Dana White’s Contender Series returns for its seventh straight week of action at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Dana White’s Conteder Series 43 is home to five high-level bouts and MMA Sucka has you covered on throughout the night.
In tonight’s main event, the MMA Lab’s, Junior Cortez (5-1), squares off with Roufusport’s Christian Rodriguez (5-0). In a quality bout between two finishers, fight fans are destined to see some high-paced action in this one. Cortez, brother of UFC flyweight Tracy Cortez, is coming off back-to-back wins and will look to make it three straight with the opportunity of a lifetime on Tuesday night. In his last bout, he earned a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Mexican submission specialist Axel Osuna in the co-main event of Combate Global 9.
He will have his hands full with 23-year-old Christian Rodriguez. Although the Midwesterner missed his mark on the scale yesterday, he is set to put on a show and make himself known worldwide. Rodriguez is a pleasure to watch and goes into every fight looking for a finish. In his five pro bouts, all of his wins have come by way of finish, with three in the first round. In his last bout at CFFC 92 earlier this year, Rodriguez earned a TKO win over Charalampos Grigoriou. Overall, it is inevitable that this fight will be fireworks and is arguably the perfect main event.
Co-headlining tonight’s action-packed card is a heavyweight scrap between two finishers. Lorenzo Hood (12-4) takes on Martin Buday (8-1) in what could be the fight of the night. Chicago Fight Team’s Hood made his pro MMA debut in 2009. Over 11 and a half years later, the 32-year-old will fight on one of the biggest stages in his career. Hood is quite the physical specimen and brings the fight to his opponents. In his 16 pro MMA bouts, all have come by way of finish. The WSOF veteran has also earned all his pro wins by way of knockout. He will enter the cage on not only a three-fight win streak, but also a three-fight first-round finish streak.
As the biggest favorite on the card, Slovakia’s Buday is one of the more UFC-caliber fighters involved in tonight’s festivities. Making his American debut, the 29-year-old has won seven straight bouts, all by way of finish. After a decision win in his first pro bout, he lost a decision to UFC heavyweight, Juan Espino, in his second bout. The Oktagon MMA heavyweight champion steps into the UFC Apex looking to make a statement however, he will have the get past the powerful Hood to make it to the big show.
Also on tonight’s card, TUF 29 veteran Mitch Raposo (5-0) faces off against English standout prospect and former Cage Warriors double champion Jake Hadley (7-0), who missed weight for their flyweight contest. A war between undefeated Scottish Bellator veteran Chris Duncan (7-0) and Team Alpha Male kickboxing coach, Slava Borshchev (4-1) also takes place in the lightweight division. To kick off the card, strawweights Kathryn Paprocki (3-1) and Maria Silva (6-0) go head-to-head in a battle of grapplers.
Dana White’s Contender Series 43 Results:
Christian Rodriguez (6-0) def. Junior Cortez (5-2) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Martin Buday (9-1) def. Lorenzo Hood (12-5) by TKO at 4:56 of round 1
Jake Hadley (8-0) def. Mitch Raposo (5-1) by submission via rear-naked choke at 3:11 of round 2
Slava Borshchev (5-1) def. Chris Duncan (7-1) by knockout at 0:28 of round 2
