The Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series delivered again this week.
The penultimate week of this year’s Contender Series happened Tuesday Night, and it featured 2 Heavyweight bouts and a 155lb Main Event. The Tuesday Night Contender Series has been a very bright spot for the UFC this Summer. There have been double-digit contracts handed out over the first 6 weeks, and we were looking for more Tuesday. The card was headlined by a Lightweight matchup between Roosevelt “The Predator” Roberts (6-0) and Garrett “Glory to God” Gross (11-7). This was another classic week of the Contender Series. We had 5 fights that all ended with finishes for the 3rd time this season. After next week Tuesday nights will become very boring for MMA fans. Let’s take a look at all 5 matchups.
We kicked the night off at Heavyweight as Juan “The Kraken” Adams (3-0) took on Shawn Teed (5-2). These guys started trading early with Teed landing a nice right hand. Adams was walking Teed back and trying to back Teed up against the fence. Adams started finding a home and was unloading shots on Teed. Adams landed a straight left but ate a big right hand from Teed. Adams was doing a good job protecting against a takedown and ended up reversing the position to be on top of Teed. Adams was trying to land big shots. Adams landed three punches then backed off and forced Teed to stand up. Teed immediately went for a takedown. Adams was doing a great job staying on his feet and ended up being on top on the ground again. Adams was peppering Teed with shots on the mat. Teed grabbed for a heel hook and was trying to hold on to it. Adams was able to roll out of it and then ended up in side control looking to pound down on Teed. Adams was able to get Teed’s back and just unloading punches. Teed was trying his best to get back to his feet but was just eating shots. Adams tried to grab for a rear naked choke but Teed rolled out. Adams postured up and started just unloading on Teed. The referee stepped in and stopped the fight. Juan Adams looked very impressive for a guy who is so young in his MMA career. Adams was not overextending himself on his punches and was patiently seeking the knockout. A guy like this for sure could be a factor in the Heavyweight Division.
We went down to Featherweight as Maurice Mitchell (11-2) went up against Jordan “Native Psycho” Griffin (17-5). Griffin came out looking to land early, but Mitchell was able to evade. Mitchell came forward and landed a hard kick to the body. Griffin kept coming in straightforward and looking to land. Griffin hit a hard-left hand that knocked the mouthpiece out of Mitchell’s mouth. We restarted, and it was Griffin searching for shots again as he came forward. Mitchell tried to jump into a knee and then a body kick, but it was blocked. Mitchell landed another hard kick to the body, and then we ended up in the clinch against the cage. Mitchell left the clinch landing a hard elbow. Griffin shot in for a takedown, but it was stuffed. Mitchell was able to grab a choke and seemed to have it locked in. Griffin was able to walk his feet up the cage and escape the submission. They were back on the feet and Mitchell landed a hard leg kick. Mitchell again landed a hard kick to the body. Griffin then came forward looking to land, and he hit a hard-left hand that dropped Mitchell. Griffin immediately dove on top of him and locked in a tight rear naked choke. The tap was very quick as the choke was in deep and Jordan Griffin had secured the victory. Jordan Griffin showed a ton of experience in this matchup. He was able to avoid a submission and use his striking to set him up for the win. Jordan Griffin looked excellent in this fight, he overcame the adversity of the submission attempt and came back with his striking. This was a fun action-packed fight that could get Griffin a contract.
Two 185lb fighters were next as Ian “The Hurricane” Heinisch (11-1) stepped in and took on Justin “The Fort” Sumter (4-2). Sumter looked to go for a takedown quickly, but Heinisch easily pushed away and these guys were dancing around. Sumter was throwing a body-head combination that connected. Heinisch tried for a flying knee, but it was turned into a takedown from Sumter. Heinisch was trying to lock in a guillotine, but Sumter snuck out of it and stayed on top. Heinisch was the more active on the ground and was looking for an armbar. Sumter was able to escape and used the rolling Heinisch to be able to partially take his back. Heinisch was able to sneak out and ended up on top. Heinisch was on top, and really working hard landing blows. Heinisch postured up and was unloading elbows down to Sumter. After a few more elbows Sumter was out cold, and Heinisch was the winner. Ian Heinisch was able to overcome being on his back and took this fight over. The wrestling and ground and pound from Heinisch was super impressive. That was absolutely a contract worthy performance.
The last Heavyweight bout on the card was next as Contender Series alum Don’Tale “King Kong” Mayes (5-2) took on Mitchell “The Sniper” Sipe (4-1). Sipe came right out and missed with an overhand right. Sipe then ate a few shots from Mayes that appeared to stumble him. This was a brawl early. Sipe was hurt by a combination and tried to change levels for a takedown. Mayes avoided the takedown, and the separated. Mayes landed two big left hands while Sipe returned with a body kick. Mayes was trying to land the big left hand over and over while Sipe was coming back with right hands. Mayes tried for some sort of jumping kick, but it ended with a takedown from Sipe. He was able to transition to side control briefly but was looking to land some serious ground and pound. Mayes was able to scramble back to his feet and they were back to standing. Mayes threw some slow punches that were landing, but then ate a low kick to the cup from Sipe. We had a stop in the action. On the restart, the two guys butted heads, and Sipe threw a spin kick that missed. Sipe tried again for a takedown, but Mayes stayed on his feet. Sipe had him pressed up against the fence. Sipe landed a nice knee to the body, and the separated. These guys were throwing bombs now and both landed. They clashed heads again. Sipe landed a hard kick to the body. Sipe tried to change levels again against the cage, but it was Mayes landing heavy elbows prior to the round coming to an end. We headed to round 2 with both guys covered in blood. Sipe came forward immediately trying to land. Sipe landed a nice combination. Mayes was eating hard leg kicks that were hurting him. Mayes ducked a big right hand and hit a left hook in return. Sipe kept looking for big looping right hands that were missing. Sipe again closed the distance and put Mayes back against the fence. Mayes hit a spinning back fist, but we had Sipe pressing Mayes up against the fence again. Mayes reversed the position and got out of the clinch but ate a right hand. Mayes hit a hard elbow in Sipe as he came forward, and he was covered in blood immediately. The cut was so bad they decided to stop the fight to look at it. After the doctor’s check it out we got a restart. Sipe was going back to the leg kicks. Sipe tried an overhand right but missed. Sipe tried to change levels, and Mayes was smashing him with hammer fists. Sipe was down and Mayes was trying to finish. Sipe ended up on his back and Mayes was just going at him. Mayes had gotten into full mount and just kept throwing shots. Sipe was doing enough to defend himself and stay in the fight. Eventually, however, more and more shots came from Mayes and the referee had seen enough. Don’Tale Mayes used that experience in the Contender series and came through with a nice win. He was able to finish it in the second round on the mat. Mayes still had issues with stamina, and that could hold him back from getting the contract.
We closed the show Tuesday with our featured matchup between Roosevelt “The Predator” Roberts (6-0) and Garrett “Glory to God” Gross (11-7). Roberts came right out and landed a hard kick to the body. Gross tried to change levels very quickly, but Roberts was able to get him in a standing guillotine quickly. Gross was able to fight his way out of it and had Roberts pressed up against the fence. Roberts was finally able to reverse the position, and then scored a takedown of his own. Roberts had him pressed up against the cage and was trying to land some ground and pound. Roberts hit some nice short left hands. Roberts threatened with a guillotine but just kept Gross down there. Roberts was continuing to try and soften him up as he was searching for the guillotine. Roberts eventually backed off and stood up. Gross did not get up, and Roberts dove back in on top of him. Roberts landed some nice ground and pound and hit two big hard right hands. Gross tried to get up, and almost found himself back in a guillotine as the first round ended. We headed to round 2 and Gross threw a low leg kick. Roberts hit him with a combination, and Gross came running forward and pressed Roberts up against the fence. Roberts immediately turned it into a takedown and was back in control on the mat. Roberts quickly transitioned into side control and mount very quickly. Roberts was looking for a submission from mount. Robinson had postured up and landed hard elbows followed by a flurry of ground and pound punches. Gross rolled over and gave up his back almost immediately. Roberts locked in a rear naked choke immediately and the tap came very quickly. Roosevelt Roberts looked very good in this matchup. He was able to control the fight everywhere it went. He showed how fast his submissions can be, and how good his grappling is. This is a real contract deserving performance.
We now headed to the decision from Dana White on who would be getting contracts after another super fun week. Dana announced that the contract recipients would be Juan Adams, Ian Heinisch, Jordan Griffin, and Roosevelt Roberts. This was absolutely the correct call for all 4 of these guys. The Contender Series has delivered week in and week out 5 fights, 5 finishes, and 3 in the first round. Honestly, it will be sad to see it go next week as it closes out its 8-week second season after next week. Speaking of next week, we close out the Contender Series strong with the return of the controversial former NFL player Greg Hardy (1-0). He won his first matchup on the series in week 1 in 57 seconds, and he now looks to get his second win and a full UFC contract.
