It was a night of brutal finishes — and one massive upset — at the Meta Apex as Dana White's Contender Series concluded its third week of fights on Tuesday night with a wild final bout featuring the daughter of a former UFC champion.
Alex Apodaca stunned the MMA world by earning a contract win over heavily favored Bella Mir in the main event. Mir was anywhere from a -2000 to -3000 favorite heading into the fight, but Apodaca controlled the action from the opening bell and earned one of the biggest upsets in Contender Series history.
Apodaca's impressive performance was a testament to her technical skills and strength. "That's crazy, I didn't look at the odds before, I knew it was bullshit," Apodaca said after the fight. "I just truly believe that if I stay present and in the moment that nobody's going to beat me because I'm technical and I'm strong."
In a shocking move, Dana White awarded Mir a contract for her outstanding performance, despite his admitted bias towards her coming into the fight due to his relationship with her family and former heavyweight champion Frank Mir. This marked the fifth winner of the five fights to earn a contract on Tuesday.
In other action, Guilherme Uriel made the most of his second chance on Contender Series by locking in a nasty standing guillotine choke in the first round against Mario Piazzon. Uriel, who was stopped by rising heavyweight star Josh Hokit last year, did not disappoint in this opportunity by taking Piazzon's neck almost instantly up against the cage.
Ronald Humphrey also put on an incredible show in his bout with Alexis Miranda, dropping him with a jab before unleashing brutal ground-and-pound that opened up his opponent's face. Before long, Humphrey had taken his back and locked in a rear-naked choke for a violent finish.
The upsets on Tuesday night have sent shockwaves through the MMA community, with many fans left questioning the odds and the performances of the winners. As the Contender Series continues to unfold, one thing is clear: these fighters are not to be underestimated.
The next episode of Dana White's Contender Series is set to take place next week, with a new set of fighters taking to the Meta Apex to battle for a contract. Who will be the next big upset, and who will emerge victorious? Only time will tell.
Source: CBS