Dana White’s Contender Series rolls into Week 4

This past weekend in San Diego, at the Pechanga Arena, a sold-out crowd of 12,804 fans proved once again that there’s not much that compares to a live UFC event with a crowd. The event also pulled in $1.735 million.

Last weekend’s UFC San Diego card was the highest grossing sporting event in Pechanga Arena history. The night was capped off by two incredible fights. In the main event, Marlon Chito Vera continued his ascension through the gauntlet that is the Bantamweight division with a statement making victory over two-time UFC Bantamweight champion and San Diego native Dominick Cruz. Vera timed Cruz’s movement and landed a vicious head kick to score a knockout victory. With many of the top Bantamweights set to fight in the coming months, the victory sets up Vera for a potential title shot.

In the co-main event fans were treated to a war in the fight of the night between featherweights David Onama and Nate Landwehr. Landwehr outlasted Onama to claim victory by decision. After their valiant effort in the octagon, there’s no doubt that both men earned a multitude of fans on Saturday night.

After a record-breaking weekend in San Diego, the Ultimate Fighting Championship makes the trek back home to Las Vegas and the UFC Apex for Episode 4 of this season of Dana White’s Contender Series. The excitement of Week 3 will be hard to duplicate.

In Week 3, UFC president Dana White handed out three contracts to Jamal Pouges, Erick Silva and Clayton Carpenter. Week 3 also featured the Contender Series debut of three-time NCAA wrestling national champion Bo Nickal. Nickal entered the UFC Apex dripping in potential star power. Despite a dominating victory over Zachary Borrego in just 62 seconds via a rear-naked choke, Nickal was not awarded a contract. With a record of just 2-0 and under a round of fight time in mixed martial arts, the UFC and Dana White decided Nickal needs more experience before being thrown into the fire that is the UFC.

On the decision, White said, “He looked incredible. The only reason I didn’t sign him tonight is because he’s 2-0 now. Like I said, we got eight more weeks of this (The Contender Series) why not have him fight here again? You know what I mean? It just makes sense.”

Nickal took the news in stride, telling UFC reporter Laura Sanko “I didn’t come here to be a UFC fighter, I came here to be a UFC champion.” Nickal will indeed receive another opportunity to compete for a contract inside the UFC Apex during Episode 10 on Sept. 27 vs. 7-1 Donovan Beard.

This Tuesday, August 16, Dana White’s Contender Series Week 4 card is headlined by a lightweight clash between undefeated Argentinian prospect Esteban Ribovics and England’s Thomas Paull. Opening the card Tuesday night, Nasim Naz Sadykhov, carrying the banner of team Serra-Longo, looks to stretch his winning streak to seven against Ahmad Suhail-Hasanzada. The action begins Tuesday, August 16 at 8 p.m. on ESPN Plus.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season Six, Episode 4 Full Card

Lightweight-main event: 10-0 Esteban Ribovics vs. 11-3 Thomas Paull

Middleweight-co-main event: 9-2 Claudio Ribeiro vs. 8–1 Ivan Valenzuela

Bantamweight: 10-0 Jack Cartwright vs. 14-7 Jose Johnson

Women’s bantamweight: 6-2 Hailey Cowan vs. 8-2 Claudia Leite

Lightweight: 8-1 Ahmad Suhail-Hasanzada vs. 6-1 Nasim Sadykhov