Dana White’s Contender Series 2024 Week 3 Play-by-Play and Results

Jack Duffy (125) vs. Nick Piccininni (125)

Round 1

Keith Peterson will be the ref for this flyweight affair. Duffy is starting the fight on his back with his feet resting on the fence, but he rolls into position at the last second. Duffy comes out throwing a variety of kicks before shooting for a takedown. Piccininni keeps his balance, gets an underhook and drives a knee into the midsection. They continue to trade knees against the fence and Peterson urges them to keep working. Piccininni pulls Duffy off the fence and gets a takedown. Duffy starts hunting for submissions immediately, and Piccininni stands over his grounded foe. Piccininni and just misses a big right hand. Duffy has an extremely active guard from bottom, and he forces Piccininni to defend a kneebar. Piccininni frees himself and they stand. Piccininni lands a quick left. Duffy leaps in with a knee and then connects with a heavy leg kick. Duffy goes up high with a kick, and it’s blocked. Another hard low kick lands for Duffy. Piccininni misses a head kick. Duffy follows a knee with a leg kic. Another knee-low kick combination for Duffy, who shoots for a takedown. Piccininni sprawls and grabs a front headlock. They separate and it’s Duffy with a lead hook followed by a series of kicks to the legs and body. Piccininni is struggling to find the range while Duffy keeps chopping away at the lead leg right up until the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Duffy
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Duffy
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Duffy

Round 2

Duffy connects with a spinning elbow and then gets back to chopping away with low kicks. A front kick catches Piccininni on the chin. Piccininni pressures but Duffy changes levels and drives his foe toward the fence. Duffy pulls Piccininni to the canvas, but the Fortis MMA product ends up on top. Piccininni starts out in half guard, but Duffy quickly recovers full guard. Piccininni isn’t doing much from top position, but Duffy is doing a good job of neutralizing him. Piccininni continues to maintain top position as they slide toward the fence. Duffy isn’t as active with submissions as he was the previous round. Piccininni with a quick flurry of ground-and-pound before moving to his foe’s back as Duffy tries to return to his feet. Piccininni secures a body triangle with about 1:45 to go. Duffy scrambles up but Piccininni is still on him with a body lock. They continue to battle for position, but Piccininni trips Duffy to the mat with about 25 seconds to go. He quickly hops on the back as Duffy stands. Duffy dives to the mat but the round ends with Piccininni attached to his back.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Piccininni
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Piccininni
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Piccininni

Round 3

This one is likely tied heading into the decisive frame. Piccininni eats a front kick but lands a solid overhand fright in response. Duffy lands a leg kick that trips Piccininni to the mat. Duffy shoots and Piccininni defends. Duffy lands to the body as they separate. More leg kicks for Duffy. Duffy lands a knee to the body and Piccininni shoots. Duffy goes for a guillotine, but it’s a mistake, as Piccininni plants him on his back. Duffy attempts to build back up and Piccininni jumps on his back. Piccininni is a little too high and he slides off the back as Duffy is back up. Piccininni muscles Duffy back to the mat briefly. Duffy uses a guillotine to free himself and he tags Piccininni with an elbow. Piccininni looks to be fatigued as Duffy lands elbows, punches and a front kick to the chin. Piccininni is landing some offense too, and he shoots for a takedown. Duffy is aided by a fence grab, but Piccininni has a rear waist lock. Duffy uses a guillotine to create space and he lands a short elbow. They collide in close and Piccininni attacks with a series of uppercuts. They both attempt spinning attacks, but neither lands clean. Piccininni shoots for a takedown with less than a minute to go. Duffy defends and looks to break the grip of his opponent. They separate and swing wild haymakers in the waning seconds, an effort that brings Dana White out of his seat.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Duffy (29-28 Duffy)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Duffy (29-28 Duffy)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Duffy (29-28 Duffy)

The Result

Nick Piccininni def. Jack Duffy via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 28-29) R3 5:00

Malcolm Wellmaker (135.5) vs. Adam Bramhald (135.5)

Round 1

Eric McMahon will officiate this bantamweight bout. ramhald lands a low kick early. Wellmaker slips a combination and then lands a kick to the body. Bramhald catches it but lets it go. Bramhald rips the body and Wellmaker answers with a jab. Wellmaker lands a low kick and Bramhald responds with one of his own. Wellmaker sticks another stiff jab and then follows with a low kick. Wellmaker jabs the body and attacks his foe’s lead leg again. Another clean jab for Wellmaker. Bramhald steps in and connects with a lead hook. They clinch briefly and then separate. Wellmaker uses a jab to control the range, and Bramhald elects to leap in to force an exchange. It’s a mistake, as Wellmaker catches the Englishman with a perfectly-time counter right hook. Bramhald instantly collapses face first to the canvas. There’s no need for any follow-up shots, as the Augusta, Georgia, native has likely punched his ticket –literally — to the UFC.

The Result

Malcolm Wellmaker def. Adam Bramhald via KO (Punch) R1 2:29

Marco Tulio (184) vs. Matthieu Letho Duclos (185)

Round 1

Keith Peterson will be the third man in the cage for this middleweight affair. Duclos fires off a couple kicks to the body. Tulio with an inside leg kick. Duclos slaps a high kick off Tulio’s forearm. Tulio looks to counter a kick with a heavy right hand. A right lands for Tulio and Duclos appears to lose his balance during the exchange. Duclos is back to his feet and the Brazilian preses him into the fence. Tulio lands a knee in close before they break. Tulio ishunting for that right hand. Duclos blocks a head kick. An inside leg kick for Tulio lands and he follow with a front kick to the body. A counter left hook lands for Duplo during an exchange and he appears to stun Tulio with a right. Tulio charges forward and they trade. Tulio makes Duclos stumble with a leg kick. The Frenchman gets to his feet and is driven into the fence. They separate and return to range. Tulio sticks a jab. Duclos fires a body kick. Duclos lands a jab. Tulio pressures in the waning seconds and lands some knees in close, but Duclos gets a takedown before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tulio
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tulio
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Tulio

Round 2

Tulio targets the lead leg of his foe. They trade and Tulio lands a glancing spinning back elbow. Duclos also landed during that exchange. A leg kick by Tulio makes Dulcos step back and he follows up with a straight to the body. Duclos with a body kick. Tulio jabs the body. The Brazilian leaps in with a jab. Tulio tries to trip Duclos, but the Frenchman keeps his feet despite stumbling toward the fence. Tulio closes the distance and lands some knees and elbows in the clinch. Another short elbow in close lands for Tulio. Tulio backs off and lands a jab. A right hand from Tulio gets Duclos going backward. Tulio lands a spinning back kick to the liver just as Duclos is attemping an overhand. Duclos is hurt and curls up near the fence. Tulio pounces and seals his victory with a barrage of ground-and-pound. Tulio has his second triumph on the Contender Series within a year.

The Result

Marco Tulio def. Matthieu Letho Duclos via TKO (Spinning Back Kick and Punches) R2 2:38

Bogdan Grad (145.5) vs. Michael Aswell (145)

Round 1

Eric McMahon will oversee this featherweight scrap. Grad rushes forward and they’re going at it. Aswell is landing punches as his foe pressures. Grad steps in and lands a left hook. Aswell connects with a 1-2 and then gets a nod from Grad after a jab. Grad leaps in with a left hook. Grad jabs the body. Grad with a body kick and Aswell answers with a nice combination. Aswell’s boxing is clean, and he’s able to land most times Grad moves forward. Aswell stays busy with 1-2s, and he’s landing more often than not. Aswell is stinging his foe with straight shots. He’s making Grad pay for attempting to push the pace. Grad whiffs on a spinning attack, but he does connect with a leaping left hook. Grad lands a solid combination and moves Aswell off course with a hook. Awell goes to the body. More straight punches land for Aswell. Grad changes levels and briefly gets Aswell down. The Texas scrambles back up and Grad threatens with a guillotine. They separate with less than 30 seconds to go. Grad feints a spinning attack and lands a body kick. Grad pressures before the horn and lands a combination at the end of the frame.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Aswell
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aswell
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Aswell

Round 2

Grad goes upstairs with a high kick and Aswell answers with a right. They trade and an uppercut from Aswell is the most notably strike. Grad with a heavy left hook. Aswell goes back to his jab. A 1-2 lands for Aswell and Grad answers. A heavy right to the head connects for the Austrian. Grad seems to be getting Aswell’s timing down, and he’s mixing in kicks better while landing counter rights. A solid 1-2 again connects for Aswell. Grad kicks the body. Aswell lands a combination. Grad with a spinning kick to the head, but Aswell seems unaffected. Aswell pumps his jab. Grad leaps in with a right. Aswell lands a body shot and then a right to the head. Aswell sticks Grad with a combination. Grad lunges in with a left hook before dropping low for a takedown. Grad pulls Aswell away from the fence but he can’t keep him down. Grad lands a knee in close and connects with a glancing elbow on the break. Aswell sticks a jab. A solid right finds the mark for Grad. Blood is dripping from Aswell’s left eye due to the elbow. Grad stings Aswell with a right before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grad
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Grad
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Grad

Round 3

McMahon calls for a doctor to look at Aswell’s cut before the start of the round, but there’s no issue. Grad partially lands a high kick, and they’re trading furiously in the pocket. Grad is getting the better of things with a more varied attack. Grad loses his moutguard and they get right back to it. They crash into the pocket trading and coming dangerously close to clashing heads. Grad with a straight right-left hook combination. The blood is leaking into Aswell’s eye and seems to be affecting him. Grad shoots for a takedown near the fence and Aswell is on his knees. Brad looks to grapevine one of his foe’s legs, but Aswell is able to stand and turn his man into the fenc.e Grad lands a short elbow before they break. Grad kicks the body and Aswell answers with a jab. A nice right hand for Grad follows a front kick. Aswell stays busy, pumping his jab. Aswell counters a low kick with a combination. Aswell his picking up the volume and briefly has Grad reeling. Aswell reverses a takedown attempt and gets Grad’s back. Aswell kicks the body and follows with a combination. Aswell is teeing off a little bit as Grad appears to be fading. Late in the round, Grad digs deep and lands a jumping head kick before shooting for a takedown. They trade once more before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Aswell (29-28 Aswell)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aswell (29-28 Aswell)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Aswell (29-28 Aswell)

The Result

Bogdan Grad def. Michael Aswell via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27) R3 5:00

Andrey Pulyaev (185) vs. Liam Anderson (185)

Round 1

Anderson is pressuring to start, and he forces the clinch with double underhooks secured. Anderson is working on a slingle leg now but Pulyaev is defending well against the fence. Anderson maintains control, but he’s not getting anywhere. They separate and Pulyaev lands some hard body kicks and a claf kick at range. Anderson looks to close the range and lands a right and a left hook. Pulyaev sticks a long jab. Pulyaev jabs the body and follows with an inside leg kick. Anderson kicks the body. They trade and a counter left by Pulyaev snaps Anderson’s head back. Another low kick lands for Pulyaev. A right lands for Anderson during an exchange. Pulyaev finds the range on a question mark kick. A couple lefts lands for Pulyaev and he is starting to touch Anderson with more punches. They clinch and Anderson hunts for a takedown against the fence before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev

Round 2

Anderson with an inside leg kick and a body kick. Pulyaev answers with a body kick of his own. They trade punches before clinching. Anderson pushes the Russian into the wire. Pulyaev knees the midsection. Anderson briefly gets Pulyaev down with a single leg, but the moment is fleeting. Anderson keeps his foe pressed into the cage, but he’s having no luck with takedowns. Pulyaev lands a knee and then a shoulder strike before the break. Back at range, a body kick rips into Anderson. They trade and Pulyaev tags Anderson with more punches. Anderson’s reactions are not great in these moments. He’s eating more shots as they exchange. Pulyaev moves in and unloads with uppercuts in close. They clinch and Pulyaev rips a slashing elbow. They separate and Pulyaev lands a combination followed by a body kick. Pulyaev is punishing Anderson with punches, body kicks and elbows. Using a foot sweep, Anderson finally gets his first takedown with a little more than a minute to go. Anderson is working from half guard, but he needs to do something significant to swing the round in his favor. Anderson postures up and lands some effective ground and pound. He gets full mount and swings away until the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev

Round 3

Anderson moves forward and immediately eats a body kick. Anderson forces a clinch and has both underhooks. Anderson with an elbow and a couple uppercuts in close. Back at range and Pulyaev cracks Anderson with a left. They clinch again and they trade elbows. They clinch again and Anderson has a front headlock, but it’s Pulyaev who gets Anderson to the mat. Pulyaev lands an elbow in his opponent’s full guard. Anderson is looking to threaten with his guard, and he’s also throwing elbows from his back. Pulyaev is still dropping periodic elbows and punches from above, and some are quite heavy. Pulyaev is in half guard now, and another heavy elbow finds the mark. Anderson is trying to build back up. Pulyaev jumps on the back, but he’s too high and slides off the top. Anderson has a chance here, but he’ll need to finish. Anderson takes the back and wants a choke. Pulyaev is doing a nice job fighting the hands. He reverses the position as time winds down, and he’s back to landing elbows and punches. Anderson stands before the horn, but Pulyaev is attached to his back as the fight ends.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev (30-27 Pulyaev)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev (30-27 Pulyaev)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Pulyaev (30-27 Pulyaev)

The Result

Andrey Pulyaev def. Liam Anderson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00