LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene reporting live from Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 70 event.
Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions.
The fourth week of the eighth season sees 10 fighters competing for their shots at a UFC contract. In the featured bout at welterweight, Igor Cavalcanti (9-0) takes on Seok Hyun Ko (10-2).
The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams live on ESPN+.
Who won a UFC contract?
At the conclusion of the event, White handed out UFC contracts to all five winners: Yuneisy Duben, Quillan Salkilld, Austin Bashi, Djorden Santos and Seok Hyun Ko.
DWCS 70 results
- Seok Hyun Ko def. Igor Cavalcanti via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Djorden Santos def. Will Currie via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Austin Bashi def. Dorian Ramos via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:15
- Yuneisy Duben def. Shannon Clark via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:13
- Quillan Salkilld def. Gauge Young via. unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
DWCS 70 photos
Igor Cavalcanti vs. Seok Hyun Ko
Round 1 – Ko is fighting outside South Korea for the first time since 2018. Cavalcanti typically is a quick finisher, and he’s swinging for the fences. Ko has little choice but to swing back, but he can’t quite close the distance against the taller and lankier Cavalcanti. They’re both throwing right down the pipe, and it looks like either one could land a one-hitter quitter at any second. Cavalcanti is past the range he typically has to go in fights. Ko looks composed. Cavalcanti just misses a slick front kick, but lands to the body soon after. It’s close down the stretch, but MMA Junkie will give a slight 10-9 nod to Calvalcanti.
Round 2 – Cavalcanti is into the second round for the first time in his career. Ko comes out like a banshee, but Cavalcanti gets a brief takedown from it. They tie up after that, though. Cavalcanti hits Ko low, and Ko gets a break. Ref Jason Herzog warns Cavalcanti he’ll take a point if he lands low again. They get going again, and things heat up when Cavalcanti perhaps pulls a rope-a-dope. It’s questionable if it works when Ko wears him down a bit on the canvas. Cavalcanti misses a high kick after Ko motions him in. Who knows. It’s a bizarre fight and interesting to score. MMA Junkie gives a slight lean to Ko 10-9. It could be 1-1, or 2-0 either fighter.
Round 3 – Ko takes over with relative ease in the third. He spends the bulk of time on top raining down a little damage – nothing significant, but enough to keep busy. He looks for a submission from side control with a minute left, then takes Cavalcanti’s back. Cavalcanti was a reasonably sized favorite, but he’s offered nothing the final five minutes. Ko won’t get a finish, but he gets a 10-9 final round and the fight 29-28 from Junkie.
Result: Seok Hyun Ko def. Igor Cavalcanti via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 70: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Ko (11-2), Cavalcanti (9-1)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog
Will Currie vs. Djorden Santos
Round 1 – Currie kicks early. He’s got a soccer background. His left kick looks sincerely powerful. He feints a spinning kick and looks similar to Stephen Thompson when he does so. Santos clips him and Currie slips to his butt, but he pops back up. Santos lands a nice punch, but Currie sneaks inside. Currie dips down for a takedown 90 seconds in. They grind their way into a bit of a dogfight for the first five minutes, and Currie heads back to his corner looking perhaps surprised he’s in a fight. Close round, but 10-9 for Santos.
Round 2 – Santos keeps busy in the second. The Brazilian is landing to the head without much pushback from Currie, who was a sizable betting favorite. They tie up along the fence and Currie looks energized for a few seconds when he finally breaks away. But he shoots for a takedown and Santos sprawls through it. Santos spins his way out and instead of going back to distance, he ties things up again. Santos’ corner tells him to not take the fight to the canvas. When Currie breaks away, he shoots for a takedown with 90 seconds left and Santos easily stuffs it. Back in the middle, Santos drills punches to the body and head and is teeing off. Currie tries to tie things up, purely defensively. But Santos keeps drilling him, including with a knee. He lands a late takedown and it’s an easy 10-9 round for Santos.
Round 3 – Santos keeps the pressure on early and into the final frame. Currie’s stamina and chin is admirable, but with two minutes left it doesn’t look like he has much left in the tank. Santos is 10 of 10 on takedown attempts, and Currie keeps after one late. He finds himself in a guillotine choke, but Santos can’t keep it. Finally, Currie makes something happen with a scramble to the canvas and a brief armlock attempt, but Santos pops back up and Currie looks at him as if to say, “Why won’t you fight me?” Currie gets a late scrambling takedown and lands a few punches, but Santos elbows him back. It’s not enough to steal a round for Junkie, who has a 10-9 frame for Santos and a 30-27 win for him.
Result: Djorden Santos def. Will Currie via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 70: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Santos (10-1), Currie (12-4)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran
Austin Bashi vs. Dorian Ramos
Round 1 – Things are wild quickly, and they stay that way in the first two minutes. Lots of scrambles and wild punches, but two minutes in Bashi has his second takedown and tries to tie Ramos up. Ramos rolls out of it, but it lets Bashi get a hook in and he tries to flatten him out. Ramos calmly gets back to his feet, though. Bashi keeps the pressure on, but each time he makes a little headway, Ramos is able to work his way through it to keep things interesting. It’s a 10-9 first for Bashi, though.
Round 2 – The takedowns keep coming for Bashi. If Ramos could stay on the feet, he might find more success in the standup game, but Bashi is nullifying his best offense. Still, Ramos threatens to get on top – only to have Bashi once again bully him back down and to his back. Finally, Bashi gets his arm under the neck and he’s got a standing rear-naked choke. It’s not going to take long. He drops to the canvas, the choke is tight, and Ramos taps. Ramos took the fight on just five days’ notice.
Result: Austin Bashi def. Dorian Ramos via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:15
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 70: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Bashi (13-0), Ramos (8-3)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog
Taking care of BUSINESS! 😤
Austin Bashi dominates from start to finish! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/BcShGMuWB5
— UFC (@ufc) September 4, 2024
Shannon Clark vs. Yuneisy Duben
Round 1 – Clark is a huge favorite, but Duben comes forward quickly and makes her presence known. But it doesn’t take long for Clark to show that Duben’s strategy of running forward throwing with wild abandon might not be a great idea. But suddenly, Duben lands a haymaker and stuns Clark. Clark composes herself and slows the temple. And then oh … my … freaking … LORD. Duben lands a massive bomb, and Clark is out. Dana White is up off his chair screaming “Holy sh*t!” To say she’s got a contract coming tonight is a understatement. White told her at the cage she had the biggest upset in DWCS history, and she doesn’t have to worry about a contract – she’s in the UFC. It was an overhand right to the jaw, and it is an absolutely massive KO – a Knockout of the Year candidate, for sure. Clark was a -1800 betting favorite. Duben was fighting for just the second time in more than four years.
Result: Yuneisy Duben def. Shannon Clark via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:13
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 70: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Duben (5-0), Clark (5-1)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran
WHAT A KNOCKOUT! 🤯
Yuneisy Duben just delivered one of the best KOs we've ever seen on #DWCS! pic.twitter.com/LxJlbPLtjf
— UFC (@ufc) September 4, 2024
"You're in!" 🗣
Dana White told Yuneisy Duben she's already got a UFC contract! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/q5IZPHtajh
— UFC (@ufc) September 4, 2024
Quillan Salkilld vs. Gauge Young
Round 1 – Young throws big early in the opening fight of the show and Salkilld backs up to the fence. Salkilld lands a heavy body kick 45 seconds in, but Young stays up and soon throws a kick of his own up high. They tie up, but quickly push away and go back to striking range. Salkilld stays after the body with kicks, but it’s Young who has more forward pressure. He kicks high with the left and it’s partially blocked. Salkilld returns to a body attack with a left hook. Salkilld’s strategy seems clear with tons of work to the body. Salkilld lands a big right, then goes after a takedown. Young is back up quickly, and we’ll head to a second. MMA Junkie gives a tight round to Young.
Round 2 – Salkilld takes control in the second and gets the fight to the canvas. It looks like he has Young in trouble – and possibly tired. But Young works his way through it and back to his feet. Salkilld again goes for a takedown with two minutes left in the round, but Young shrugs it off and stays upright. He eats a punch for his troubles, then a kick a few seconds later. When Young hits Salkilld low, he shrugs off an offer to take five minutes to recover. Maybe he should have taken it – Young starts landing and gains momentum. With 75 seconds left, Salkilld starts to drop his hands and Young starts to tag him. Salkilld is getting tagged and throws a push kick, then takes Young down. It staves off Young’s offense, which at least gets him into the third. Back and forth again, but MMA Junkie gives a close nod to Salkilld.
Round 3 – Salkilld lands a nice combo to open the final round. He wants a takedown, but Young fights through it. They tie up some more, and eventually, midway through, Salkilld lands his fifth takedown of the fight, and it’s a fairly dramatic one. Young gets back up and Salkilld stings him with a front kick to the face. But Young comes forward and lands combos and makes things interesting. They trade in tight, and Young shoots for a takedown with 90 seconds left. Salkilld gets the fight back down and goes for a finish late with punches and a submission attempt. The lightweights put on a great show. MMA Junkie scores the last for Salkilld, 10-9, and the fight for him 29-28, but we could see any combination of scores.
Result: Quillan Salkilld def. Gauge Young via. unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 70: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Salkilld (7-1), Young (8-2)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog
DWCS 70 lineup
- Igor Cavalcanti vs. Seok Hyun Ko
- Will Currie vs. Djorden Santos
- Austin Bashi vs. Dorian Ramos
- Shannon Clark vs. Yuneisy Duben
- Quillan Salkilld vs. Gauge Young
