Welcome to Fightful.com's live coverage & discussion for Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3, Episode 9. We'll be bringing you full, fight by fight coverage of every bout on the card. You can also send in your feedback on our Disqus boards below!
Dana White Awards The Contract(s) To: Philip Rowe
Philip Rowe def. Leon Shahbazyan by TKO via strikes (0:16, R3)
Jamal Pogues def. Marcos Brigagao by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Steve Garcia def. Desmond Torres by TKO via strikes (4:35, R1)
Mallory Martin def. Micol Di Segni by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Ricky Steele def. Phil Caracappa by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Ricky Steele vs. Phil Caracappa
Round One: The round begins with Caracappa and Steele exchanging a few kick attempts, Caracappa charges at Steele while landing a few strikes. Caracappa swings at Steele before getting him against the cage wall, the fighters separate and Caracappa attacks Steele with leg kicks. Steele backs up Caracappa by throwing a few kicks of his own, Caracappa grabs Steele and gets him against the cage wall. Caracappa attacks Steele with knee strikes to the thigh, Caracappa scores a takedown on Steele and Steele gets right back up. Steele goes back to attacking Caracappa with a variety of kicks, Caracappa again charges at Steele before getting him against the cage wall. Caracappa scores a takedown on Steele and he gets the open guard, Steele scrambles to his feet and Caracappa jumps on his back. Steele shakes Caracappa off of him and he gets top position on the ground as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Caracappa
Round Two: The round begins with Steele attacking Caracappa with a head kick, Caracappa looks for a takedown and Steele gets top control while landing strikes. Caracappa wall walks to his feet and Steele gets him against the cage wall, Caracappa attacks Steele with knee strikes while in the clinch. The fighters separate and Caracappa cracks Steele with a few left hooks, Caracappa grabs Steele and he gets him against the cage wall. Steele spins Caracappa and gets him against the cage wall, the fighters exchange knee strikes while in the clinch. Steele separates from Caracappa to land a combination, Caracappa slips on a kick attempt and the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Steele (Overall Score: 19-19 for Draw)
Round Three: The round begins with Caracappa Steele attacking Caracappa with some leg kicks, Caracappa charges at Steele while swinging away at him. Steele charges forward and he kicks away at Caracappa, Caracappa charges at Steele while landing strikes to the midsection. Caracappa grabs Steele and gets him against the cage wall, Steele spins Caracappa into the cage wall while landing a few rights. Steele also attacks Caracappa with knee strikes while in the clinch, Caracappa stuns Steele with a pair of elbow strikes to the head. Steele goes for a takedown and Caracappa catches him in a guillotine choke, Steele escapes the choke to get top control on the ground. Caracappa attacks Steele with a bunch of strikes while on his back and the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Caracappa (Final Score: 29-28 for Caracappa)
Official Result: Ricky Steele def. Phil Caracappa by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Micol Di Segni vs. Mallory Martin
Round One: The round begins with the fighters immediately swinging away at each other, Di Segni comes forward and she cracks Martin with a few rights. Di Segni comes forward while nailing Martin with combinations, Martin scores a takedown on Di Segni and she gets side control. Martin moves to the half guard of Di Segni while landing a few strikes, Martin regains side control against Di Segni and Di Segni gets her back in the half guard. Martin goes back to attacking Di Segni with ground and pound, Di Segni scrambles to her feet while eating some lefts. Martin scores another takedown on Di Segni and she immediately lands strikes, Di Segni scrambles to her feet and Martin briefly gets her in a standing guillotine choke. Di Segni swings away at Martin as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Martin
Round Two: The round begins with Di Segni attacking Martin with a few leg kicks, Di Segni attacks Martin with some combinations. Martin starts firing back against a swinging Di Segni, Martin attacks Di Segni with a few front kicks to the face. Martin looks to nail a swinging Di Segni with counter strikes, Di Segni continuously goes after Martin with overhand rights. Martin grabs Di Segni and she gets her against the cage wall, Martin scores a takedown onDi Segni and she gets side control. Di Segni scrambles to her feet after eating some ground and pound, Di Segni comes forward and she swings away at Martin. Martin trips up a kicking Di Segni with a leg kick and she gets top control on the ground as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Martin (Overall Score: 20-18 for Martin)
Round Three: The round begins with Martin attacking Di Segni with some combinations, Di Segni responds by throwing some strikes of her own. Di Segni cracks a swinging Martin with a counter right hook, Di Segni goes back to attacking Martin with overhand rights. Martin grabs Di Segni and she gets her against the cage wall, Martin scores a takedown on Di Segni and she gets back control. Di Segni scrambles to her feet while eating a few strikes, Martin drags Di Segni back to the ground and she gets back control. Martin attacks Di Segni with some ground and pound, Di Segni scrambles back to her feet and she attacks Martin with lefts. Di Segni also attacks a clinching Martin with some knee strikes, the fighters separate and Di Segni attempts a spinning back fist. Di Segni cracks Martin with a superman punch to the face, Di Segni continuously comes forward while swinging away at Martin. Di Segni lands a few more strikes on Martin as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Di Segni (Final Score: 29-28 for Martin)
Official Result: Mallory Martin def. Micol Di Segni by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Desmond Torres vs. Steve Garcia
Round One: The round begins with Torres and Garcia exchanging a bunch of kicks, Torres gets Garcia against the cage wall while landing a few strikes. The fighters separate and Torres gets Garcia back against the cage wall, the fighters separate and Torres attacking Garcia with a head kick. Garcia then cracks an incoming Torres with a left uppercut, Garcia stuns Torres with a multiple punch combination. Torres scores a takedown on Garcia and Garcia gets right back up, Torres grabs Garcia and gets him against the cage wall. The fighters separate and Garcia lands a few shots on Torres, Garcia cracks Torres with a step in knee strike. Garcia rocks Torres with a combination and he pounces on him with a ton of strikes, Torres falls down and Garcia lands a ton of strikes until the referee jumps in.
Official Result: Steve Garcia def. Desmond Torres by TKO via strikes (4:35, R1)
Marcos Brigagao vs. Jamal Pogues
Round One: The round begins with the fighters immediately having a wild striking exchange, the fighters briefly clinch before landing more strikes. Brigagao nails Pogues with a kick to the midsection, Pogues scores a takedown on Brigagao and he gets the open guard, Pogues attacks Brigagao with some ground and pound. Brigagao scrambles to his feet and he attacks Pogues with some left hooks, Pogues scores another takedown on Brigagao and he gets the half guard. Pogues rolls for an arm bar and Brigagao escapes while Pogues keeps top control, Brigagao scrambles to his feet at Pogues swings away at him. Pogues nails Brigagao with a jumping knee strike to the head, Pogues scores another takedown on Brigagao and he gets the open guard as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Pogues
Round Two: The round begins with Pogues attacking Brigagao with a few high kicks, Brigagao comes forward and he attacks Pogues with a combination. Pogues grabs Brigagao and he gets him against the cage wall, Pogues separates from Brigagao while landing a combination. Pogues scores a takedown on Brigagao and he gets the half guard, Brigagao gets Pogues in his open guard while eating a few strikes. Brigagao eats a ton of ground and pound before scrambling to his feet, Pogues also nails Brigagao with a head kick. Pogues scores another takedown on Brigagao and he gets the north/south position, Brigagao scrambles to his feet and Pogues separates from him. Brigagao eats a knee strike before kicking Pogues in the midsection, Brigagao comes forward and he swings away at Pogues. Pogues grabs a swinging Brigagao and gets him against the cage wall as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Pogues (Overall Score: 20-18 for Pogues)
Round Three: The round begins with Brigagao attacking Pogues with some leg kicks, Brigagao and Pogues have a few striking exchanges. Brigagao nails Pogues with a kick to the midsection, Pogues scores a takedown on Brigagao and he gets the open guard. Pogues attacks Brigagao with some ground and pound, Brigagao scrambles to his feet and Pogues gets him against the cage wall. The fighters separate and Brigagao takes a few swings at Pogues, Pogues continues nailing Brigagao with counter strikes. Pogues grabs Brigagao and he gets him up against the cage wall, the fighters separate and Pogues scores another takedown on Brigagao. Brigagao scrambles to his feet and Pogues shoves him down as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Pogues (Final Score: 30-27 for Pogues)
Official Result: Jamal Pogues def. Marcos Brigagao by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Leon Shahbazyan vs. Philip Rowe
Round One: The round begins with Shahbazyan taking a few swings at Rowe, Shahbazyan and Rowe exchange a few leg kicks. Shahbazyan comes forward and he nails Rowe with a straight right, Shahbazyan cracks Rowe with an elbow strike to the head. Shahbazyan drops Rowe with a combination and Rowe gets up while eating a ton of strikes, Shahbazyan charges forward and he swings away at Rowe. Shahbazyan continuously cracks Rowe with a plethora of combinations, Shahbazyan comes forward and he attacks Rowe with rights. Rowe responds and he cracks Shahbazyan with a right uppercut, Rowe backs up Shahbazyan by landing a combination. Shahbazyan lands a few body kicks as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Shahbazyan
Round Two: The round begins with Shahbazyan cracking Rowe with an overhand right, Rowe comes forward and he takes some swings at Shahbazyan. Rowe starts attacking Shahbazyan with some leg kicks, Shahbazyan grabs Rowe and he gets him up against the cage wall. The fighters separate and Rowe rocks Shahbazyan with a massive combination, Shahbazyan scores a takedown on Rowe and he gets the half guard. Rowe sweeps Shahbazyan and he gains top control, Rowe attacks Shahbazyan with some ground and pound until the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Rowe (Overall Score: 19-19 for Draw)
Round Three: The round begins with Rowe rocking Shahbazyan with a right, Rowe drops Shahbazyan with a combination and he pounces on him with more strikes until the referee jumps in.
Official Result: Philip Rowe def. Leon Shahbazyan by TKO via strikes (0:16, R3)
