MMA Junkie was 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 saw 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. Welterweights took center stage in the feature bout as Japan’s Yusaku Kinoshita (6-1) took on Brazil’s Jose Henrique (5-1).
At the conclusion of the show, White extended contracts to all five winners, marking the third week in a row in which all winners on the show were granted entrance into the UFC.
This week, four of the five bouts were finished early, including three submission finishes and a TKO in the feature bout. Sedriques Dumas, Mateusz Rebecki, and Blake Bilder ended their fights with chokes. Kinoshita rocked Henrique with a beautiful counter which led to a TKO finish.
In the lone bout that reached the judges’ scorecards, Viktorya Dudakova’s performance impressed White enough to issue a contract as she pressed through an injury.
The UFC Apex hosted Tuesday’s card, which streamed live on ESPN+. The full results of Dana White’s Contender Series 50 include:
MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
- Yusaku Kinoshita def. Jose Henrique via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 0:43
- Sedriques Dumas def. Matej Penaz via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:47
- Mateusz Rebecki def. Rodrigo Lidio via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:05
- Viktoriya Dudakova def. Maria Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Blake Bilder def. Alexander Morgan via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:15
Continue reading below for more details about each fight.
Blake Bilder vs. Alexander Morgan
Bilder circled on the outside as Morgan patiently stalked without cutting off the cage. The outside leg kick was the weapon of choice for Morgan, as Bilder looked for openings. Bilder landed a hard right hand that stunned Morgan, and he immediately jumped on a rear-naked choke attempt. After a couple of adjustments, Bilder had it locked in and Morgan had no other choice but to tap.
Result: Blake Bilder def. Alexander Morgan via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:15
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 52: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Blake Bilder (7-0-1), Alexander Morgan (11-5)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog
Viktoriya Dudakova vs. Maria Silva
Dudakova pressed forward and secured an early takedown. Silva did well working in guard to stop transitions and limit damage from Dudakova. The position stalled and the fighters were stood up by the ref, but Dudakova brought the fight right back to the mat until the end of the round.
The fighters clinched early in the second, but this time it was Silva who got the fight to the mat and began working from top position. Dudakova also did well to limit offense from Silva, and after returning to the feet momentarily, she returned the favor with a takedown of her own. The pair returned to the feet again, and Dudakova’s knee buckled after an exchange. She jumped for a leg lock but Silva reversed and landed ground and pound until the round ended.
The cageside doctor checked on Dudakova’s knee before the round began, and the fight continued. Despite her movement being hindered, Dudakova was able to get a takedown, land punches, and eventually take Silva’s back. Dudakova kept the position while threatening a rear-naked choke and landing short strikes.
Result: Viktoriya Dudakova def. Maria Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 52: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Viktoriya Dudakova (6-0), Maria Silva (8-1)
Division: Strawweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran
Rodrigo Lidio vs. Mateusz Rebecki
Lidio landed a huge head kick in the opening moments, but somehow Rebecki ate it and got a takedown. Lidio worked his way back up, but Rebecki didn’t give him much time to work before bringing him back down to the canvas with another takedown. As Lidio tried to work his way back up, Rebecki locked in a choke from side control with no body control. Lidio turned into the choke, making it look more like a rear-naked, and the squeeze was tight enough to force the tap.
Result: Mateusz Rebecki def. Rodrigo Lidio via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:05
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 52: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Rodrigo Lidio (12-3), Mateusz Rebecki (16-1)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog
Sedriques Dumas vs. Matej Penaz
After an initial exchange, Dumas shot it and secured a body lock. He succeeded in getting Penaz to the mat and immediately took full mount. Penaz pushed off and got back to his feet, but Dumas stuck with him and locked in a high-elbow guillotine. Penaz tried his best to escape the position, but Dumas had the position too secure to change. The tap soon followed for the fast submission finish.
Result: Sedriques Dumas def. Matej Penaz via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:47
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 52: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Sedriques Dumas (7-0), Matej Penaz (6-1)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran
Yusaku Kinoshita vs. Jose Henrique
Kinoshita pressed forward early in his karate stance, offering quick punches and snappy kicks to the legs. Henrique waited for counters and landed hard punches when he threw. A cut was opened on the side of Kinoshita’s head from a hard elbow, but he continued his forward movement throughout the close opening round.
Henrique led the first few exchanges of the second, changing things up from the first round. Kinoshita smiled after Henrique missed with a big head kick. The heated exchanges continued with both fighters landing solid punches, and at one point, a full-on brawl broke out. Kinoshita found the range and landed clean as he pressed forward in the latter half of the round. The second round was another solid frame of back-and-forth action.
Just as the action began in the third, an eye poke from Henrique paused the fight. Once the fight resumed, Henrique pressed forward with a punch, but Kinoshita hit a beautiful pull counter left hand to drop his opponent. The swarm for the finish was on and the referee jumped in a moment later.
Result: Yusaku Kinoshita def. Jose Henrique via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 0:43
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 52: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Yusaku Kinoshita (6-1), Jose Henrique (5-1)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog
