Week eight of Dana White’s Contender Series had a consistent trend. Four fights, four knockouts, and four UFC contract offers to the victors.
The four fighters awarded spots on the UFC roster were light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg, featherweight Ignacio Bahamondes, featherweight Luis Saldana and heavyweight Jared Vanderaa.
Find out how they won their UFC contracts below!
DWCS 8: Carlos Ulberg ends Bruno Oliveira in first round
GOOD NIGHT 🇳🇿 Carlos Ulberg finds the chin and ends the night!
[ Contracts up next on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/JB1vYDZXi5
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2020
Supported by his City Kickboxing stablemate Israel Adesanya, Carlos Ulberg made more than a case to be signed up by the UFC when he knocked American Top Team product Bruno Oliveira out in the first round.
The kickboxer started the fight patiently with a steady stream of leg kicks before looking for the perfect counter punching opportunity.
That came as Oliveira whiffed on a jab and Ulberg struck back with a series of big hooks which left Oliveira face down on the canvas.
DWCS 8: Ignacio Bahamondes scores spectacular KO win over Edson Gomez
OUT COLD.@JaulaBahamondes with a KO of the Year contender on #DWCS 📝
[ LIVE on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/i73JSdtFH9
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2020
Chile’s Ignacio Bahamomndes made a statement on Wednesday night when he KOed King of the Cage champion Edson Gomez.
The tall, rangy featherweight looked to have the measure of his smaller opponent, with Bahamondes scoring regularly with an accurate jab, punching combinations and some probing leg kicks.
Bahamondes followed a similar strategy in the second round before unleashing a devastating front kick to the face, rendering Gomez immediately unconscious.
DWCS 8: Luis Saldana wins in style against Vince Murdock
BACK-TO-BACK 😳@SaldanaMMA unleashes two front kicks to seal the deal!
[ LIVE on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/doUI3dOnWm
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2020
Front kicks were order of the day as Saldana dispatched of Vince Murdock in similar fashion to the aforementioned Bahamondes.
Saldana used his significant height and reach advantages effectively, having his way with Murdoch with some sharp boxing and kicks at range.
The fight’s finish came in the third round when Saldana floored Murdock with a quick succession of two front kicks to the face, followed up with a series of punches.
DWCS 8: Jared Vanderaa earns TKO win over Harry Hunsucker
IN ONE ROUND.@JaredVanderaa opened the night with RELENTLESS finishing shots 😳
[ Tune in on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/UCQSGCS7tY
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2020
Team Quest is a historic MMA training camp that continues to produce good fighters as proven by latest UFC signee Jared Vanderaa.
Harry Hunsucker had some success in the striking exchanges early as he landed punches aplenty, but Vanderaa switched up the gameplan and went to his wrestling – a tactic befitting of a Team Quest product.
Hunsucker was in trouble as soon as Vanderaa got him down to the mat. The latter rained down ground and pound as Hunsucker was unable to effectively defend himself, forcing the referee to intervene for a first-round stoppage.
Dana White Contender Series Week 8 Results
Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg def. Bruno Oliveira by KO (left hook) at 2:02 of round one
Featherweight: Ignacio Bahamondes def. Edson Gomez by TKO (front kick) at 2:31 of round two
Featherweight: Luis Saldana def. Vince Murdock by TKO (front kick and punches) at 0:44 of round three
Heavyweight: Jared Vanderaa def. Harry Hunsucker by TKO (punches) at 3:34 of round one