Following the second round, Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9 continues with Week 3 (aka DWCS 79), live from UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Tuesday, August 26. The fight card features five bouts with MMA prospects going head-to-head in hopes of securing a UFC contract.
In the main event, Trent Miller (8-2) of Las Vegas faces Ryan Gandra (7-1) of Brazil at light heavyweight. In the co-main event, Damon Wilson (9-2) of San Diego, CA, takes on Brazil’s Marcio Barbosa (16-2) at featherweight.
Also on the card is another light heavyweight matchup pitting Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (6-0) of Turkey against Alik Lorenz (6-1) of Phoenix, AZ. A lightweight contest features Mexico’s Cristian Perez (13-1) versus Manoel Sousa (11-1) of Brazil.
Kicking off the action, Donte Johnson (5-0) of Fond du Lac, WI, and Darion Abbey (9-4) of Deerfield Beach, FL, clash at a 225-pound catchweight.
DWCS 79: Miller vs Gandra results
Get DWCS 79: Miller vs Gandra full fight card results below.
- Ryan Gandra def. Trent Miller by TKO (punches, R1, 2:51)
- Marcio Barbosa def. Damon Wilson by TKO (punches, R1, 4:14)
- Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev def. Alik Lorenz by TKO (knee and punches, R1, 0:30)
- Manoel Sousa def. Cristian Perez by TKO (punches, R3, 3:00)
- Donte Johnson def. Darion Abbey by TKO (R1, 1:04)
UFC contract winners: Ryan Gandra, Marcio Barbosa, Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev, Manoel Sousa, and Donte Johnson
DWCS 79: Miller vs Gandra live blog
DWCS Season 9, Week 3 highlights
Watch some of the best moments from Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9, Week 3.
UFC contract winners
The list of UFC contract winners at DWCS Season 9, Week 3 includes Ryan Gandra, Marcio Barbosa, Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev, Manoel Sousa, and Donte Johnson.
Post-fight press conference
The post-fight press conference brings the event to a close.
Ryan Gandra stops Trent Miller in first round with punches
Ryan Gandra (8-1) of Brazil defeats Trent Miller (8-3) of Las Vegas by TKO with punches in the first round at light heavyweight. The time of the stoppage was 2:51 into the round.
Marcio Barbosa stops Damon Wilson in first round.
Marcio Barbosa (17-2) of Brazil stops Damon Wilson (9-3) of San Diego, CA, in the first round with punches at featherweight. The time of the stoppage was 4:14 into the round.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev stops Alik Lorenz in 30 seconds
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (7-0) of Turkey remains unbeaten, dominating Alik Lorenz (6-2) of Phoenix, AZ, with knees and punches at light heavyweight. The contest was stopped 30 seconds into the fight.
Manoel Sousa stops Cristian Perez in third round with punches
Manoel Sousa (12-1) of Brazil defeats Mexico’s Cristian Perez (13-2) via third-round TKO with punches at lightweight. The time of the stoppage was 3 minutes into the round.
Donte Johnson stops Darion Abbey in first round with punches
In the event opener, Donte Johnson (6-0) of Fond du Lac, WI, stops Darion Abbey (9-5) of Deerfield Beach, FL, with punches in their bout at a 225-pound catchweight. The time of the stoppage was 1:04 into the round.
Dana White's Contender Series: Season 9, Week 2 – Highlights
The fights start at the top of the hour. In case you missed it, check out the highlight from Week 2 below.
DWCS 79: How to watch and start time
DWCS 79 airs live on ESPN+. The start time is 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT.