Dana White's Contender Series 2022 Week 1 Play-by-Play and Results

Alessandro Costa (126) vs. Andres Luna (126)

ODDS: Costa (-265); Luna (+225)

Round 1

Flyweight hopefuls Costa and Luna touch gloves and set to work under the watchful eye of referee Chris Tognoni. Costa sets up in orthodox stance; Luna switches between both stances in the early going. Nearly a minute in, Costa lands the first hard shot, an outside kick to Luna’s left calf. Costa lands another. Luna has a huge reach advantage, but hasn’t thrown much so far. Two minutes in, Luna lands a right body kick. Luna switching stances frequently, pawing with a right jab. Luna springs forward with a left, then a right high kick. Luna backs Costa up with a front kick up the middle. With a minute left, neither man has thrown much offense. Costa bounces into range and lands a one-two. Costa with a right body kick. Costa counters a Luna front kick with a pair of punches, then gets caught right in the cup by the next kick up the middle. There is a time-out with just one second on the clock. The horn sounds as soon as they restart, a round without a whole lot to score.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Costa
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Costa

Round 2

Luna throws a left high kick right away. Costa comes forward with a hard head kick that comes up short. Luna is slightly more active with his jab in the early going. Costa springs forward with one-twos that fall short of the mark. Luna lands a hard outside leg kick. Costa definitely having more trouble navigating the superior reach of the Ecuadorian this round. Two minutes left and still very much anyone’s round for the taking. Luna backs Costa up with a front kick, then dodges Costa’s wheel kick. With a minute left, Costa catches Luna coming in with a short right hand and drops him. Costa pounces, but Luna recovers quickly and sweeps to top position. Luna is in Costa’s full guard and gets off a few punches before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Costa
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Costa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Luna

Round 3

Costa and Luna exchange low kicks in the early going. Luna comes forward with some urgency, pressing and throwing punches, but Costa has resumed throwing leg kicks and they are clearly taking a toll. Luna reacts to each one, nearly stumbling. Costa lands a right body kick, then charges forward with a lead left hand. Luna comes up short on a spinning back kick, then throws a three-piece combo that Costa slips with ease. Luna lands a body kick, then drops levels for a takedown attempt that Costa shucks off. The final horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Costa (30-27 Costa)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Costa (29-28 Costa)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Costa (29-28 Costa)

The Official Result

Alessandro Costa def. Andres Luna via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Dennis Buzukja (146) vs. Kaleio Romero (146)

ODDS: Buzukja (-190); Romero (+160)

Round 1

Buzukja and Romero are up next, with Mike Beltran overseeing the proceedings. Romero slips on a kick early, but springs right back up. Buzukja catches Romero with a right hand, then another. Romero drops levels for a single-leg, running Buzukja to the fence. He gives up the leg but continues running the New Yorker into the cage. Ninety seconds in, it’s still Romero with an underhook, looking for a trip. Buzukja defending the takedown ably, but unable to get off the fence. There is some blood of unknown origin pooling on Buzukja’s foot. Buzukja reverses positions against the cage, but Romero quickly reverses again. Romero drops to Buzukja's hips, looking for another takedown, but Buzukja is all over it. Buzukja reverses Romero against the fence again. The horn sounds on a grinder of a round.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Romero
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Romero
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Romero

Round 2

Between rounds, Romero’s corner admonishes him to “go get in a fight.” Yes, please. Romero sets up in southpaw, letting loose with a series of leg and body kicks on the orthodox Buzukja. Buzukja catches Romero coming in with a hard right hand, but Romero closes the distance and runs him to the fence. Romero looking to pull Buzukja’s hips away from the cage, but Buzukja is wise to it. They separate at the halfway mark of the round. The mystery blood from Round 1 was from Romero’s brow, by the way. Buzukja hits Romero with a right hand to the body, then a body kick, and finally goes upstairs with a punch that staggers the Hawaiian. Romero is on shaky legs as Buzukja gives chase, but recovers sufficiently to grab a single-leg against the fence. Buzukja wide-legs against the fence, thwarting the takedown and standing Romero back up. They separate briefly and Romero tries a spinning back elbow that misses. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Buzukja
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Buzukja
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Buzukja

Round 3

Buzukja comes forward with punches, but Romero lands a right leg kick that bends Buzukja’s knee. Buzukja is the aggressor in the early going. Buzukja drops levels for a takedown against the fence and gets it. Romero gives his back, and Buzukja lands a punch under the armpit before they stand and separate. Buzukja pushes him to the fence and lands a flush spinning back elbow. They disengage and reset in the center of the Octagon. Both men are just standing a slugging it out. Romero shoots a single-leg and doesn’t get it, but re-shoots and gets it. Romero takes Buzukja’s back, briefly works for a spladle or banana split, but loses it and Buzukja takes top position. Romero turns and works for a single-leg. They stand, with a minute left. Both men look exhausted. Romero shoves Buzukja to the fence once again, dropping to Buzukja’s hips. Romero loses the position and ends up on his back, where the round—and fight—and with Buzukja raining down punches from above.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Buzukja (29-28 Buzukja)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Buzukja (29-28 Buzukja)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Buzukja (29-28 Buzukja)

The Official Result

Dennis Buzukja def. Kaleio Romero via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Farid Basharat (136) vs. Willian Souza Guadalupe (146)

The scheduled bout between Basharat and Souza was cancelled Monday after Souza missed the bantamweight non-title limit by 10 pounds.

Anton Turkalj (205) vs. Acacio dos Santos (201)

ODDS: Turkalj (-190); Dos Santos (+160)

Round 1

With no glove touch, the first contact of the fight is Dos Santos landing a hard right hand on Turkalj in the opening seconds. Turkalj pushes the Brazilian to the cage and, after a couple of admonitions from ref Chris Tognoni not to grab the fence, Turkalj takes his back standing. They go to the mat briefly, but Dos Santos stands back up with the Swede still on his back. Two minutes in, Turkalj is still on Dos Santos’ back, with one hook in. He tosses Dos Santos to the canvas again, and again Dos Santos springs right back up. Turkalj takes advantage of a lull in the action to loop a couple punches to the head from behind. Turkalj hauls Dos Santos to the ground for a third time, and this time they’re near the fence. Turkalj looks to get his other hook in, but Dos Santos stands up again. “The Pleasure Man jumps on” is the unfortunate locution from the DWCS booth. Turkalj lets go and lands a glancing spinning elbow at the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj

Round 2

Dos Santos again comes out aggressive, landing a pair of hard hooks in the opening seconds. He lands another punch as Turkalj crashed forward. Both men flurry wildly, but Turkalj grabs a body lock and trips Dos Santos to the canvas. He looks for a brabo choke as Dos Santos tries to stand, but doesn’t get it, and they’re back on their feet. Turkalj has the back again, but Dos Santos escapes and they exchange punches. Dos Santos’ left hand lands flush. Turkalj lands a glancing high kick. Dos Santos counters a kick with a pair of punches. A minute and a half left and Turkalj moves in, takes Dos Santos’ back, and drags him back to the ground. This time, the Swede gets both hooks in and goes supine, looking for a rear-naked choke. Turkalj secures the position with a body triangle from back mount. The round expires in that position.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj

Round 3

The final round begins, as the first two did, with Dos Santos coming straight out and throwing punches with ill intent. Turkalj again takes the Brazilian’s back standing, then hauls him to the floor. Turkalj is in Dos Santos’ half guard, where he throws a short elbow as he looks to pass. Turkalj tries to step through and gets stuck in an odd in-between position. A moment later, he ends up back in half guard. Dos Santos uses a lockdown on the leg. Turkalj loses top position, but quickly moves to the back once again. Dos Santos scoots to the fence and looks to stand, Turkalj still on his back. Dos Santos is seated at the base of the cage, with Turkalj trying to secure back control. A minute left, Dos Santos stands and is tossed back to the canvas for what feels like Turkalj’s 20th takedown of the fight. Turkalj throws short, chipping punches from the back. The horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Turkalj

The Official Result

Anton Turkalj def. Acacio dos Santos via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Osman Diaz (186) vs. Joseph Pyfer (185)

ODDS: Diaz (-115); Pyfer (-105)

Round 1

“My kingdom for a finish,” says your friendly Sherdog play-by-play man as the fourth and final bout of the evening kicks off, with Mike Beltran the third man in the cage. Both men are in orthodox stance, and there’s a good 30 seconds of bouncing and feinting before Pyfer lands the first strike of the fight, a hard calf kick. Pyfer drops for a double-leg takedown, elevates and slams the Californian to the ground. Pyfer immediately looks to snare Diaz’s neck. Diaz escapes, but Pyfer looks for an arm-triangle choke, stepping to side control. Diaz defends and Pyfer bails on the choke, taking Diaz’s back in a flash and sinking in both hooks. Pyfer hunts for a rear-naked choke, locking on a body triangle as he does so. The round is barely half over and Diaz is in all kinds of trouble on the ground. Pyfer tries to move to mount, but Diaz spins and ends up on top in Pyfer’s guard. Diaz tries to take Pyfer’s back, but Pyfer escapes, takes Diaz’s back and they both stand. They disengage and return to striking at range with a minute left. Diaz stings Pyfer with a jab, then another. They continue exchanging single punches until the round expires.

Sherdog Scores

Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Pyfer
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Pyfer
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pyfer

Round 2

Pyfer lands a stiff overhand right that has Diaz backing up. Both men exchange jabs. Diaz lands a left to the body at the same time Pyfer lands a short, pinpoint left to the chin. Diaz collapses and Pyfer looks on for a moment, waiting to see if Beltran is going to intervene. He does not, so Pyfer tacks on three or four brutal standing-to-ground punches before the referee has seen enough. Blistering left hook from Joe Pyfer.

THEY CALL HIM BODYBAGZ FOR A REASON 🤯

[ @Joe_Pyfer96 | #DWCS ] pic.twitter.com/t9q07mXfo7

— UFC (@ufc) July 27, 2022

The Official Result

Joseph Pyfer def. Osman Diaz R2 1:39 via TKO (Punches)