After a lackluster first week to the new season of Dana White’s Contender Series that saw only one fighter being awarded a UFC contract, the second instalment last night proved to be the complete opposite, with five new signings emerging from an action-packed card.
In the main event it was Chris Duncan who claimed a contract after a stunning come-from-behind KO victory against Charlie Campbell, who had rocked his opponent with big strikes in the early stages of the opening round and was closing in for a big finish when he was suddenly caught by a straight right that rendered him unconscious.
The co-main event between Vinicius Salvador and Shannon Ross proved to be a thriller, with both men being willing participants in a stand-up war that went the best part of two rounds.
Both men had their moments here, but Salvador landed the more punishing blows and indeed almost stopped Ross in the opening round with a huge left hook that sunk him to the mat, but somehow he struggled back to his feet and continued to slug it out. However, he was left unable to withstand another onslaught late in the second round that saw him rocked by an uppercut, with a barrage of follow-up blows sending him to the mat for a TKO finish.
The only fight of the evening to go to the judges scorecards saw Francis Marshall get the better of Connor Matthews on the feet and on the mat to earn a convincing unanimous decision victory and a UFC contract to go along with it.
Meanwhile, heavyweight action brought a first round TKO finish for former Cincinnati Reds player Waldo Cortes-Acosta, who was able to send Danilo Suzart reeling backwards onto the mat with an uppercut followed by a right hook from the clinch and then sealed the deal with a brief spell of ground-and-pound blows.
The night had also got underway with another TKO in the opening round with Billy Goff surviving a head kick from Shimon Smotritsky early in the round and then turning the screw a few minutes later as he forced his opponent to go into a defensive shell with his strikes and continued to land until Smotritsky fell to the floor.
Check out all the Contender Series 6 Week 2 results below.
Chris Duncan def. Charlie Campbell via KO (punch) – Round 1, 1:43
Vinicius Salvador def. Shannon Ross via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:22
Francis Marshall def. Connor Matthews via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Danilo Suzart via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:40
Billy Goff def. Shimon Smotritsky via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:37
