Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series REPORT WK 4 S 2

Jalen Turner vs. Max Mustaki (Lightweight/155)

Round 1: Both guys are landing some nice shots early. Turner has a massive size advantage and a seven inch each advantage. Mustaki is busted open early with a big knee. Turner is attacking the body with knees and punches. He lands a hook to the body and Mustaki is down. Mustaki is attacking for a heel hook but Turner kicks out and they are back to the feet. Nice left hook lands for Mustaki. This is a good fight. High kick lands for Turner! Mustaki lands a hard shot and Turner might be hurt! Turner shoots for a double leg and completes it but then elects to stand up and they are back on the feet. Mustaki lands a hard left and right hook with one-minute remaining. Mustaki rushes forward with a flurry as the round ends. That was one of the best rounds of the year. 10-9 Turner But it really doesn’t matter because Max Mustaki has a broken foot and Herb Dean has called the fight off.

Result: Jalen Turner def. Max Mustaki via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) Round 1, 5:00

Jordan Espinosa vs. Rilley Dutro (Flyweight/125)

Round 1: Espinosa opens the round with a take down and immediately transitions to side control. Dutro briefly found an escape but Espinosa countered and briefly went for a Darce but Dutro escaped and they are back on the feet. Espinosa lands a nice left hand and then shoots for and completes a single leg but Dutro pops right back to his feet. Espinosa lands a nice high kick but Dutro didn’t seem to notice and fired back a hard-left hand. Dutro lands a left hook and Espinosa is down but only for a moment. Espinosa lands a hard left of his own and Dutro is down! Back in the center and the round ends with both guys throwing light shots. 10-9 Espinosa

Round 2: Espinosa lands a big right hand to start the second round. Espinosa shoots for a takedown but Dutro shrugs it off. Much slower paced round by both guys. Lots of shots being thrown but not much is landing for either guy. Nice 1,2, low kick combination lands for Espinosa. Dutro is getting counter almost constantly. Dutro forces the fight against the fence but doesn’t do much with it and they quickly separate. Dutro is starting to get a bit predictable and Espinosa is making him miss on a lot of his shots. 10-9 Espinosa He is winning the rounds with his pace and his combinations.

Round 3: Espinosa shoots for a takedown early but Dutro manages to sneak in an under hook and keep himself up. Espinosa lands a big right hand and Dutro is hurt! Espinosa follows it up with a head kick and I don’t know how Dutro is surviving! Espinosa follows him to the ground but doesn’t attack and lets Dutro up. Dutro does not look steady and he is bleeding from the forehead. Dutro is starting to show his frustration. Espinosa is making him miss but has pretty much given up on attacking. Just as I say that he lands a huge shot before the bell and I think the ref is saying that Dutro is out. It was a big counter left that landed and I am not sure that Dutro was actually out, but the ref stopped it.

Result: Jordan Espinosa def. Rilley Dutro via TKO (Punches) Round 3, 4:58

Toby Misech vs. Ricardo Palacios (Featherweight/145)

Round 1: Palacios breaks the ice with a low kick and follows it up with a stiff body kick. Hard straight left lands for Misech. Palacios lands a hard-right hand that staggers Misech, but he recovers quickly. The right straight lands again for Palacios. He’s having some success with that tonight. 10-9 Palacios

Round 2: Lots of back and forth action early. We see a pause in the action due to a low kick landed by Palacios. Toby Misech lands a nice left hand that backs Palacios up for a brief moment. Tough fight to call so far. Both guys are very evenly matched. Palacios looks out of shape his he actually has really good movement. Misech lands a nice kick to the body with about 30 seconds remaining in the round. 10-9 Palacios but it could go either way.

Round 3: Both guys are swinging early. Nice low kick lands for Palacios and he follows it up with a well placed left hand. Misech shoots for a takedown but can’t get it. Misech seems to realize he could be down two rounds and is now fighting accordingly. Palacios lands a high kick and left hook combination and he is starting to pull away here. Misech is starting to back up which he hasn’t really done up to this point. Palacios is just cutting Misech off at every direction. Misech is just playing a lot of defense at this point. Misech lands a nice left hook with about 25 seconds left in the round. 10-9 Palacios (30-27 Palacios)

Result: Ricardo Palacios def. Toby Misech via Unanimous Decision

Rankings through 3 fights (Opinion):

Jordan Espinosa

Ricardo Palacios

Jalen Turner

Bevon Lewis vs. Alton Cunningham (Middleweight/185)

Round 1: Lewis is in control early landing some solid knees and forcing the fight against the fence. He competed on this show last season, so he has some experience here. Cunningham doesn’t seem to have focus early on. Lewis forces the fight back against the fence and lands a big elbow! Cunningham is down! Lewis takes the back and briefly has a rear naked choke, but I think he let it go, hard to tell but they are back on the feet. Lewis lands a big knee, Cunningham is hurt and it’s all over!

Result: Bevon Lewis def. Alton Cunningham via TKO (Knee) Round 1, 3:01

Kevin Aguilar vs. Joey Gomez (Lightweight/155)

Round 1: Gomez lands a short-left hook to start the round. Aguilar had twice as many wins as Gomez has fights altogether. Gomez goes for a takedown but can’t get it. He lands an uppercut and shoots for a takedown, but Aguilar is defending well. Gomez secures a body lock and drags Aguilar down to the mat. Aguilar recovers guard, but Gomez is landing some hard elbows from the top position. Gomez passes into half guard and lands a few more solid elbows, but Aguilar manages to get back to his feet. Aguilar lands a hard body kick, but Gomez makes him pay for it with a right hand. 10-9 Gomez

Round 2: Both guys are swinging early, and Aguilar connects with a hook that sends Gomez down to the ground. He recovers quickly, and they are back to swinging in the center. Aguilar lands a hard-right hand. Gomez ducks beneath a punch and scores a takedown. Gomez is on top, but Aguilar appears to be looking for a triangle. Hard to tell hard much danger Gomez is on but I think he’s alright. Aguilar is back to his feet, but Gomez is relentless with his pressure. Gomez lands a left hook just as the round ends. 10-9 Gomez

Round 3: Aguilar lands a jab to start the round. He probably needs a finish to win the fight. Aguilar lands a big left hook and a straight left follows it up. Gomez is pretty much just standing in front of Aguilar and he’s getting tagged. Another left hook lands for Aguilar with two and a half minutes left in the fight. Three strike combo lands for Aguilar. This has clearly been his round so far. Gomez goes for a takedown, but Aguilar manages to shake it off. The takedown has been his Achilles heel in his fight, but he appears to be the much fresher man at this point and had no problem stopping that last one. Big looping left hook lands for Aguilar as the round ends. Solid fight. 10-9 Aguilar (29-28 Gomez)

Result: Kevin Aguilar def. Joey Gomez via Split Decision (I don’t agree with the decision, but Aguilar was the more exciting fighter and deserves the contract as much as anybody.)

Final Rankings (Opinion)

1. Bevon Lewis
2. Jordan Espinosa
3. Kevin Aguilar
4. Ricardo Palacios
5. Jalen Turner

Final Verdict: Bevon Lewis and Jordan Espinosa have earned UFC contracts