Knockdown Daily 8/3/22: UFC Signs Five Names Following 'Contender Series' Episode
Results from Tuesday's "Dana White's Contender Series" episode lead today's MMA headlines
Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the Knockdown Daily. Today’s issue is a busy one, as it has a news catchup from the past two days. Let’s start
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All Five Winners Earn UFC Contracts on Second 2022 ‘Dana White’s Contender Series’ Episode
All five winners at this week’s “Dana White’s Contender Series” event earned UFC contracts by the end of the episode. Chris Duncan, Vinicius Salvador, Francis Marshall, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and Billy Goff were all offered contracts on Tuesday night.
The result was a massive change from last week’s season premiere, where just one fighter was signed to the UFC roster after four fights occurred.
“We’re back. Order has been restored on the ‘Contender Series,'” said UFC President Dana White following the episode. White notoriously gave an incensed speech last week, pleading with fighters to show a more explosive style on the show.
In the main event bout, Chris Duncan made a quick comeback to stop Charlie Campbell with punches. Just moments after Duncan was dropped by a shot, he was able to return to his feet and score a knockdown of his own, setting up a finish for the bout.
Vinicius Salvador earned a flyweight contract on Tuesday night, scoring a late second-round finish against Shannon Ross.
Francis Marshall was the sole fighter to win a bout via decision on Tuesday, mixing his striking in with grappling to defeat Connor Matthews on scorecards.
Heavyweight Waldo Cortes-Acosta kept his undefeated record intact when he fought Danilo Suzart, finishing him in the fourth minute with strikes.
Billy Goff opened the card with a bang, defeating returning talent Shimon Smotritsky in the opening round with punches.
A full report on the episode can be read here.
Here are the quick results:
Main Card (8:00PM EDT / 5:00PM PDT) (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass Canada)
Bout 5: Chris Duncan def. Charlie Campbell via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 1:43)
Bout 4: Vinicius Salvador def. Shannon Ross via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 4:22)
Bout 3: Francis Marshall def. Connor Matthews via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 2: Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Danilo Suzart via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 3:40)
Bout 1: Billy Goff def. Shimon Smotritsky via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 3:37)
‘Contender Series’ Standout Joe Pyfer To Make UFC Debut on September 17th
Joe Pyfer, the first name to get signed on the ongoing season of “Dana White’s Contender Series,” already has his UFC debut set.
Pyfer is scheduled to appear at the promotion’s September 17th show against Alen Amedovski, per a report from Nolan King of MMA Junkie.
Pyfer made a name for himself in the opening episode of the “Contender Series,” being the sole name that night to get offered a UFC contract. That contract opportunity came due to his slick stoppage win, putting away Ozzy Diaz in the second round of their bout due to strikes.
The fight was Pyfer’s second time appearing on the “Contender Series.” He entered this episode following a finish win on the regional scene, catching Austin Trotman with strikes on a CFFC card late last year.
Amedovski is winless through his first three appearances in the UFC. His last fight came in May when Joseph Holmes submitted him early with a rear naked choke.
UFC Vet James Krause Announces Retirement From MMA
Welterweight veteran James Krause has decided to put his MMA career to an end.
Krause, 36, announced his retirement from the sport during “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour” on Monday.
“It’s really hard to let go, but I can tell you with almost 100 percent confidence that you will never see me fight again,” said Krause. “And I’m good with that, you know what I mean? I feel okay with that.”
Krause first debuted as a pro in 2007. He attained 10 wins before appearing in notable promotions, fighting in WEC, Bellator, and RFA in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Krause’s UFC run spanned from 2013 to 2020, scoring nine wins through 13 appearances.
Krause’s career as a fighter might be over, but he will undoubtedly remain involved in the sport. He is currently the owner and head coach of Glory MMA, a gym that includes numerous high-level pros currently.
Last weekend, Krause was in the corner of Brandon Moreno when he earned the interim UFC Flyweight Championship.
“Moments like [coaching] Brandon Moreno and the rest of my team, I get fulfillment out of those.”
Along with his involvement in Glory MMA, Krause remains involved in real estate and his own podcast, “The 1% Club Podcast.”
Muhammad Mokaev To Face Malcolm Gordon At UFC 280
Undefeated flyweight prospect Muhammad Mokaev will search for his third UFC victory later this year, facing Malcolm Gordon at the promotion’s October 22nd pay-per-view show.
The matchup has joined UFC 280, which is scheduled to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Brett Okamoto of ESPN was the first to report the fight.
Mokaev has already scored two wins since making his UFC debut in March. His first fight for the promotion was an impressive victory, submitting Cody Durden in just 58 seconds with a guillotine choke.
Mokaev’s last appearance was just last month when he went the distance against Charles Johnson for a unanimous decision victory.
Gordon is currently also on a two-fight winning streak in the UFC. His last appearance was in February when an injury to opponent Denys Bondar scored him an 82-second win.
KSW Two-Division Champion Roberto Soldic Announces Signing With ONE Championship
Roberto Soldic, one of the most successful names in the recent history of Polish promotion KSW, is heading over to ONE Championship.
Soldic announced Monday that he has signed with the Singapore-based combat sports promotion, leaving behind a two-championship run in KSW.
Soldic announced his move on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour” earlier this week.
Soldic, 27, currently has an impressive MMA record of 20 wins and just three losses. He has made a name for himself in KSW, earning eight victories under their promotional banner since 2017.
At the height of his KSW run, Soldic was a champion at both middleweight and welterweight. He gained that second belt in his last appearance, stopping Mamed Khalidov in the second round of a bout late last year.
Part of what made ONE Championship appealing to Soldic was the opportunity to compete in other combat sports other than MMA.
“They give me [the] opportunity to take all the belts,” said Soldic on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour.” “Kickboxing world champion, muay Thai world champion, MMA world champion, also boxing world champion.
The date for Soldic’s debut in ONE Championship is not known yet.
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