Dana White’s Contender Series ‘Season 3, Week 3’ Play-by-Play & Results

Jonathan Pearce vs. Jacob Rosales

Round 1

Pearce opens up with a high kick, a body kick and a flying knee during an early exchange. Nothing lands clean, but he’s showing aggressive. The lightweights trade hands, and Pearce tags Rosales with an uppercut. The combatants trade willingly in the pocket, and while Pearce is connecting, Rosales has landed some clean counters as well. Rosales counters a low kick with a hook. Pearce digs to the body with an uppercut, but Rosales is able to counter with a straight shot upstairs. An overhand right from Rosales briefly backs up Pearce. Pearce grabs the Thai clinch and lands a knee to the head and follows up with a spinning backfist. Pearce lands an uppercut-left hook combination. Pearce sticks a one-two. A counter left from Rosales lands moments later, and he picks up the pressure momentarily. Pearce lands a combination, then dodges a spinning backfist from Rosales. Pearce shoots, but he is reversed by Rosales. Rosales snags a guillotine and sits back. Pearce scrambles to his feet and the round ends there.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rosales
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Rosales
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Rosales

Round 2

Pearce continues his aggressive approach at the outset, and Rosales answers with a nice counter. A straight right lands for Pearce, who follows up with a jab. They tie up and Pearce lands a hook on the break. Pearce applies pressure, landing a jab and then a two-punch combination. Pearce is warming up while Rosales seems to be slowing down. Pearce stuffs a takedown, and moments later he has Rosales reeling with a multi-punch combination. Pearce has Rosales in the clinch, where he lands some powerful uppercuts. Pearce takes Rosales down near the fence. He transitions from side control to mount, but Rosales scrambles up. Pearce keeps the pressure on, attacking with straight punches, uppercuts and knees in close quarters. Pearce lands a takedown near the fence from the clinch. Pearce stands briefly, looking to clear his foe’s legs. He drops into guard, landing some offense. Rosales scrambles and eats a knee on his way up. Pearce is back in top position with 40 seconds to go. He drops some short elbows from half guard as time ticks down. Rosales threatens with an armbar just as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Pearce
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-8 Pearce
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Pearce

Round 3

Pearce marches forward, throwing big uppercuts and hooks. Pearce changes levels and gets Rosales down against the cage. The lightweights scramble furiously on the canvas, and Rosales stands while Pearce maintains a rear waistlock. A cage grab initially prevents a takedown, but Pearce takes his man down on a second try. Pearce works from top position before standing. He throws Rosales’ legs to the side, diving down with a massive right hand that lands clean on the jaw. The blow momentarily knocks Rosales unconscious, and Herb Dean quickly steps in to halt the bout before Pearce can do any more damage.

The Official Result

Jonathan Pearce def. Jacob Rosales via KO (Punch) R3 1:50

Maki Pitolo vs. Justin Sumter

Round 1

Pitolo is moving up from welterweight to middleweight for this opportunity. Sumter is visibly bigger as a natural middleweight. Sumter follows a body kick with a big right hand that briefly wobbles Pitolo. Pitolo makes Sumter stumble with low kicks and then attacks with a flurry of big punches against the fence. Pitolo attacks again until Sumter backs him up with a body kick. A two-punch combination lands for Sumter. Pitolo backs Sumter up against the fence with another flurry of punches. Sumter covers up, so Pitolo transitions to the body. He lands about six unanswered punches to his opponent’s ribs, and Sumter crumbles to the canvas. Pitolo follows up with one more right hand to the face of his fallen opponent before referee Chris Tognoni dives in to wave off the contest.

The Official Result

Maki Pitolo def. Justin Sumter via TKO (Punches) R1 1:37

Chris Ocon vs. Hunter Azure

Round 1

Azure begins by attacking his foe’s lead leg with low kicks. Ocon answers with a nice one-two. Azure easily lands a takedown in the center of the cage. Ocon hustles back up but eats a knee to the midsection. Azure lands a lead left hook. Ocon connects with a low kick and then blocks a body kick with his forearm. Azure closes the distance and lands a knee in close. Azure buckles Ocon with a hard low kick, and he pressures with heavy punches. Ocon gathers himself only to absorb a one two form Azure. Ocon shoots after eating a hard low kick and briefly gets trapped in a guillotine. Azure relents and drives for a takedown against the fence. Ocon is able to separate and land an elbow on the break. Azure goes right back to work with a low kick. Ocon with a nice left to the body. Azure closes the distance behind a looping right hand, but Ocon is able to shuck him off. Azure makes Ocon stumble again with a low kick. Azure explodes forward and grabs a leg. Ocon is able to free himself and turn Azure into the cage. The bantamweights separate just before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Azure
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Azure
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Azure

Round 2

Azure lands a right hand, but Ocon backs him up into the fence and lands a body shot. Azure connects with another hard low kick. Another heavy leg kick lands on Ocon. Moments later, Azure drops Ocon with a knee with a leg kick and he rushes forward with punches. He drives Ocon into the fence and changes levels for a takedown. Ocon defends nicely, and Azure transitions to a body lock. Ocon separates his foe’s hands and they’re back in the center of the cage. Another leg kick from Azure makes Ocon stumble. Azure capitalizes and takes Ocon down near the fence. Ocon works to stand, but gives up his back. Azure has a hook in and he lands some heavy punches to the side of the head. Azure is content to ride Ocon, landing occasional punches as we approach 1:00. Azure swiftly transitions to a rear-naked choke. Ocon rolls to his belly and Azure flattens him out, punishing him with punches. Azure goes back to the choke, but Ocon defends well. Azure cranks the neck and attacks with punches until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Azure
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-8 Azure
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-8 Azure

Round 3

Ocon lands a big right in an initial exchange. Azure changes levels and gets a takedown about 30 seconds into the frame. Azure works from a front headlock, but Ocon is doing a good job preventing his opponent from landing any significant offense. Ocon stands and eats a knee to the face. Azure cranks on a guillotine near the fence, then snaps his man back down before transitioning to the back. Azure hunts for a rear-naked choke, but he needs to get both hooks in. Ocon grimaces as Azure cranks, but he can’t complete the submission. Azure is attached to Ocon’s back, just controlling his foe. Azure drags Ocon back to the floor and locks up a body triangle from back control. He continues to hunt for the choke with less than a minute remaining. Ocon scrambles up, and Azure just misses a high kick on the break when the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Azure (30-25 Azure)
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-8 Azure (30-25 Azure)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-8 Azure (30-25 Azure)

The Official Result

Hunter Azure def. Chris Ocon via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) R3 5:00

Antonio Trocoli vs. Kenneth Bergh

Round 1

Trocoli comes out firing kicks. Trocoli lands a knee to the body before Bergh clinches with him against the fence. Bergh works some knees to the thigh of his opponent. Trocoli reverses the position and then looks to move to Bergh’s back. Bergh turns Trocoli’s back to the fence as the clinch battle continues. Bergh stays busy with knees to the thigh. Trocoli is able to execute a hip toss and lands in half guard. The Brazilian looks to set up an arm-triangle choke, but he might be too close to the cage to complete the maneuver. Bergh goes to all fours and Trocoli quickly hops on his back. Trocoli applies pressure, secures both hooks and cranks the neck. Bergh has his head turned, but the squeeze is still tight and the Norwegian has no choice but to tap out.

The Official Result

Antonio Trocoli def. Kenneth Bergh via Submission (Neck Crank) R1 3:57

James Wallace vs. Joe Solecki

Round 1

Solecki opens with a low kick, landing a left hook moments later. He presses forward, landing some solid shots. Solecki counters a kick with a combination. Solecki catches a kick and drives Wallace to the canvas. Solecki is in side control. He moves to mount, then switches to side control on the opposite side. Solecki traps an arm and lands punches and elbows to Wallace’s head. Solecki is just dominating, changing dominant positions with ease. Wallace has recovered half guard. Solecki transitions to the back, and he gets both hooks in. He continues to pepper Wallace with a consistent stream of punches. Solecki switches to a body triangle as he continues to land punches to the head from back control. Wallace is able to turn into guard, but Solecki has his man trapped in a guillotine. Solecki rolls into full mount, and he maintains the squeeze. Eventually, Wallace goes to sleep and this one is over.

The Official Result

Joe Solecki def. James Wallace via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1 3:49