best fights they can with the guys they think have potential. … If you’re 32 years old, come in and make me want a 32-year-old. That’s your job, not mine. You come in and you do what (Bilder) did tonight – he came in and got me excited about a 32-year-old. That’s how this works.”

Bilder said even the likes of White questioning him was serves as motivation.

“I’m the underdog, your phone’s blowing up all day – you see the comments, you see the odds, you see the interviews,” Bilder said. “I love it. I’ve been an underdog my whole life. Keep doubting me – I’m going to keep proving you wrong.”

Check out Bilder’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

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DWCS 52 winner Mateusz Rebecki tired of fighting strikers, hopes to draw grapplers moving forward

Mateusz Rebecki wants to test his mat skills against top-tier grapplers in the UFC.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Mateusz Rebecki[/autotag] wants to test his mat skills against top-tier grapplers in the UFC.

Rebecki (16-1) needed just one round to submit Brazilian striker Rodrigo Lidio (12-3) with a rear-naked choke to earn a UFC contract at Dana White’s Contender Series 52 on Tuesday.

Rebecki had to walk through a huge head kick from Lidio before getting a takedown, but once he was able to keep him down, it was smooth sailing for the Polish fighter. Rebecki doesn’t care whom he fights next, but he’d rather face a grappler over another striker.

“It doesn’t matter for me,” Rebecki told reporters, including MMA Junkie. “I’m a normal fighter. I want to soon get some fight with anybody – it’s not a problem. Maybe just opponent who tries takedowns, a different style. Every one of my opponents is a striker. Maybe change my style of opponent.”

Rebecki earned high praise from UFC president Dana White for his performance and he’s happy to see his work getting recognized on the big stage.

“It’s very important for me that Dana White watches my fight and I just want to show my best performance, and I do this,” Rebecki said. “It’s good for me.”

He continued, “It’s good because I’ve been training really hard and someone sees this and understands how I’ve been doing everything to be here and show what I do.”

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Viktoriia Dudakova has recovery ahead, but at least got Dana White’s praise – and a UFC deal

Viktoriia Dudakova was the only winner to go the distance Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 52 and was worried about a UFC contract.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Viktoriia Dudakova[/autotag] was the only winner to go the distance Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 52.

Because of that, there was a little concern that she might not get a UFC contract given the other four winners had highlight-reel type finishes. But White saw something in her performance and demeanor that put her over the top, and for the third straight week, each winner on the show got a UFC deal.

“I’m very happy. (Getting to the UFC is) something that I was working on so hard,” Dudakova said at her post-fight news conference at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. “I was worried really bad (I wouldn’t get a contract), but it seems like Dana saw something about me.”

Dudakova (6-0) said an injury that happened after she got to the U.S. hampered her in the fight. It kept her from fully training in the final weeks before her women’s strawweight bout against Maria Silva (8-1).

She said an MRI will determine just how bad she’s hurt, but that she’s “ready to fight anybody at any time.”

White saw that, too, and the fact she fought through an existing injury and persevered helped make up his mind to give Dudakova a UFC contract.

“Everything about her sold me,” White said. “She’s hurt. She even walked down the stairs acting like she wasn’t hurt after the fight. … I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a fighter mentally, physically and emotionally strong as that girl is.

“She’s a beast, and she just walked up to me and said, ‘I’m going to be a world champion.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I don’t doubt it. What I saw from you tonight, I don’t doubt it.’ She beat the more experienced girl, the bigger, stronger girl, and absolutely dominated her.”

Check out Dudakova’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

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DWCS 52 winner Sedriques Dumas credits Jon Jones for standing guillotine choke finish

Sedriques Dumas’ quick submission win and UFC contract at Dana White’s Contender Series 52 was inspired by Jon Jones.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Sedriques Dumas[/autotag]’ quick submission win at Dana White’s Contender Series 52 was inspired by Jon Jones.

Dumas (7-0) submitted Matej Penaz (6-1) with a standing guillotine choke just 47 seconds into the first round Tuesday. The quick submission earned “The Slim Reaper” a UFC contract.

In his post-fight speech, Dumas shouted out former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who used the same technique to choke Lyoto Machida out cold in their title fight at UFC 140.

“I gave Jon Jones credit, because I’m going to be real with you: The only reason I remember that choke so much is because of Jon Jones,” Dumas told reporters, including MMA Junkie. “A lot of people really don’t see it, especially when they’re on the ground, because they’re trying to play half-guard and everything else, but it’s like just let the underhook go. His head is right there, and then I noticed that.

“And I started paying attention to how Jon Jones did it to Lyoto Machida and I just started seeing how a lot of people from 10th Planet (Jit-Jitsu), and then a lot of people from my gym was using it. So I was like, ‘I’m going to try and modify this in my way because I’m not good at submissions.’ I’m going to be real with you. But I just had to modify it in a way I can sink it in, and it sunk in.”

The Florida-based fighter hopes to land on the UFC’s Fight Night event on Dec. 3, which is projected to take place in Orlando.

“I know UFC Orlando is coming up soon and I didn’t take any damage,” Dumas said. “So if Sean Shelby or bossman Dana White want to put me on that card, I’m ready. I didn’t take any bruises or scratches or nothing, so I’m just ready to take over the middleweight division – just start from the bottom and bring it up at the top.”

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Dana White’s Contender Series 52: Best photos from Las Vegas

Check out these photos from the fights at Dana White’s Contender Series 52 at UFC Apex.

Check out these photos from the fights at Dana White’s Contender Series 52 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. (Photos courtesy of Joshua Hedges, UFC)

(Gallery updated throughout the event.)

Dana White’s Contender Series 52 live results

Follow along with the live results of Dana White’s Contender Series live at UFC Apex.

MMA Junkie is on scene reporting live from Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 52 event.

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 sixth week of the sixth season sees 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. Welterweights take center stage in the feature bout as Japan’s Yusaku Kinoshita (5-1) takes on Brazil’s undefeated prospect Jose Henrique (5-0).

The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams live on ESPN+. The full results of Dana White’s Contender Series 50 include:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Yusaku Kinoshita vs. Jose Henrique
  • Sedriques Dumas vs. Matej Penaz
  • Rodrigo Lidio vs. Mateusz Rebecki
  • Viktoriya Dudakova vs. Maria Silva
  • Blake Bilder vs. Alexander Morgan

Continue reading below for more details about each fight.

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Dana White’s Contender Series 52 faceoff highlights video, photo gallery from Las Vegas

Check out the video highlights and a photo gallery from the Dana White’s Contender Series 52 weigh-ins and faceoffs in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – The pre-fight activities are in the books for Dana White’s Contender Series 52 following Monday’s official weigh-ins and faceoffs.

Ten fighters will vie for UFC contracts in their fights, including welterweights Yusaku Kinoshita (5-1), from Japan, and Jose Henrique (5-0), from Brazil, who headline the show at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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 52 takes place Tuesday and streams on ESPN+.

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Dana White’s Contender Series 52 weigh-in results: Yusaku Kinoshita, Jose Henrique set for main event

Check out the results from the official Dana White’s Contender Series 52 fighter weigh-ins in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was on scene and reporting live from Monday’s official Dana White’s Contender Series 52 fighter weigh-ins, where all 10 fighters hit their marks for Tuesday’s card.

Ten fighters will vie for UFC contracts in their fights, including welterweights Yusaku Kinoshita (5-1), from Japan, and Jose Henrique (5-0), from Brazil, who headline the show.

Kinoshita was the last fighter to come to the scale, about 50 minutes into the official weigh-ins window. He hit 171 pounds. His opponent, Henrique, was the ninth of 10 fighters to weigh in – though about 40 minutes ahead of Kinoshita, and was 171, as well.

The weigh-ins took place at the UFC host hotel in Las Vegas. The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams on ESPN+.

The full Dana White’s Contender Series 52 weigh-in results included:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Yusaku Kinoshita (171) vs. Jose Henrique (171)
  • Sedriques Dumas (184.5) vs. Matej Penaz (185)
  • Rodrigo Lidio (155) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (155.5)
  • Viktoriya Dudakova (116) vs. Maria Silva (115)
  • Blake Bilder (145.5) vs. Alexander Morgan (144.5)

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