Tag: Eli Aronov

Dana White’s Contender Series 59 results: Three winners receive UFC deals; one does not

Season 7, Week 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series continues Tuesday, and MMA Junkie will have live results from on-site at the UFC Apex.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was at Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 59 event.

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

The third episode of Season 7 will see eight fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. A middleweight contest between [autotag]Eli Aronov[/autotag] (6-1) and [autotag]Zach Reese[/autotag] (5-1) served as the featured bout of the four-bout lineup. Fury FC’s Reese quickly submitted Unified MMA’s Aronov with an armbar.

In the co-featured bout, Cage Warriors’ [autotag]Obain Elliott[/autotag] and Okatgon’s [autotag]Kaik Brito[/autotag] went blow-for-blow in a thrilling three-round battle.

Full results of Dana White’s Contender Series 59 include:

  • Zachary Reese def. Eli Aronov via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:14
  • Oban Elliott def. Kaik Brito via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
  • Josefine Knutsson def. Isis Verbeek via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Luis Pajuelo def. Robbie Ring via TKO (knee and punches) – Round 1, 3:43

Continue reading below for more details about each fight.

DWCS 59 video: Daniel Cormier criticizes Eli Aronov after Zach Reese’s slick submission

Daniel Cormier had harsh words for Eli Aronov’s grappling defense in his Dana White’s Contender Series 59 loss to Zach Reese.

LAS VEGAS – UFC commentator and Hall of Famer [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] was not impressed by [autotag]Eli Aronov[/autotag]’s submission defense in his Dana White’s Contender Series 59 loss to [autotag]Zach Reese[/autotag].

Reese (6-0) punched his ticket to a UFC contract on Tuesday when he recovered from slipping to the ground to lock in a fight-ending armbar on Aronov (5-1) just 74 seconds into the middleweight bout at the UFC Apex.

Check out the replay of the finish below (via X):

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After the finish, Cormier expressed his frustration with Aronov’s defensive tactics.

“That’s the thing – you can’t do that, man,” Cormier said aftr the stoppage. “When you’re out of the submission, you can’t put yourself in a damn submission. He was out. He was actually out. That is crazy. That’s what I’m talking about. That’s the stuff that’s going to keep you out of the UFC. … You see something like that coming from a pay-per-view, that’s a mistake people don’t make coming from pay-per-views.”

While disappointed in Aronov, there was plenty of praise on Reese, who remained undefeated with six first-round finishes in six fights.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 59.

Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 7 roster filling up for summer 2023 launch

Dana White’s Contender Series will return this summer. Check out the fighters and fights that have been booked thus far.

Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 7 is in the works.

DWCS debuted in 2017 with an eight-episode inaugural season. Season 2 was held in 2018 with eight episodes, followed by a three-episode DWCS: Brasil. In 2019, DWCS was extended to 10 episodes for its third season. The length was repeated in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Each season, the number of fighters signed has increased. Thus far, the show has produced UFC notables including Sean O’Malley, Maycee Barber, Geoff Neal, Ryan Spann, Sodiq Yusuff, Jamahal Hill, Taila Santos, Johnny Walker, Alex Perez, Bo Nickal, Jailton Almeida, Jack Della Maddalena, and Marina Rodriguez among others.

In recent weeks, the UFC matchmakers have been gearing up for a summer DWCS return, expected to launch Aug. 8. Athletes and matchups have slowly but surely been booked. The number of episodes for Season 7 is not yet known.

Scroll below to see the latest athletes and fights booked, which have been confirmed by MMA Junkie or posted about by the fighters involved. This list will be updated as more fighters and matchups come to light.

Bellator 234 results: Linton Vassell TKOs Sergei Kharitonov, Austin Vanderford still unbeaten

Check out the results from Bellator 234, where Linton Vassell got back in the win column in a big way.

[autotag]Linton Vassell[/autotag] is back in the win column – and in a big way.

In his return to heavyweight, Vassell, a former two-time light heavyweight title challenger, defeated [autotag]Sergei Kharitonov[/autotag] via second-round TKO on Thursday. The fight between Vassell (20-8 MMA, 8-5 BMMA) and Kharitonov (30-8 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) served as the headliner for Bellator 234, which took place at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel, and aired on Paramount/DAZN on Friday via tape delay.

The fight opened with Kharitonov stalking Vassell, who was content to circle on the outside during the opening couple of minutes of Round 1 before shooting in for a takedown. It was initially stuffed, but Vassell managed to complete it despite Kharitonov’s initial grabbing of the fence. Vassell spent the second half of the round controlling from top position with composed ground-and-pound until the horn sounded.

Round 2 opened the same way as the first, but Vassell mixed things up with a high kick that was blocked before shooting for another takedown. This time, Vassell completed it on his first attempt, and the two men crashes to the canvas. It didn’t take long for Vassell to control Kharitonov’s back. At one point, Vassell sunk in a rear-naked choke that he released in favor of throwing punches from a back mount. All Kharitonov could do was turtle up, forcing the stoppage midway through the round.

With the victory, Vassell snapped a three-fight losing streak that consisted of losses to champion Ryan Bader, former champ Phil Davis and highly touted prospect Valentin Moldavsky. Kharitonov, meanwhile, suffered his first defeat in eight fights dating back to March 2017.

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Gozalis earn victories, leading to Haim’s retirement

Father and son had a successful night at home one last time.

First, 46-year-old [autotag]Haim Gozali[/autotag] (12-6 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) was victorious, defeating [autotag]Artur Pronin[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) by first-round heel hook submission. Then, in the night’s next bout, 18-year-old [autotag]Aviv Gozali[/autotag] (4-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) won with his own first-round submission, using an anaconda choke to finish [autotag]Zaka Fatullazade[/autotag] (14-9 MMA, 0-1 BMMA).

Afterward, as expected, Haim, affectionately known as “Batman,” announced his retirement after more than 21 years as a professional fighter.

Batman as left the cage thanks to @bellatormma to give me opportunity to fight in the biggest organisation in the world.
And thanks to all my fans that give me the strength to continue.
And to all my fans I love you!!!
and to all the haters I love you too!!!

His son replied:

Love you pops good luck on your new way I’m here to continue the Legacy

Vanderford remains undefeated

[autotag]Austin Vanderford[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) still has a perfect record.

Vanderford, who made his debut with Bellator earlier this year, won his third fight with the promotion, earning a unanimous decision over [autotag]Grachik Bozinyan[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 0-1 BMMA).

Vanderford, the husband of UFC star Paige VanZant, has gotten off to a good start in Bellator since being denied a UFC contract last year following a submission win on “Dana White’s Contender Series.” He’s 3-0 with the promotion and 9-0 overall.

Complete Bellator 234 results include:

  • Linton Vassell def. Sergei Kharitonov via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:15
  • [autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag] def. [autotag]Roger Huerta[/autotag] via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Aviv Gozali def. Zaka Fatullazade via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 1, 0:56
  • Haim Gozali def. Artur Pronin via submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 4:12
  • Austin Vanderford def. Grachik Bozinyan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • [autotag]Sinead Kavanagh[/autotag] def. [autotag]Olga Rubin[/autotag] via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:37
  • [autotag]Robson Gracie Jr.[/autotag] def. [autotag]Amir Bashir[/autotag] via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:39
  • [autotag]Adam Keresh[/autotag] def. [autotag]Vladimir Fedin[/autotag] via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:29
  • [autotag]Simon Smotritsky[/autotag] def. [autotag]Illia Hladkii[/autotag] via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:10
  • [autotag]Vuqar Keramov[/autotag] def. [autotag]Gustavo Wurlitzer[/autotag] via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:29
  • [autotag]Kirill Medvedovsky[/autotag] def. [autotag]Akhmed Al Farazha[/autotag] via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 0:46
  • [autotag]Raz Bring[/autotag] def. [autotag]Naziri Daniliuk[/autotag] via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28)
  • [autotag]Mihail Dulgher[/autotag] def. [autotag]Ofir Leibel[/autotag] via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • [autotag]Ron Becker[/autotag] def. Artem [autotag]Kazartsev[/autotag] via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:57
  • [autotag]Ben Cohen[/autotag] def. [autotag]Maksym Tkachuk[/autotag] via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:17
  • [autotag]Eli Aronov[/autotag] def. [autotag]Sari Hleihil[/autotag] via split decision (30-26, 27-28, 30-26)
  • [autotag]Itay Lipszyc[/autotag] def. [autotag]Yizhak Yakobov[/autotag] via submission (ankle lock) – Round 1, 2:51
  • [autotag]Noam Voldman[/autotag] def. [autotag]Nisim Rozalis[/autotag] via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
  • [autotag]Itay Tratner[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Elias Mamadov[/autotag] declared a split draw declared a split draw (28-27, 28-29, 28-28)
  • [autotag]Tomer Maslis[/autotag] def. [autotag]David Malka[/autotag] via TKO (exhaustion) – Round 3, 1:32