Welcome to Fightful.com's live coverage & discussion for Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contenders Series: Episode 1. We'll be bringing you full, round by round 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 Kurt Holobaugh & Boston Salmon
Kurt Holobaugh def. Matt Bessette by KO via strikes (R1)
Zu Anyanwu def. Greg Rebello by KO via strikes (R2)
Boston Salmon def. Ricky Turcios by unanimous decision
Charles Byrd def. Jamie Pickett by submission via arm triangle choke (R1)
Joby Sanchez def. Manny Vazquez by unanimous decision
Round By Round Recap
Manny Vazquez vs. Joby Sanchez
Round One: The round begins with Vazquez peppering Sanchez with a few jabs, Sanchez responds by attacking Vazquez with leg kicks. Sanchez comes forward and he pops Vazquez with a left hook followed by a high kick attempt, Vazquez catches a swinging Sanchez with a knee strike to the midsection. Sanchez grabs Vazquez and he holds him against the cage wall, Vazquez attacks Sanchez with knee strikes while in the clinch. The fighters separate and Sanchez attempts a high kick against Vazquez, Vazquez drops a swinging Sanchez with a multiple punch combination. Vazquez gets back control on Sanchez when the fight hit the ground, Vazquez attacks Sanchez with a few short range strikes as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Vazquez
Round Two: The round begins with Sanchez grabbing Vazquez and putting him against the cage wall, Sanchez scores a takedown on Vazquez and he gets side control. Vazquez eventually traps Sanchez in his full guard, Sanchez scrambles and he gets back control against Vazquez. Sanchez starts attacking Vazquez with some ground and pound, Sanchez returns to the half guard on Vazquez while landing more strikes and the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Sanchez (Overall Score: 19-19 for Draw)
Round Three: The round begins with Vazquez scoring a takedown on Sanchez and Sanchez gets right back up to his feet, Vazquez gets standing back control on Sanchez. Vazquez drags Sanchez back to the ground after kicking off the cage wall, Sanchez spins at the right time and he gets top position against Vazquez. Sanchez starts attacking Vazquez with a few strikes, Sanchez catches Vazquez in the d’arce choke and Vazquez escapes. The fighters scramble to their feet and attack each other with high kicks, Vazquez swings away at an incoming Sanchez. Sanchez scores a takedown on Vazquez and he gets back control, Sanchez quickly attacks Vazquez with more strikes until the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Sanchez (Final Score: 29-28 for Sanchez)
Official Result: Joby Sanchez def. Manny Vazquez by unanimous decision
Charles Byrd vs. Jamie Pickett
Round One: The round begins with Byrd attacking Pickett with some leg kicks, Byrd barely connects with a head kick on Pickett. Pickett scores a takedown on Byrd and he gets leg control, Pickett transitions to back control on a kneeling Byrd. Pickett then advances to the half guard position against Byrd, Byrd scrambles to his feet and Pickett drags him back to the ground. Byrd gets up again and Pickett holds him against the cage wall, Byrd spins Pickett into the cage wall while landing a knee strike. The fighters separate and Byrd scores a takedown on a swinging Pickett, Pickett scrambles to his feet and Byrd holds him against the cage wall until they separate. Byrd swings at Pickett before holding him against the cage wall, Pickett scores a takedown and Byrd sweeps him to get top position. Byrd catches Pickett in the arm triangle choke and Byrd goes out cold.
Official Result: Charles Byrd def. Jamie Pickett by submission via arm triangle choke (R1)
Boston Salmon vs. Ricky Turcios
Round One: The round begins with Turcios attacking Salmon with a variety of kicks, Salmon nails Turcios with a straight left. Turcios just continues coming forward while throwing kicks, Salmon continues catching Turcios with a few lefts. Turcios starts hunting for the takedown against Salmon, Salmon catches a swinging Turcios with a counter strike combination. Salmon starts nailing a kicking Turcios with counter lefts, Turcios continues his kicking attack against Salmon. Salmon pops a kicking Turcios with a counter right hook, Salmon comes forward and swings wildly at Turcios. Salmon nails Turcios with another combination as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Salmon
Round Two: The round begins with Turcios attacking Salmon with some kicks, Salmon looks to catch a kicking Turcios with counter strikes. Salmon then nails Turcios with a straight left to the midsection, Salmon eats a kick to the midsection before landing a right hook. Turcios starts hunting for the takedown against Salmon, Salmon backs Turcios into the cage wall while throwing a combination. Turcios starts nailing Salmon with some leg kicks, Salmon continues to just attack Turcios with some punching combinations. Salmon catches Turcios with a two punch combination to the midsection, Salmon then catches Turcios with a kick to the midsection. Salmon follows that up by nailing a swinging Turcios with a two punch combination, Turcios kicks away at Salmon as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Salmon (Overall Score: 20-18 for Salmon)
Round Three: The round begins with Turcios going back to attacking Salmon with kicks, Salmon tries picking apart Turcios with counter strike combinations. Salmon briefly drops a kicking Turcios with a counter right hook, Turcios grabs Salmon and he holds him against the cage wall. Salmon cracks Turcios with a few knee strikes while in the clinch, Salmon then cracks a swinging Turcios with a counter right uppercut. Turcios backs Salmon into the cage wall while swinging away at him, Salmon attacks Turcios with another knee strike before they separated. Salmon catches a swinging Turcios with a counter strike combination, Salmon also catches Turcios with a few kicks to the midsection. Turcios backs Salmon into the cage wall while landing a few knee strikes, Salmon cracks Turcios with a few knee strikes of his own before they separate. The fighters just swing wildly at each other as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Salmon (Final Score: 30-27 for Salmon)
Official Result: Boston Salmon def. Ricky Turcios by unanimous decision
Greg Rebello vs. Zu Anyanwu
Round One: The round begins with Rebello nailing Anyanwu with a straight left, Anyanwu backs Rebello into the cage wall with a high kick attempt. Rebello starts attacking Anyanwu with some leg kicks, Rebello eats a combo after catching Anyanwu with a right hook. Rebello backs up Anyanwu after landing a pair of lefts, Anyanwu rocks a swinging Rebello with a counter right. Anyanwu scores a takedown on a kicking Rebello and he gets the half guard as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Anyanwu
Round Two: The round begins with Rebello attempting a front kick against Anyanwu, Anyanwu backs Rebello into the cage wall after landing a series of rights. Rebello goes back to popping Anyanwu with a few lefts, Anyanwu catches Rebello with a right to the midsection. Rebello rocks Anyanwu with a three punch combination, Anyanwu comes forward and he attacks Rebello with a few rights. Anyanwu traps Rebello against the cage wall while throwing a combination, Anyanwu drops a swinging Rebello with a counter right and he pounces on him with a few strikes until the referee jumps in.
Official Result: Zu Anyanwu def. Greg Rebello by KO via strikes (R2)
Matt Bessette vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Round One: The round begins with Holobaugh attacking Bessette with some leg kicks, Bessette attempts a head kick against Holobaugh. Bessette comes forward to cracks Holobaugh with an overhand right, Holobaugh rocks Bessette with a multiple punch combination near the cage wall. Holobaugh continues attacking Bessette with some counter strikes, Bessette cracks a swinging Holobaugh with a counter right hook. Bessette starts attacking Holobaugh with some leg kicks as well, Holobaugh swings away at Bessette while in the clinch. Holobaugh rocks a swinging Bessette with a counter right, Holobaugh pounces on a rocked Bessette until he goes down and the referee jumps in.
Official Result: Kurt Holobaugh def. Matt Bessette by KO via strikes
