LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was onsite at Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 61 event.
The series sees prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions.
The fifth episode of Season 7 saw 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract with five fighters earning UFC contract offers: bantamweight Dione Barbosa (6-2), featherweight Jean Silva (11-2), middleweight Dylan Budka (7-2), featherweight Serhiy Sidey (10-1), and light heavyweight Brendson Ribeiro (15-5).
Perhaps the highlight of the event, however, was White’s facial expressions following a quick stoppage by referee Kevin MacDonald during Sidey vs. Ramon Taveras (8-2).
White called it “one of the worst ref stoppages” he’s ever seen, so he announced Taveras will get another shot on DWCS during Week 10.
Full results of Dana White’s Contender Series 61 include:
- Brendson Ribeiro def. Bruno Lopes via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:47
- Serhiy Sidey def. Ramon Taveras via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:26
- Dylan Budka def. Chad Hanekom via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Jean Silva def. Kevin Vallejos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Dione Barbosa def. Rainn Guerrero via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:35
Continue reading below for more details about each fight – and watch the Sidey vs. Taveras stoppage for yourself.
Dione Barbosa vs. Rainn Guerrero
Wasted NO time getting the first finish of the night! 🔥
Dione Barbosa locks in the arm bar in Round 1! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/fMijyeb8Dd
— UFC (@ufc) September 6, 2023
Result: Dione Barbosa def. Rainn Guerrero via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:35
Photos: Dione Barbosa def. Rainn Guerrero
Records: Dione Barbosa (6-2), Rainn Guerrero (5-2)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith
Round 1 – After some feeling-out, Barbosa throws a high kick and falls out. Guerrero follows her to the canvas. Barbosa throws up for a triangle but Guerrero avoids. Remaining active off her back, Barbosa tries to grab hold of a leg. The threat of the submission is enough for Barbosa to get up and shove Guerrero into the fence. Barbosa tosses Guerrero to the canvas and traps an arm between her legs. Guerrero is struggling while in a headlock position but eventually slips out and lands on top. Guerrero is in Barbosa’s guard. Barbosa shoots for an armbar – and she gets it! Wow. That was slick work by the Cris Cyborg training protege.
Jean Silva vs. Kevin Vallejos
What a fight! Silva and Vallejos are headed to a decision after 3 hard rounds 👏 #DWCS pic.twitter.com/qIvQ8TQs2C
— UFC (@ufc) September 6, 2023
Result: Jean Silva def. Kevin Vallejos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Jean Silva def. Kevin Vallejos
Records: Jean Silva (11-2), Kevin Vallejos (11-1)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kevin MacDonald
Round 1 – It’s Brazil vs. Argentina. These two are intense and the fight hasn’t even begun yet. Vallejos was barking like a dog prior to the opening bell. Interesting. Both men are flowing early and appear to pack some power. Lots of punches and kicks exchanged in a back-and-forth manner. Neither have stunned the other, but it’s only a matter of time. The skill and strength is pretty clear. Their combinations are so crisp and dangerous. One mistake could be very costly. 10-9 Vallejos.
Round 2 – Silva’s corner was unhappy that he did not get a finish in Round 1. Perhaps as a result, Silva comes out aggressive. After some striking success, Silva tries a flying knee but wipes out. Back up, Vallejos begins to create some separation. He lands a good combination, followed by a leg kick. They throw simultaneously. They both land in synchrony. Silva has a fast jab. Vallejos is throwing less here than he did in Round 1. He appears to be slowing down. He’s also bleeding on the left side of his nose. Silva lands consecutive combinations. Vallejos didn’t like those. Silva rocks him with a knee and Vallejos backs into the cage. Silva feeds him a brutal elbow and somehow Vallejos does not go down. Silva continues to blast Vallejos with his boxing. Vallejos has absorbed a tremendous amount of damage here. He is bleeding all over the place too. Silva lands a pair of head kicks before the horn. 19-19.
Round 3 – If this was PRIDE or One Championship scoring, Silva would be winning by a landslide. But the unified rules should have it at one round apiece. Vallejos starts the round a bit reenergized, it seems. Silva is finding his range again, which could be bad news for Vallejos. Silva lands a few boxing combinations. Vallejos is bleeding again. Vallejos grabs hold of a Silva leg, then shoves Silva away. Silva throws a haymaker that whiffs. Silva shoots against the fence and Vallejos defends. Silva lands a combination, then tosses Vallejos over backward. Vallejos gets up and separates. Both fighters land. Silva connects on a flying knee. The round ends and the fighters go forehead-to-forehead. MMA Junkie scores it 29-28 Silva.
Dylan Budka vs. Chad Hanekom
Dylan Budka by unanimous decision 💪
He takes the win over Hanekom on #DWCS Week 5! pic.twitter.com/KZ30VHQRwq
— UFC (@ufc) September 6, 2023
Result: Dylan Budka def. Chad Hanekom via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Dylan Budka def. Chad Hanekom
Records: Dylan Budka (7-2), Chad Hanekom (9-3)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith
Round 1 – Budka took this fight on short notice. Let’s see how he does. Hanekom lands a low calf kick. Moments later, he lands another. Hanekom circles wide as Budka throws a slow head kick. Hanekom lands another leg kick as Budka comes over the top. It appears Hanekom has an early target. Budka connects on another combination. Hanekom tries a takedown and Budka pushes him away. Hanekom comes over the top and then lands another leg kick. Budka gets aggressive and grabs hold of Hanekom, who swings him around and drives him into the cage. Hanekom throws a knee to the body in the clinch and Budka catches it. Budka uses it to rotate Hanekom into the cage. Hanekom seeks a guillotine choke and uses it to reverse position. Hanekom drops for a double leg. Budka’s corner is screaming at him to break the grip. Hanekom switches to a single leg. Budka still defends. Budka grabs hold of Hanekom’s neck and twists him into the mat. Budka is in side control. Hanekom goes belly own and nearly gets blasted by a knee on the way up. Budka picks up Hanekom against the fence. Hanekom threatens another guillotine choke but Budka dumps him down. The round ends. 10-9 Hanekom.
Round 2 – Budka goes back to his bread and butter and takes Hanekom down. Hanekom gets up and shoves Budka into the fence. There’s not much going on here. I’m not sure this is the performance the UFC brass is looking for from either men. I’m slightly surprised the referee hasn’t broken this one up. Budka grabs Hanekom’s neck again and twists him down into the canvas – similar to Round 1. Budka is in side control. Hanekom tries to push off the fence but can’t leverage enough. Budka lands a few elbows. Hanekom cage-walks up to his feet. Budka lands some knees and shoves Hanekom into the fence. With three seconds left, Budka knees Hanekom in the groin and referee Mark Smith calls timeout. Hanekom uses over three minutes before the action resumes – for three seconds. 20-18 Budka.
Round 3 – Budka scores an early takedown but Hanekom gets right back up. Budka still has a grip of Hanekom against the fence. He’s trying a double leg takedown. Lots of grinding – so much so that referee Mark Smith gets a warning. Hanekom lands a Travis Browne elbow. Eventually, Hanekom reverses position. There’s more stalling. Finally Smith breaks them up. Hanekom immediately shoots again and back to the fence we go. Budka defends and tries to circle out. Hanekom won’t let go and crawls on his knees toward the fence. Hanekom uses the final minute-plus as he tries for a takedown. Budka threatens a guillotine choke and the round ends. MMA Junkie scores it 29-28 Budka.
Serhiy Sidey vs. Ramon Taveras
Serhiy Sidey drops the HAMMER 💥
Big first round finish on #DWCS Week 5! pic.twitter.com/osu7qQR3Ot
— UFC (@ufc) September 6, 2023
Result: Serhiy Sidey def. Ramon Taveras via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:26
Photos: Serhiy Sidey def. Ramon Taveras
Records: Serhiy Sidey (10-1) vs. Ramon Taveras (8-2)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kevin MacDonald
Round 1 – Hopefully for everyone’s sake this fight is a bit more exciting than the last one. Taveras is the aggressor early. He lets his hands go and whips a combination at Sidey, who returns with a head kick. Taveras fires a couple more punches and then a leg kick. Taveras just misses Sidey’s chin with a left. Sidey briefly shoots for a takedown and Taveras quickly defends. They throw and Taveras carcks Sidey with a punch. Sidey returns and floors Taveras. Sidey pounces and in dives referee Kevin MacDonald. Wow. It appeared Taveras was defending properly. Definitely an early stoppage.
Bruno Lopes vs. Brendson Ribeiro
Result: Brendson Ribeiro def. Bruno Lopes via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:47
Recap: Brendson Ribeiro’s heavy hands sleep Bruno Lopes
Photos: Brendson Ribeiro def. Bruno Lopes
Records: Bruno Lopes (11-1), Brendson Ribeiro (15-5)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith
Round 1 – Ribeiro swings wildly. Lopes rushes in with a combination. This one just has the feeling that someone is going to go down. Both fighters whiff on heavy combinations. Lopes lands two punches and Ribeiro misses on a leg kick. They jab. Ribeiro lands a left. He’s a massive underdog in this fight according to the books, but he doesn’t look out of place. Ribeiro jabs again. Lopes gets a little wild and Ribeiro feeds him a jab. Lopes connects with a left. Lopes lands a combination. Ribeiro chucks bombs and Lopes connects. Ribeiro drills Lopes with a right hand and Lopes returns with a left. Ribeiro lands and knocks Lopes down. Ribeiro throws a few follow-ups and that’s it! Lopes is out cold! The heavy underdog cashes.
