Tag: Dana White’s Contender Series 71

Anxiety vs. confusion: The emotions that ran through DWCS locker rooms during bizarre cancellation

Take a look inside the minds of the fighters involved in a bizarre last-second DWCS cancellation.

[autotag]Kody Steele[/autotag] just about had it when Sean Shelby told him to remove his hand wraps. It was the second time he received such instructions within the hour.

Constant peaks and dips of adrenaline and focus resulted in frustration followed by a crash and then acceptance that, frankly, there wasn’t anything he could do about things.

Scheduled to fight [autotag]Quemuel Ottoni[/autotag] (12-3) in a lightweight bout Tuesday, Steele (6-0) arrived to the locker room and was notified the fight was canceled shortly after. His hand wraps were removed.

That’s when the UFC’s lightweight matchmaker appeared in the locker room.

“He’s like, ‘Hey, the fight is back on.’ I’m like, ‘F*ck.’ I went from feeling like I’m not going to go, to like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to jack myself back up again,'” Steele said. “Thinking like, ‘This guy is playing mind games or doing tricks.’ I got all jacked up, ready to go. The cutman does a super fast hand wrap, and I just started cracking pads and warming up. Boom, boom, boom. The fight is getting closer. I’m like 10 minutes before I’m about to make my walk. I’m like, ‘F*cking a. It’s my turn. My turn. Let’s go.'”

That’s when he was notified once again the fight was off – this time, for good.

“Dude, what the f*ck?” Steele remembers he exclaimed.

Less than 48 hours after he dropped that expletive, the situation still hurts. He’s $10,000 richer, but Steele wishes instead he took home the “trophy” he envisioned the entire training camp.

“I thought I’d have a frickin’ contract in hand right now at this point,” Steele told MMA Junkie on Thursday.

The withdrawal didn’t come to Steele as a total surprise, particularly considering five of Ottoni’s previous six scheduled bookings fell through. Steele sensed something was up from the moment the two fighters faced off at weigh-ins Monday.

“I have competed so much in wrestling and jiu-jitsu, sometimes it’s just like crossing paths with someone or the way they step on the mat when they approach the mat, I feel like I can sense this person’s energy and I can sense how confident they are,” Steele said. “This guy was just giving me a lot of craziness. Right after we did faceoffs, I walked right over to my friends and said, ‘That dude knows he’s going to lose. He’s literally here for 15 minutes of fame. After I’m done with him, he’s going to be done with this. He ain’t coming back after this. He knows he’s going to lose.'”

Who knows what Ottoni thought or knew, but Steele’s instinct was somewhat correct. Ottoni, in the other locker room, was having issues.

“It is not up to me to try to define the size of the monster that lives in Quemuel’s head and make any value judgment,” Ottoni’s coach Bruno Murata wrote on Instagram in Portuguese after the cancellation. “… It was a whole day of lots of talking and with great difficulty I managed to convince him to go to the gym. He actually put on and took off the gloves twice. In the last one we almost came to blows. Of course I’m frustrated too. It took months of hard work, a lot of dedication and financial expenses. But I understand that Quemuel’s mental health must come first now. As important as this fight was, this is just a sport. Life and well-being his is the most important.”

For nearly a day, Ottoni didn’t comment on the sudden cancellation. However, on Wednesday, he detailed a fight with anxiety outside the cage nixed his fight inside the cage.

“I ended up not fighting yesterday after really having an anxiety crisis, adrenaline, freezing a bit after seeing all that,” Ottoni said in Portuguese (translated by MMA Fighting).  “Watching it from the other side of the screen is one thing, but being there and seeing the cameras, cars, and even people – It was a mix of everything, the anxiety, seeing the camera, seeing the cut man doing my hands, people I’ve seen the most, and that’s it.”

UFC CEO Dana White was not peeved at Ottoni, as many frequent viewers might expect. He actually half-complimented Ottoni’s realization that UFC-level fights might not be for him.

“I’m not sh*tting on the kid at all,” White said. “Listen, it happens. You show up here, and it’s real. You come here and you’re 9-0 or this and that, then the guy you’re fighting is also 9-0, a lot of these kids have hype on them already. You get here, and you realize it’s not for you. I’d rather have that happen here than in a UFC event.”

While he doesn’t begrudge Ottoni as a person, Steele admits the missed opportunity – totally due to circumstances outside his control – is an unnecessary hassle. He also thinks the reputation Ottoni will have going forward makes it unnecessary for him to pile on.

“Honestly, I just feel a little bad for the guy,” Steele said. “He’s going to have to frickin’ live with this for the rest of his life. Any time this dude wants to think about competing in anything, any time he wants to put on boxing gloves, any time he goes to the gym again, any time he watches UFC, any time he sees me on TV, it’s always going to remind him of the day he got here and quit and didn’t do it. I don’t know if he’s got kids, but it’s not good.”

Steele, 29, has made quite the amount of noise during his first six MMA fights, following a standout career in the world of grappling. One of the most anticipated DWCS competitors scheduled to fight this season, Steele will try to maintain that momentum Oct. 8 when he gets another crack on the show against an opponent yet to be determined.

“My game plan for this fight will probably be the same this time around,” Steele said. “I’ve just got to focus on myself and me and my game and whoever the opponent is, I’ll adjust a little bit to him. It’s a little extra motivation. The only thing I’m thinking about is that I’ve got to make this damn weight cut again. I just want my body to be OK.”

Dana White explains why Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor included on his UFC Mount Rushmore

Dana White put his business hat on when selecting his latest version of a UFC Mount Rushmore.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] put his business hat on when selecting his MMA Mount Rushmore.

White’s decision to have [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag] and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] on his list was questioned by many, with his other two choices of [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] widely accepted.

The UFC CEO explained that the impact these four former champions had changed the sport.

“If you look at Ronda Rousey, which I’m sure everybody goes crazy, ‘Uh, Ronda Rousey,’ women aren’t fighting here,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters Tuesday at a post-fight news conference. “The knockout that happened last weekend doesn’t happen without Ronda Rousey. Ronda Rousey opened the door for all women and became a huge superstar for us and the biggest superstar in the history of female fighting. As far as the gates, pay-per-views, attention, all of it, nobody was bigger than Ronda. She started it all.

“Conor McGregor took this sport to another level when he became not only the biggest star in the sport but one of the biggest stars in all of sports. You had NFL and NBA and soccer players mimicking Conor McGregor during the games. If you guys want to get into the Jon Jones sh*t, we can get into that. I’m obviously going to have a different criteria when you ask me who I think are because of things I know that happened inside the business and how it changed the game.”

White’s 2020 MMA Mount Rushmore included Amanda Nunes instead of Rousey, as well as Jones, Royce Gracie, and Chuck Liddell. White said he was looking at a different criteria when making his updated list.

White said even Season 1 “Ultimate Fighter” winner Forrest Griffin could make someone’s MMA Mount Rushmore based on his iconic ‘TUF Finale’ fight with Stephan Bonnar that arguably saved the UFC.

He spoke about his final choice in St-Pierre, and the kind of impact he had on Canadian MMA – pointing to the 55,724 fans who attended his UFC 129 title-fight headliner vs. Jake Shields in Toronto.

“My other one was Georges St-Pierre,” White said. “In the evolution of this company, when you think back, anybody who was around – a lot of people weren’t around then, but the people who were, when you went up to Canada with Georges St-Pierre, I’ll never forget the time we were up there. I got stuck in a corner. I’m not kidding you: thousands of people.

“That’s when I was tweeting tickets. Remember those days? When I had video blogs and I was tweeting tickets, we literally almost got killed up there one day. By killed, I mean trampled by people looking for tickets. How big that was up there at that time was absolutely insane, and it was all Georges St-Pierre.”

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DWCS 71 winner Navajo Stirling: ‘Finally now my dream can commence’ with UFC contract

City Kickboxing fighter Navajo Stirling is ready for the UFC stage after a big knockout win at Dana White’s Contender Series 71.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Navajo Stirling[/autotag] is ready for the big stage after Dana White’s Contender Series 71. Stirling (5-0) knocked out Phillip Latu (6-2) with a thunderous left hand Tuesday in their light heavyweight bout at the UFC Apex to earn a UFC contract.

City Kickboxing’s Stirling said nerves were a non-factor, and he felt right where he belonged in the octagon.

“It’s all a part of my dream that’s going as I planned it,” Stirling told MMA Junkie and other reporters Tuesday at a post-fight news conference. “I feel like I’m meant to be here.

“For me, it’s like, finally I could do what I signed up for, I can fight people. Opportunity runs thin where I’m from, so now that I get to be in the big league and fight all the top guys is just like finally, now my dream can commence.”

Stirling competed for the third time in just four months. He never had a doubt that he would deliver in the biggest moment of his career.

“I’ve been talking my game up for so long, I was inviting as much pressure as possible,” Stirling said. “I know where I’m headed, so I was just trying to take on as much pressure as a person possibly can, and I just go through and cook these boys.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 71.

Dana White reveals UFC 306 ‘Easter eggs’ hunt at Sphere with $25,000 prize

Everything is different when it comes to this Noche UFC event at Sphere.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] plans on engaging fans in attendance at Sphere.

UFC 306 (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+), headlined by a bantamweight title fight between champion Sean O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and Merab Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC), takes place Saturday in Las Vegas.

The event will feature 10 bouts, with a movie running in between each fight of the main card. One fan will also have the opportunity to win big prize money.

“There’s a movie, there’s chapters,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters Tuesday at a post-fight news conference. “Each chapter starts before the next fight, so there will be a show open, then the first movie will run, and it will end at the end of the fight. Then we call them ‘worlds,’ and the fight will live inside this world, and the world will evolve while the fights are going on, but it will be very subtle.

“Clouds will move, fires will burn, birds will fly, or whatever the hell is going on in that world at that time, and it will slowly evolve during the fight. There are also going to be Easter eggs in each one of these films. We’re working it out with legal right now, but what I want to do, if somebody can find all the Easter eggs, I’ll give you $25,000. This is during the main card, so the show will progress throughout the night.”

When asked what was the biggest challenge to deal with throughout the whole process of preparing for an event at Sphere, the UFC CEO highlighted a major difference from past events.

“Lighting,” White said. “Yeah, there’s no lighting rig. This will be the first event ever in the history of the company and probably in the history of combat sports where there isn’t a lighting rig hanging over the octagon. So you have lights, cameras, microphones, different audio all up in that trusting up there, and that’s all gone. So that was the big first challenge.”

White plans on making UFC 306 so iconic that it’s globally recognized.

“So my goal in this thing is to be nominated for an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Grammy,” White said. “So, yes, there will be a documentary.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Dana White’s Contender Series 71: Grading the winners

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the performances of the five winners from Dana White’s Contender Series 71.

Week 5 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.

Nicolle Caliari

Nicolle Caliari def Corinne Laframboise – DWCS 71

Weight class: Strawweight
Result: Nicolle Caliari def. Corinne LaFrambiose via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:45
Grade: A

Summary: Setting the tone for the night was a fun one-round scrap between [autotag]Nicolle Caliari[/autotag] and Corinne LaFrambiose.

Despite coming from a traditional martial arts base, Caliari proved that she could compete with the superior submission grappler in her world.

LaFrambriose, as advertised, showed a lot of her submission swagger in exchanges, utilizing her aggressive attacks to create scrambles and so on. That said, LaFrambriose’s aggression ultimately ended up costing her by allowing Caliari to get too deep on an armbar attempt.

We didn’t get to see too much of Caliari on the feet, but her karate-style combos were reminiscent of a more raw version of Tecia Pennington (which isn’t a bad thing as a fan of that style).

I’m not surprised to see Dana White sign Caliari given the traditional recruitment trends of the show. For my money, I expect to see the UFC brass match up Caliari with someone like Ernesta Kareckaite or Brogan Walker on an upcoming international card.

Josias Musasa

Josias Musasa def Otar Tanzilovi – DWCS 71

Weight class: Bantamweight
Result: Josias Musasa def. Otar Tanzilovi via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Grade: B

Summary: Although it was an ultra-competitive fight between [autotag]Josias Musasa[/autotag] and Otar Tanzilovi, I agree with Musasa getting both the win and the UFC contract.

Tanzilovi, who is also arguably UFC-ready, displayed a slew of well-rounded skills that are practically prerequisites at bantamweight. Still, it was also clear that the Georgian is much more effective when allowed space to work with.

Seemingly knowing this, Musasa applied the correct gameplan and approach regarding the constant pressure he was putting Tanzilovi under. And though Musasa has seldom been past the first frame in prior fights, the Congolese competitor showed a level of measuredness in the aggression he was applying, smartly mixing bodywork into the equation.

Even when taken down, Musasa demonstrated a serviceable understanding of counter wrestling, correctly using tools that ranged from underhooks to the assistance of the cage. I’m on the same page as Dana White when it comes to seeing something in Musasa, so I’m happy to see the native of the Congo get a shot in the octagon.

I suspect that we’ll see Musasa paired up with someone like Quang Li or Angel Pacheco for his first UFC assignment.

Yousri Belgaroui

Yousri Belgaroui def Taiga Iwasaki – DWCS 71

Weight class: Middleweight
Result: Yousri Belgaroui def. Taiga Iwasaka via TKO (knee and punches) – Round 3, 2:34
Grade: C+

Summary: Despite being able to get the finish, I had a hard time getting to a B for [autotag]Yousri Belgaroui[/autotag] given both the lackluster fight with Taiga Isakawa and the context surrounding it.

In what looked like your classic Pride Fighting Championships setup fight, Isakawa was an undersized Japanese middleweight taking this fight on short notice. And though the oddsmakers and public projected a more decisive and clean performance from Belgaroui as a huge favorite, the former Glory kickboxer quickly found himself in a sloppy foul fest opposite a deceptively durable foe.

I eventually lost track of the number of eye pokes, but thankfully, referee Kerry Hatley mercifully took a point after the third or fourth infraction (something you sadly seldom see MMA refs do these days).

Although I was somewhat surprised White declined to sign Beglaroui on his second swing at bat, I can’t blame him for coming away deflated from a fight that was ultimately a gift in disguise.

Should Beglaroui still have the taste for this sort of audition process, then I’d love to see him get a third shot at a contract opposite another Contender Series veteran who is in the same position: Torrez Finney.

Navajo Stirling

Navajo Stirling def Phillip Latu – DWCS 71

Weight class: Light heavyweight
Result: Navajo Stirling def. Phillip Latu via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 2:21
Grade: A

Summary: Earning an A for closing the show in style is [autotag]Navajo Stirling[/autotag], who emphatically finished Phillip Latu in Round 2.

Latu, who has a natural aptitude for fighting, came out fairly strong and landed some solid counters that got the respect and attention of Stirling. However, Stirling was able to keep calm and composed while steadily finding his flow in the fight.

By the second frame, Stirling started to show the classic City Kickboxing striking setups and shot selections – all while Latu was appearing to fade. Latu’s corner called for him to stay in position to fire back, but it led to a hooking trade that benefited the more grounded fighter in Stirling.

I really felt for Latu, given his background, and I hope he gets another shot on the Contender Series down the road.

As for Stirling, it’s probably a safe bet we’ll see him on the next card that features either Dan Hooker or Carlos Ulberg, given how that camp seems to book their action. I just hope they try not to rush Stirling and match him up with someone like Tuco Tokkos.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 71.

Dana White explains unusual DWCS fight cancellation: ‘You show up here, and it’s real’

Moments before the walk, a 15-fight professional decided he didn’t want to compete for a UFC contract.

LAS VEGAS – When Tuesday’s broadcast began, Dana White’s Contender Series 71 had five fights scheduled in the lineup. The night concluded with one fewer fight having actually taken place.

Moments before his scheduled cage walk, welterweight [autotag]Quemuel Ottoni[/autotag] (12-3) withdrew from his fight vs. Kody Steele (6-0). His decision-making process was not linear, UFC CEO Dana White revealed.

“[UFC matchmaker] Sean (Shelby) came busting in the back room and then went right in the back room and went somewhere,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “Apparently, he went to the locker room. He heard this kid was pulling out. He went back there and gave him a pep talk and the kid said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah,’ and got his hands wrapped again. Then, halfway through the second fight, Sean got called again that he was pulling out. He rewrapped his hands and then said, ‘I’m out.’ This kid flew in from Brazil. He flew in from Brazil. We put him out here.”

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 10: UFC CEO Dana White speaks with Kody Steele after the withdrawal of his opponent during Dana White’s Contender series season eight, week five on September 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

White paid Steele his show and win money and guaranteed him a slot on a later episode of DWCS with details on the specific date and matchup still to be worked out.

Despite the headache caused by Ottoni, White said he has no hard feelings toward the 15-fight veteran with a 13-2 record. White would prefer that happened now, as opposed to at the next level.

“That’s what this show is for, too,” White said. “Sometimes you don’t have to step into the octagon to know, ‘This isn’t for me. I can’t take this. I can’t handle this pressure,’ whatever his deal was. I’m not sh*tting on the kid at all. Listen, it happens. You show up here, and it’s real. You come here and you’re 9-0 or this and that, then the guy you’re fighting is also 9-0, a lot of these kids have hype on them already. You get here, and you realize it’s not for you. I’d rather have that happen here than in a UFC event.”

Ottoni, nor his team, have yet to comment on the withdrawal or its exact reasoning. Steele voiced disappointment during a brief interview on the broadcast.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 71.

Dana White’s Contender Series 71 results: Three contracts awarded, one gets another DWCS bout

Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series continued Tuesday, where three more UFC contracts were issued.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was on scene and reporting live from Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 71 event.

Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC CEO Dana White on hand to make the decisions.

The fifth week of the eighth season saw 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. In the feature bout at light heavyweight, Navajo Stirling (5-0) took on Phillip Latu (6-2).

The UFC Apex hosted Tuesday’s card, which streamed live on ESPN+.

DWCS 71 full results

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

  • Navajo Stirling def. Phillip Latu via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 2:21
  • Quemuel Ottoni vs. Kody Steele
  • Yousri Belgaroui def. Taiga Iwasaki via TKO (knee and punches) – Round 3, 2:34
  • Josias Musasa def. Otar Tanzilovi via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Nicolle Caliari def. Corinne LaFramboise via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:45

Who won a UFC contract?

At the conclusion of the event, White handed out three UFC contracts. The UFC CEO awarded contracts to winners Caliari, Musasa and Stirling. Steele, who did not get to compete due to his opponent’s withdrawal, will be brought back in on a future episode of DWCS to fight.

Navajo Stirling vs. Phillip Latu

Round 1 – They touch gloves and Stirling opens up with a couple of leg kicks. Latu slaps with one in response. Stirling keeps attacking the legs and goes high with a kick. Stirling punches to the body. Another leg kick from Stirling, but this one gets caught. Latu holds it for a moment but releases it. Stirling lands a solid right hand and a leg kick a moment after. Latu catches Sitrling off balance as he charges forward. Stirling scrambles up and resets. Latu punches to the body now. A nice leg kick not far behind it. Stirling clinches and looks for a single leg. Latu shakes him off and they’re back to the middle. Latu swings with a wild wheel kick that misses before the horn.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Stirling.

Round 2 – Stirling opens up by touching with a series of high-low combinations. He then goes to the body with a punch and a leg kick behind it. Stirling keeps the pressure high with volume striking. Latu starts to fire back with punches and they clinch up. Stirling gets a Thai clinch and lands a couple of short strikes. They separate, and BANG! The left hand from Stirling drops Latu for the knockout! WOW!

Result: Navajo Stirling def. Phillip Latu via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 2:21
Recap: DWCS 71 video: City Kickboxing’s Navajo Stirling sleeps Phillip Latu with big left hand
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 71: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Stirling (5-0), Latu (6-2)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kerry Hatley

Quemuel Ottoni vs. Kody Steele

The fight between Ottoni and Steele was scratched during the broadcast due to Ottoni withdrawing.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1833675592161759724

Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 71: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Ottoni (12-3), Steele (6-0)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+

Yousri Belgaroui vs. Taiga Iwasaki

Round 1 – Belgaroui takes control of the center as they feel out the range. Belgaroui charges forward with a couple of punches. Iwasaki looks to answer with a kick and punches upstairs. They clinch up and Belgaroui gets in a solid knee to the midsection. Back in space now, Belgaroui sticks with a solid punch. Iwasaki with a leg kick. Belgaroui fires a left hand followed by a front kick to the body. An accidental poke to Iwasaki pauses the fight momentarily. Iwasaki charges forward with a jumping kick to the body, knocking Belgaroui to the mat. Belgaroui gets up in the clinch and pokes Iwasaki again as he tries to frame. A hard warning for Belgaroui before the restart. Iwasaki blitzes with punches and they’re starting to open up now. Heated exchanges now, both offer punches and kicks. Belgaroui looks for a knee in the Thai clinch.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Belgaroui.

Round 2 – Belgaroui punches to the body as he charges forward. Iwasaki circles away and blitzes with strikes. Belgaroui defends the charge well and resets. Iwasaki clinches against the cage. He looks for a trip but can’t get it. Back in the middle now, Belgaroui snaps a jab and looks for a knee. Another clinch by Iwasaki and a knee gets in from Belgaroui. They separate and get right back into another brief clinch. Iwasaki comes forward swinging punches. Belgaroui trips as he tries to circle away, and Iwasaki clinches again. Belgaroui knees to the body, frames to exit and pokes the eye for a third time. This time Belgaroui gets a point taken.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Belgaroui, but with the deduction, it becomes a 9-9 round.

Round 3 – Iwasaki quickly comes across the cage looking to strike, with Belgaroui ready to answer. Iwasaki sees an opening to clinch and takes it. A knee to the body by Belgaroui. They break apart and reset. Iwasaki gets back in on another clinch. Belgaroui finds an exit and connects with a big jumping switch knee! Iwasaki is reeling backward and Belgaroui storms forward! Follow up punches connect! Iwasaki is hurt and he goes down! The ref steps in and it’s over!

Result: Yousri Belgaroui def. Taiga Iwasaki via TKO (knee and punches) – Round 3, 2:34
Recap: DWCS 71 video: Kickboxing standout Yousri Belgaroui swarms Taiga Iwasaki for late TKO
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 71: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Belgaroui (8-3), Taiga Iwasaki (9-2)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kerry Hatley

Otar Tanzilovi vs. Josias Musasa

Round 1 – Action right out of the gate with kicks and punches exchanged. Tanzilovi gets into the clinch and looks to drag the fight to the mat. Musasa breaks free and they return to the center. Musasa cracks with a big left hand. Tanzilovi responds with a high kick and circles on the outside. Musasa charges forward with a couple of punches into a clinch. They separate and are back to striking. A solid right hand connects for Musasa. Tanzilovi looks for a single leg. Musasa defends and reverses the clinch before separating. A two-punch charge from Musasa, and they throw knees at the same time. Both appear low, but Tanzilovi gets the worst of it, and the fight is paused for a few seconds. They get right back into it on the restart with striking exchanges, and Tanzilovi initiating a clinch. Musasa lands a solid left before the horn.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Musasa.

Round 2 – The action picks up right where it left off with strikes, and now it’s Musasa with a clinch against the fence. They separate and reset. Musasa presses forward. Tanzilovi gets Musasa down but can’t keep him there. They pop up into another cage clinch. Back in the center now. Musasa comes forward and Tanzilovi gets a high kick blocked. Musasa keeps the pressure on, looking for punches. Tanzilovi cracks with a sharp punch, but Musasa responds with punches in bunches. Tanzilovi tries to slip and dip before circling away. They clinch up again, exchanging more short strikes.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Tanzilovi.

Round 3 – They come forward with strikes and clinch up. Musasa keeps the fight pinned against the cage for a moment before they separate. Tanzilovi lands a quick 1-2. Another cage clinch with short strikes, but a knee from Tanzilovi goes low, pausing the fight for the second time. Less than half a minute break, and we’re back to it. Tanzilovi slaps with a hard kick to the body. A second kick from Tanzilovi gets caught and Musasa uses it to get back control. Musasa slaps on a choke, but he’s off to the side. Tanzilovi powers up from his knee, eventually separating. Tanzilovi gets right back for a clinch and gets his back put on the fence. They exchange knees in the clinch. Both miss with big punches after the separation. Another clinch until the horn.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Tanzilovi.

Result: Josias Musasa def. Otar Tanzilovi via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 71: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Tanzilovi (9-1), Musasa (8-0)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith

Corinne LaFramboise vs. Nicolle Caliari

Round 1 – LaFramboise comes across the cage and fires off a flurry of punches. Caliari gets a clinch and digs in a couple of knees to the body before dragging the fight to the ground. Caliari gets wrapped up from the bottom and opts to stand up. LaFramboise charges forward again with punches into a clinch. Caliari reverses things with a nice throw to the mat. LaFramboise throws up an armbar and then a triangle. Neither are there, but she is able to sweep and get back to her knees. Caliari sticks with a single leg, but eats short elbows to the side of her head. Caliari powers up, but LaFramboise stays with a body lock and drags the fight back to the ground. Caliari throws up an armbar this time and rolls her over. LaFramboise tries to get her arm out but she’s stuck! There’s a verbal tap!

Result: Nicolle Caliari def. Corinne LaFramboise via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:45
Recap: DWCS 71 video: Nicole Caliari submits Corinne LaFramboise off her back
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 71: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Laframboise (8-5), Nicolle Caliari (8-2)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kerry Hatley

DWCS 71 fighter faceoffs

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DWCS 71 video: City Kickboxing’s Navajo Stirling sleeps Phillip Latu with big left hand

Navajo Stirling reminded a lot of viewers of his UFC teammate Israel Adesanya.

Is another star emerging out of City Kickboxing?

[autotag]Navajo Stirling[/autotag] took one step closer Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 71 when he slept opponent [autotag]Phillip Latu[/autotag] with a big left hand in the event’s headlining bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The stoppage came at 2:21 of Round 2.

Stirling (5-0) was offered a UFC contract from Dana White minutes later.

Stirling, 26, under coach Eugene Bareman alongside Israel Adesanya and other UFC stars. Tuesday’s finish was his fourth in five professional fights.

Latu (6-2) has a four-fight winning streak snapped. He’s yet to see a decision in his professional career.

The full DWCS 71 results include:

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DWCS 71 video: Kickboxing standout Yousri Belgaroui swarms Taiga Iwasaki for late TKO

One of four men to kickbox both Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya will likely join them in the UFC.

[autotag]Yousri Belgaroui [/autotag] fought both Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira in kickboxing and now he may very well join them in the UFC.

At Dana White’s Contender Series 71 on Tuesday, Belgaroui (8-3) finished [autotag]Taiga Iwasaki[/autotag] (9-2) by TKO due to a barrage of strikes at 2:34 of Round 3.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1833680632062660797

Belgaroui, 32, is a former Glory Kickboxing middleweight title challenger with a 27-7 kickboxing record. He is one of four men to compete against both Adesanya and Pereira in kickboxing. He went 0-2 against both.

In 2021, he pivoted to MMA. He worked his way to 5-2 before a shot on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023. He lost his first appearance to Marco Tulio by unanimous decision and later said he was battling a bad infection. Back-to-back wins in Levels Fight League earned him the second DWCS opportunity Tuesday.

Iwasaki, 27, has now lost two of his most recent three outings after an 8-0 start to his pro MMA career. His other defeat came against former Bellator champion Rafael Lovato Jr.

The up-to-the-minute DWCS 71 results include:

  • Yousri Belgaroui def. Taiga Iwasaki via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 2:34
  • Josias Musasa def. Otari Tanzilovi via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Nicole Caliari def. Corinne LaFramboise via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:45

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DWCS 71 video: Nicolle Caliari submits Corinne LaFramboise off her back

UFC hopeful Nicolle Caliari kicked off Dana White’s Contender Series with a slick armbar submission.

[autotag]Nicolle Caliari[/autotag] metaphorically took [autotag]Corinne LaFramboise[/autotag]’s arm home with her Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 71.

In the opening bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Brazil’s Caliari (8-2) submitted Canada’s LaFramboise (8-5) with an armbar at 4:45 of Round 1. Referee Kerry Hatley deemed the submission verbal, according to the broadcast.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1833663208630202509

Caliari, 27, maintained her 100 percent finishing rate in wins. Her only two career losses have come against UFC alums Kay Hansen and Syuri Kondo.

LaFramboise, 35, has a three-fight winning streak snapped. She was scheduled to compete on DWCS in 2023 but was pulled from the fight when she discovered she was pregnant.

The up-to-the-minute DWCS 71 results include:

  • Nicolle Caliari def. Corinne LaFramboise via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:45

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