Topic: Contender Series 2020
Contender Series 2020: Week 6
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- Tuesday 09.08.2020 at 08:00 PM ET
- U.S. Broadcast: ESPN+
- Promotion: Dana White's Contender Series
- Ownership:
- Venue: UFC APEX
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Enclosure: Cage
- TV Announcers: Brendan Fitzgerald, Michael Bisping
- Post-Fight Interviews: Laura Sanko
- MMA Bouts: 5
-
Event Links:
| Bout | Info | |
|---|---|---|
| Tafon Nchukwi defeats Al Matavao via KO/TKO, Head Kick | 2:01 Round 2 of 3, 7:01 Total Bout Page | |
| Sherrard Blackledge defeats Cameron Church via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Phil Hawes defeats Khadzhimurat Bestaev via KO/TKO, Overhand Right to Ground and Pound | 1:18 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Drako Rodriguez defeats Mana Martinez via Submission, Triangle Choke | 2:22 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Aliaskhab Khizriev defeats Henrique Shiguemoto via Submission, Rear Naked Choke | 0:50 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page |
Responses
bout announced
Phil Hawes vs. Khadzhimurat Bestaev at 185 lbs (83.9 kg)
bout announced
Tafon Nchukwi vs. Al Matavao at 205 lbs (93.0 kg)
bout announced
Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Henrique Shiguemoto at 185 lbs (83.9 kg)
bout announced
Mana Martinez vs. Drako Rodriguez at 135 lbs (61.2 kg)
bout announced
Mana Martinez vs. Drako Rodriguez at 135 lbs (61.2 kg)
bout announced
Cameron Church vs. Sherrard Blackledge at 155 lbs (70.3 kg)
09.01.2020 | 8:08 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 3 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 165 Points | Tied for 607th
Tafon Nchukwi, TKO, R1
Dude knocked knight out mercilessly
"Lets see some ******* action!"
09.06.2020 | 8:28 AM ET
Predictions: 3 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 180 Points | Tied for 543rd
"This town needs an enema!" - Jack Napier
09.06.2020 | 3:35 PM ET
Rodriguez vs Martinez will be close 🧐
Predictions: 5 of 5 Winners, 1 Perfect, 305 Points | Tied for 48th with 5 others
09.06.2020 | 7:52 PM ET
Predictions: 2 of 4 Winners, 0 Perfect, 100 Points | Tied for 723rd
What if you fought a real good regional champion who's like 9-0 or something? You'd probably learn a bit more, especially when you lose.
That's my 2 cents. But I still gotta look at tape. He could be fighting really good cans as opposed to really good competition.
* Edited at 09.06.2020, 7:53 PM ET *
"Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift no heavy-ass weights. - Ronnie Coleman"
09.06.2020 | 9:34 PM ET
Predictions: 3 of 5 Winners, 1 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 272nd
"Dont take life too serious, you will never make it out alive."
09.06.2020 | 9:38 PM ET
Predictions: 3 of 5 Winners, 1 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 272nd
"Dont take life too serious, you will never make it out alive."
09.06.2020 | 10:23 PM ET
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 1 Perfect, 280 Points | Tied for 109th
They will go far. Lol. Get it? It's a joke. Like them.
* Edited at 09.06.2020, 10:24 PM ET *
09.07.2020 | 12:48 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
Drako Rodriguez, TKO, R3
So, I watched all of their fights as pros and I’ve seen a few of Drakos ammy fights. Let’s start with the tap favorite Mana. He has an absolute hammer of an overhand left from southpaw and great lead leg dexterity. But I see his shots as super telegraphed and several of his wins are suspect, like his last KO was off of a foul and very illegitimate. Same thing, but reverse with his second to last fight. He has a bad tendency to call fouls for the ref whenever he finds himself in a bad spot. And I don’t wanna say he’s faking, cause I don’t know, but it seems that way. In any case, watching him fight I see an above average fighter with a good overhand left. Drako also has an absolute firecracker of a lead left hook. No kicking, but amazing boxing fundamentals like head movement and footwork. He also has really slick scrambling ability, but pretty mediocre TD defense. However what really influenced my pick was watching the Gravely fight. Holy ******* tits, Gravely put Drako through the millstone every round. But Drako scrambled and fought like a dog until he basically died in the fifth. Almost subbed Gravely twice after getting mounted and cut up. Then chin checked gravely every time they were standing. Showed grit and cardio which means a lot more to me than a banging overhand left. I recommend people who think Drako has a soft resume to go watch the gravely fight, it’s on the KOTC Facebook.
"I’m here to snatch necks and cash checks" - Darrick Minner
09.07.2020 | 12:33 PM ET
Starts at 2 hours 5 min in
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
"I’m here to snatch necks and cash checks" - Darrick Minner
09.07.2020 | 2:03 PM ET
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
"If it's not a challenge, it isn't fun enough."
09.07.2020 | 2:31 PM ET
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
"I’m here to snatch necks and cash checks" - Darrick Minner
09.07.2020 | 5:39 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
Tafon Nchukwi, TKO, R1
Like 0 tape of Tafon out there. But the tape I saw of Al Matavao wasn’t that impressive, he has a good shovel hook and obviously packs some decent power. But he gets hit a lot and doesn’t seem very good at TDs and I saw little submission awareness from him. I know jack about Tafon other than the fact that he KO’d Knight, which is enough for me to pick him. Matavao got clipped in every fight I watched, and I’m guessing if Tafon clips you, it’s lights out.
Church vs. Blackledge
Cameron Church, DEC
This also a contender for fight of the night and I’m looking forward to it. Both of these guys have decent wrestling chops, but I don’t expect to see a shot unless its a desperation shot from someone getting clipped. Cameron reminds me of something I heard to describe Joey Beltran, “You can teach a brawler martial arts, but you’ll never make him a martial artist.” Church had a great last outing, I saw sidekicks, question mark kicks, crisp boxing, sloppy over hands, suplex, phone booth elbows, tomahawk elbows, and etc. Pretty much everything and the kitchen sink. I would complain that he got hit face so much, but the guy didn’t even blink taking multiple shots that should’ve put him 6 feet under. He did miss weight, which is a bit concerning, but overall he looked like a technical mad man in there. She rare Blackledge has looked really great as well, very technical Thai fighter with good hips. His style is way more patient and opportunistic than Church’s but it’s effective for his frame and speed. Literally the only reason I am able to pick between these two is that from what I’ve seen of Blackledge, he fights very poorly off his back foot and retreats in a straight line. Which is likely going to have consequences against someone like Church who doesn’t know how to take a back step with a fist three inches into his face. Not a confident pick, but it should be a banger.
Hawes vs. Bestaev
Phil Hawes, TKO, R1
Khad has a bit better striking than I thought, but despite his several first round wins he doesn’t seem to be that fast of a starter. He can get the jump on cans though. Phil Hawks has some serious issues with his game too, like he can shoot HIGHLY telegraphed TD without putting any combos in front of them, which is ******* weird cause he has crisp straight punches and good fundamental boxing when he is using it. But not of that really matters cause Khad is an absolute turtle off of his back from the tape I’ve seen of him. Even if you have a losing record on the regional scene, as long as you can get him on his ass, you’re gonna beat Khad. And it just so happens the best part of Hawes’s game is TDs. So, I’m saying we’re gonna see the Russian get the Russian treatment with a healthy dose of first round smesh.
Khizriev vs. Shiguemoto
Aliaskhab Khizriev, TKO, R3
Henrique might be crushing cans but he’s no can imo. He’s kind of a patient pot shot type of fighter, seems to wait a bit too much for my liking, but he seems to find a punch or a kick off of most his opponents that lands significantly. He has good hand speed and good kick and kick feints. He’ll whip his rear leg up for a kick and then pick it up to step forward with a stutter step and land a power straight as people try to block the kick. He also is very good at chambering punches off of his kicks, his last fight was a leg kick to hook, but his hook missed in that one. However, I watched him land the same combo in other fights it’s kind of reminiscent of Ludwig looked back in the day. His TD defense seem, kind of average which worries me here. Alias;lskdalskfjifhab is clearly the better MMA fighter here, and has a clear path to victory in the wrestling that is basically a 100% lock. However, he punches way too much and doesn’t really wrestle unless he feels he needs to. And his striking is not great lol, better than Chase Hooper but worse than Khabib. So I won’t bet this fight unless Shiguemoto becomes a massive ******* dog, because he does have KO power and does have that path to victory cause it’s entirely possible that Aliasfha;sdfjab stands and bangs with him. But 99.99% confident in a Alaisdf;jiewhab’s hugging abilities. I also don’t like Aliashfjkfibeiboab because I saw him cheat like 8 times in the tape I watched, most notably blatantly grabbing the fence to save himself from a leg lock by Palhares in a manner that made me think he trained Augusta Sakai.
"I’m here to snatch necks and cash checks" - Darrick Minner
09.07.2020 | 6:23 PM ET
Predictions: 3 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 180 Points | Tied for 543rd
"I clearly felt a TAP"
09.07.2020 | 6:35 PM ET
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
"If it's not a challenge, it isn't fun enough."
weigh-in result
Aliaskhab Khizriev: 185.5 lbs (84.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Henrique Shiguemoto: 185.5 lbs (84.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Mana Martinez: 135.5 lbs (61.5 kgs)
weigh-in result
Drako Rodriguez: 135.5 lbs (61.5 kgs)
weigh-in result
Phil Hawes: 185.5 lbs (84.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Khadzhimurat Bestaev: 184.0 lbs (83.5 kgs)
weigh-in result
Cameron Church: 155.5 lbs (70.5 kgs)
weigh-in result
Sherrard Blackledge: 154.5 lbs (70.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Tafon Nchukwi: 204.0 lbs (92.5 kgs)
weigh-in result
Al Matavao: 200.0 lbs (90.7 kgs)
09.08.2020 | 2:52 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 2 Perfect, 315 Points | Tied for 42nd with 3 others
Aliaskhab Khizriev, SUB, R1
茂本がテイクダウンを防げるかにかかった試合
09.08.2020 | 2:56 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 2 Perfect, 315 Points | Tied for 42nd with 3 others
Tafon Nchukwi, TKO, R1
チュキウィを勝たせるための試合。ムエタイクリンチで終わる
Church vs. Blackledge
Cameron Church, TKO, R1
チャーチのスタミナが心配だが、パワーで優位
Hawes vs. Bestaev
Phil Hawes, TKO, R1
ベステフのギロチンが成功するかどうか
Martinez vs. Rodriguez
Drako Rodriguez, DEC
マルティネスがテイクダウンを防げるか
09.08.2020 | 10:35 AM ET
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
"If it's not a challenge, it isn't fun enough."
09.08.2020 | 11:26 AM ET
Church has a Tony Ferguson chin implant
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
* Edited at 09.08.2020, 11:27 AM ET *
"I’m here to snatch necks and cash checks" - Darrick Minner
09.08.2020 | 12:38 PM ET
Predictions: 4 of 5 Winners, 0 Perfect, 230 Points | Tied for 240th
"If it's not a challenge, it isn't fun enough."