UFC Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8 Week 8 10/1/24 – October 1st, 2024 full show Part 1 - video Dailymotion

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UFC Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8 Week 8 10/1/24 – October 1st, 2024 full show Part 1

Transcript

00:00:00Contender can make dreams come true

00:00:06100 fighters welcome to the contender series these fighters know what gets them to the big show 10 nights

00:00:17One shot to impress the boss

00:00:22And earn a UFC contract

00:00:30This is Dana White's contender series

00:00:45It's time for the homestretch of season 8 three episodes remain which mean

00:00:5030 more fighters come through Vegas in October with UFC dreams

00:00:54Life-changing moments are set to go down on a terrific Tuesday night in the desert as Dana White's contender series is

00:01:01back on your screen

00:01:04We're live from the epicenter of the fight world

00:01:08It's the UFC apex for week 8 of the best thing going on Tuesday nights

00:01:13Dana White's contender series is presented by Bud Light

00:01:17Bud Light

00:01:19Octagon side with Laura Sanko and the UFC veteran Paul Felder Brendan Fitzgerald happy to have you with us

00:01:24We're deep enough into season 8 now where we have seen some show-stopping moments and some huge

00:01:30Underdogs making big statements to put themselves in the big show. It sets the bar high for the ten hopefuls tonight Laura

00:01:36Yeah, last week it was Danilo Voya Vodka a massive underdog got out there got the first-round submission

00:01:42You just you just never know what you're gonna see on the show and that's why we love it so much

00:01:48That is why we love it

00:01:49I mean MMA is unpredictable to begin with but then you add this contender series

00:01:53You never know who's gonna go out there and just get it, you know career-defining submission knockout. That's why we love it

00:01:58Let's start with a feature about it comes in the light heavyweight division and Poland has produced a champion in this

00:02:03205 pound weight class in the form of Jan Blahovic Bartosz Shevchak is hoping to follow in his footsteps

00:02:09But Paul will start on the other side Kazakhstan starting to produce a lot of fighters at the top level

00:02:15Dear Nurgajai is a ground-and-pound specialist that hopes to punch his ticket to the big show tonight

00:02:21Yeah, Nurgajai is a ground-and-pound specialist good wrestling and undefeated Kazakh

00:02:25We know how that goes these guys show up and they deliver every single time

00:02:29This guy is also a finisher goes out there good striking as well South Paul stance uses that left kick uses that crisp boxing

00:02:37But really it's when he gets to that top position and starts laying down those bombs good ground-and-pound good control

00:02:43From the position sets a really good pace

00:02:46This is a really good feature bout here between two very good fighters. His last fight came in May

00:02:51He took two years off before that on the other side Bartosz Shevchak has been in the room with some high-level UFC talent

00:02:57Yeah, he absolutely has and he is coming into this opportunity on an absolute heater three knockouts in a row

00:03:03And it's the striking that jumps off the page

00:03:06I mean the way that he's able to set traps

00:03:07He uses his kicks to set up his strikes and his strikes to set up his kicks and his ability to get that fight

00:03:13Finished any which way on the feet is so impressive six career knockouts

00:03:19You know, he's gonna be looking for another big knockout tonight here in front of the big boss

00:03:23We've mentioned that big underdogs have had their moments on season 8 so far

00:03:27Christian Savoie out of Canada gets that spot tonight as he is the biggest betting underdog on the card

00:03:33He fights out of New Brunswick, Canada on the other side

00:03:36Jacoby Smith has stood out in a loaded training room at Fortis MMA in Dallas, Texas

00:03:41Laura, perhaps the three-time collegiate national all-american wrestler is ready for the brightest lights in MMA

00:03:48Well, you see his wrestling accolades and you expect him to fight a certain way

00:03:51But let me tell you something Jacoby Smith is no one-trick pony

00:03:55I mean this guy has eight finishes in his career six

00:04:01Knockouts and his last one that you see right there in just 18 seconds. He has blistering hand speed

00:04:07It's the way that he's able to put together the boxing combinations

00:04:10And oh, by the way, if things are not going perfectly on the feet

00:04:13He can absolutely drag you to the mat and make your life in living nightmare

00:04:20Yeah, but Savoie is no stranger to facing really high-level competition and he knows that he's up against an absolute monster in this

00:04:28Matchup, but he has got the power. He has got the striking pedigree to be able to hang there

00:04:33It's really gonna come down to can he keep this on the feet?

00:04:36But that's no easy task either because his opponent is an absolute monster there

00:04:40But he's very well aware of the task at hand. He's faced really high-level competition

00:04:44You look at the strength the schedule of the opponents

00:04:47The at face has really led him to be prepared for this night. All of his finishes are by knockout

00:04:51So if he can't keep it on the feet probably his best chance to get it done

00:04:55Yanni the Greek is with us tonight speaking of underdogs

00:04:58Yanni's been on a heater this season as well and he gives you out the free plays right now

00:05:02What props you're looking at tonight VR? Let's go with some round totals Finney or Rami

00:05:0768% of contenders series fight at middleweight have finished inside the distance and this middleweight bout should follow that trend to proven finishers

00:05:15Both with power and a contrast of styles will keep this one under one and a half at plus money then

00:05:22Martinez Franklin

00:05:23This is the only contender series fight over the last six weeks that's been favored to go the distance and it's not by accident

00:05:31Both have greater than the 70% finish rate

00:05:33But this is a huge step up in competition and the biggest fight for both go over two and a half play the 160

00:05:40finally featured belt

00:05:41Nergazi

00:05:42Shevchak six of last seven light heavyweight belts have finished inside the distance on the contender series and

00:05:4978% since inception plus tons of recency bias coupled with 15 of their 20 pro fights

00:05:55Finishing inside the distance has forced bookmakers to juice this under a little too heavily

00:06:01Let's take advantage go over one and a half lay the chalk

00:06:04Wrap it up. It pays about four to one a little better than that

00:06:08We'll check in with you cheese throughout the night. Thanks for the data there

00:06:12Look at the other three bouts five different weight classes represented tonight

00:06:16We've got 135 145 and 185 that also sees action and includes the return of Torres Finney

00:06:22He fought and won earlier this season and last season on the contender series tonight

00:06:27He's on a mission for that contract against Abdella or Rami David Martinez represents Mexico against Xavier Franklin and Alberto

00:06:34Montes takes on Carlos Calderon who quit his job to take this opportunity for a UFC

00:06:42Contract it's all led to this for these ten who compete tonight four of them are undefeated and

00:06:48Hoping to leave Las Vegas with a UFC contract in hands

00:06:53Oklahoma State University has produced a host of UFC stars over the years tonight

00:06:57Unbeaten Jacoby Smith hopes to join that group. But first he has to get past Christian Savoie

00:07:06My name is Jacoby Smith, I'm 28 years old and I fight for Fortis MMA

00:07:12I've accomplished a lot in amateur wrestling in college a two-time national champ one time all-american being one

00:07:21Wrestling was the first sport that I did. I ended up becoming a two-time national champ in Juco at Northeastern, Oklahoma

00:07:28Transferred over to Oklahoma State with John Smith. He turned me into a division one all-american

00:07:33What's harder this fight or one wrestling practice at Oklahoma State?

00:07:39Training with people from aka and Fortis, they put it on me

00:07:43Heightened me to another level the next biggest thing. I'm pretty much your perfect fighter. I'm John Jones

00:07:52What separates me is I don't deal with all the hype and all the bullshit

00:07:56I'm straight cut forward and what I mean, I say I'm putting people to sleep on my feet, you know in 18 seconds first round

00:08:09And this fights over everybody's gonna know Jacoby Smith is a man of his word and he does not

00:08:17I'm ready for the best fighters in UFC

00:08:27My name is Christian Savoie, I'm 32 years old and I'm fighting out of st. John New Brunswick, Canada

00:08:34I've been training for the UFC practically my entire life since I started Taekwondo when I was six years old

00:08:43The first fight I ever watched was on Matthews versus Carlos Newton, too

00:08:56Myself that's the coolest thing I've seen my life

00:09:04I

00:09:06Fight because I feel like this is what God has called me to do

00:09:11One from st. John New Brunswick small town known for crime

00:09:16It was harder for me to get opportunities and a lot of guys from big cities and big gyms, etc

00:09:23I'm truly a guy who had to

00:09:25Fight tooth and nail blood sweat and tears to get to where I'm at

00:09:31I

00:09:32Definitely want to represent kids from a small town who aspire to be whatever in life, you know

00:09:43What excites me about this matchup is that it's scary

00:09:48There's a threat. He's a guy with power, but I'm a guy with power. I'm a threat

00:09:53He has a very deadly right hand that I'm ready for I think going out there

00:10:00Doing what I did my last couple fights putting these hands on showing them that I don't need my wrestling

00:10:06That's gonna get Dana to give me this contract

00:10:08Whether it's a three-round war or I went by knockout

00:10:13It's almost impossible to have me and Jacoby Smith locked in the octagon and have a boring fight

00:10:20Well

00:10:29Big underdogs have had their moments on season 8 of Dana White's contender series

00:10:33Perhaps Christian some law is the next one the 32 year old out of st

00:10:37John, New Brunswick Canada is the biggest underdog tonight Danilo

00:10:41Voya vodka and last week Juneezy Dubin earlier this season if he can keep it on the feet Laura

00:10:47That's probably his best path to a victory and perhaps a UFC contract

00:10:51Yeah

00:10:52This is the place where to be honest with you the odds don't matter what matters is what you do out there tonight against the

00:10:57Opponent that you have tonight and he does have a real opportunity to make a statement

00:11:02And like you said on the feet that is his best chance. He is a tremendously aggressive kickboxer

00:11:08Started Taekwondo at age 6 and a lot of times Paul when you see guys transition from Taekwondo. They have finesse

00:11:13They've got really fancy kicks, but they don't always have the power

00:11:16He brings the power there's a real thud when he lands whether it's his punches or his kicks

00:11:21I'm very excited to see what he brings in the striking

00:11:23Yeah, absolutely

00:11:24And one of the things that I absolutely wrote down about him was that flooding kick that he has into the leg in particular

00:11:30He's got ground-and-pound finishes and like I talked about earlier on the stand-up that he's got he's got a good strength of schedule

00:11:36He's only losses to Basil Hafez and there's his watch party back in New Brunswick, Canada

00:11:42Everybody getting ready to go crazy. They know how to put away some suds up in the Maritimes. I'll tell you that

00:11:49Only UFC event to take place in New Brunswick was in Moncton back in 2018 Christian Savoie representing New Brunswick tonight's

00:12:05And here is Jacoby Smith 28 years old fighting out of Dallas, Texas

00:12:11He's an Oklahoman

00:12:14wrestled in junior college

00:12:17Then went to Oklahoma State where he linked up with one Daniel Cormier

00:12:23Jacoby Smith is a fantastic wrestler Oklahoma State University

00:12:27One of the guys that we plucked right out of that room and recognized him to be a good fighter

00:12:31From the moment he even signed that Oklahoma State is a tremendous wrestler

00:12:35He's a fantastic grappler

00:12:36But what separates Jacoby from most of these wrestlers turned MMA fighters is he is a dog and he's willing to fight

00:12:44I'm excited to see Kobe perform tonight. Hopefully he earns that contract

00:12:49Yeah, DC's right. I mean this guy would stand out in any room of wrestlers athletes. You can tell he's in phenomenal shape

00:12:56He's extremely strong. His wrestling is second to none. But more importantly, he's got dynamite in those fists

00:13:02he can put people to sleep within seconds and I expect him to try that early and

00:13:07Often in the beginning of this fight and then as a backup plan, I think he'll rely on his wrestling

00:13:12But let's be honest guys. It's gonna go out there and try to get a knockout. He's got what I would call weaponized

00:13:18Athleticism. I mean, he's just so good everywhere got folks back at home in Muskogee, Oklahoma

00:13:24Representing cheering him on

00:13:26Yeah, a really really huge top prospect safes been talking about this kid for a very long time as has DC

00:13:32So anxious to see what he brings to the table today. He was at an aka for two years

00:13:37Cormier asked safe Saud

00:13:39to bring him back home as

00:13:42Jacoby Smith wanted to get back closer to his native home state of Oklahoma and he's found a home in Dallas, Texas

00:13:48Kobe Smith's line is up to minus 950 as a betting favorite. He's four years younger than the Canadian

00:13:53Christian sub wah is an inch and a half taller

00:13:56The reach is the same this tale the tape is brought to you by Bud Light official beer sponsor of the UFC

00:14:02Mark Smith is our referee for the first of five bouts tonight

00:14:07All right, Christian ready Jacoby ready fights on

00:14:12Jacoby Smith is in red Christian sub wah is in blue Smith eight and oh as a pro is one of four undefeated fighters

00:14:19We will see tonight

00:14:21I

00:14:24Already

00:14:42Slammed him down

00:14:44And the way that he's controlling that ankle right now is really smart. It's a lot. It's not allowing sub water

00:14:50You know work on that guillotine that he was hoping for as he was getting taken down

00:14:55Let's see if Smith can pass or take the back

00:15:04He's having trouble getting that other hook in around because of the fence

00:15:07Stop was got to keep that hip along that fence that can prevent Smith from being able to get both hooks in but now it

00:15:12Looks like he's gonna try to put that pressure forward drag him down and reverse it bring him back down nice

00:15:20It does have to be careful there, but some of these shots

00:15:28It's a heavy punches with the right Smith now tee it off along the fence. Oh, there's a cut

00:15:34It's on the back of the head

00:15:36Clearly showing that that was an illegal shot that he landed. It's got to be careful

00:15:41So well seems to be okay, but that is right where it's illegal

00:15:45Right along the Mohawk is what we're in the fighters fired by Smith in that exchange

00:15:53Sometimes guys turn yeah at the last second is something you can't avoid right

00:15:58But it's when he's targeting the area all both hooks in he's gonna look to flatten him out. Here's grab that wrist

00:16:04And for all the wrestling credentials not a single pro win by submission in MMA

00:16:09This is a race to see if stop walking yep stand back up, but he's gonna get suplexed in the process

00:16:16So I've lost gotta really try to hang on to this chaotic beginning

00:16:25He's just getting creative tonight

00:16:27I

00:16:34Feel like Smith doesn't even know how he wants to finish him right now. He's got to make up his mind

00:16:40But if you can push that knee down step over I expect him to start looking for elbows again

00:16:47Smith needs to get past the right knee of Savoie

00:16:57Chance for a mount if Smith can creep up higher past the knees instead

00:17:08He'll sweep over to the right side for side control two minutes to go in round one

00:17:13It has been all pressure from Jacoby Smith

00:17:17Savoie doing a lot of the right things in terms of building back

00:17:20But he's got to be very careful in these transitions because that's where Jacoby Smith is so dangerous

00:17:27Easily takes him right back down

00:17:37Just pressure and look how high he stays over top of him I

00:17:42Mean he's putting so much pressure on his throat there, too

00:17:47Yep

00:17:50Savoie you know a very active guard I am I am impressed with his activities certainly not just resting here even though he's in a bad

00:17:57Good elbow split him wide open with that one toes out of the cage

00:18:02That split him right open with that left elbow there from Smith big right hand as well

00:18:08He's getting busy here guys

00:18:11Warning for Mark Smith for Savoie to do something

00:18:16Or else Smith is gonna hammer his way to victory

00:18:19right to mount

00:18:21slide over

00:18:24A beautiful transition, just floated right into it

00:18:35He's got to do something to get some respect from Smith

00:18:40Slams him down does Jacoby Smith. That's a sick takedown of the first round

00:18:46That time is running out if Smith wants to end it inside of round one

00:18:54I

00:18:59Mean he doesn't even punch when he

00:19:02Pure elbows and that's what's doing all this. I know I can tell and look at the damage on Savoie

00:19:08That's it just goes to show you look at when you decide to start

00:19:13Elbows to the bell

00:19:16Dominance from Jacoby Smith

00:19:19Total strikes 45 to 4. Let's go Chris

00:19:27Sit I got you

00:19:30Down

00:19:36Beautiful

00:19:39He's now to get that sit set up gun get up on

00:19:42We're gonna stay we're not putting on that cage situation, you're not gonna stay down you're gonna get to the cage you're getting back up

00:19:47So he on him first with that straight, right?

00:19:49Soon as he makes a shot soon as he makes a shot stay low get that Thunder in get the Thunder in

00:19:54finish with the five

00:20:03Mouthpiece in mouthpiece in let's go

00:20:05Took a while to get to his stool, but look indecent to start

00:20:11Mark Smith with another warning to Jacoby Smith for strikes to the back of the head. I got second round fight

00:20:21He wants to get back in this one he needs to not kick to the body

00:20:24He needs to look for solid punches keep his base low and look for a shot

00:20:28He needs to look for a shot to the body. He needs to look for a shot to the body

00:20:31He needs to look for solid punches keep his base low and look for things up the middle for knees

00:20:38When you know when you know for a fact that your opponent is gonna be level changing

00:20:42It's all that stuff. Like you say Paul right up the middle

00:20:48Smith's swung out of his shoes there

00:20:52Savoie unable to capitalize

00:20:55So much punishment from Smith. Yes that walk gives one back though. He's responding still

00:21:01But he is beat up

00:21:03He's tough there's no doubt I mean he took a lot of damage in that first round, but he's still fighting he's showing his grit

00:21:15Spent it a lot of energy as well

00:21:17I'm looking at a guy who finishes fights early

00:21:26Smart move there from Smith to get it right back down to the ground where he was absolutely dominating in the first round

00:21:31Because listen, I think he can get a knockout no doubt

00:21:34But he is gonna risk the chance that you give Savoie a big right hand

00:21:40Watch the eyes, Kobe

00:21:42Covering the mouth and then sliding right into an elbow

00:21:51That's a tough spot that Savoie's is cut right between the eyes

00:21:55So when he's on his back that that you know up and down cut between the eyes just bleeds into either eye depending on which

00:22:01Way you're you're leaning. All right, Chris, so you got a move

00:22:05Yeah, Mark Smith taking a good look. You know, he's fighting back. He knows how badly he's getting damaged 50 shots

00:22:10Well and Savoie's in a spot where he's gonna have to expose his back to be able to get back up

00:22:21This is where he could finish it he just starts unloading with these big uppercuts try to go under the arms got the wrist trap now

00:22:29Savoie's trying to mitigate the damage now if he can control the posture of Smith. Smith pins down the right

00:22:45Savoie doing just enough to stay in the fight every time Smith was stepping in for a warning

00:22:50Short elbow and then he comes across with the right twice

00:22:53Everything that Smith is doing is mean right now

00:23:06Elbows from Jacoby Smith

00:23:08And that's gonna do it. Mark Smith steps in to call it. Jacoby Smith is your winner by TKO. Dana White approves.

00:23:28Smith is that standout athlete we were building up. We expected to see

00:23:34Aggression in all phases and that's what he put forth. Super exciting young man right here. I mean

00:23:42Jacoby Smith's what 28 years old with that wrestling pedigree with the jimmies at

00:23:48Ground and pound that he put on display here

00:23:52We got an early front-runner right there guys

00:23:56Well, I asked Saif Saud earlier in 2024 who's coming up from your gym he said yeah, I'm coming up from your gym

00:24:03He said Jacoby Smith is gonna be a problem. Well, we can see what type of problem he's gonna be right here

00:24:09I mean the creativity and his takedowns and then the dominance once he's able to get on top this style of ground and pound

00:24:17Is what keeps grappling so exciting? I mean the damage that he was doing with those elbows every single time

00:24:23It would strike and there's that athleticism. We were talking about look out just engage you we got another backflipper and credit to Mark Smith

00:24:30I think that was a really fair stoppage, you know, Christian

00:24:32So what boy would have went out there on his shield, but he stepped in and and you know

00:24:37Took him out of there for his own good

00:24:40Jacoby Smith moves to 9 and 0 as a pro getting it done with his seventh knockout win

00:24:46Here's Justin Bernard to make it official

00:24:50Ladies and gentlemen after two minutes 55 seconds into round number two referee Mark Smith calls a stop to the fight for the winner by

00:24:58TKO

00:24:59piece

00:25:04So two-time junior college

00:25:07All-american and national champion at Northeastern, Oklahoma A&M. It's originally from Muskogee, Oklahoma

00:25:15And spent a year at Oklahoma State where he was an all-american

00:25:18Trained with Daniel Cormier out of a cave for two years

00:25:21But when he wanted to move back closer to home

00:25:24Cormier linked up with safe Saud and said I got a real prospect on the rise for you and

00:25:29Jacoby Smith is living up to the hype once again

00:25:33Yeah

00:25:34He should and you know what? I like about what Jacoby Smith did tonight is he showed a little bit of his game everywhere

00:25:41He immediately went out there and showed that wrestling and not only did he show I can get this to the ground

00:25:46I can do it with just powerful slams

00:25:49Aggressive takedowns insane ground-and-pound. He got to show off some of his striking

00:25:55Now I get to say hi to Dan and the matchmakers who I'm sure are very pleased with that performance

00:26:00You take a look at that kid and you think man, we got a prospect on our hand

00:26:08Let's take a look here early on he gets in there just immediately

00:26:12Put some elevation on that takedown and these punches

00:26:17Ground-and-pound he's ferocious with these elbows. That's something that you just can't really teach a fighter to Jacoby Smith

00:26:24You can tell he's got it

00:26:25It's got that nastiness in that ground-and-pound looking to hurt you with every shot that he throws

00:26:30That's what you want to see in a young prospect and now

00:26:33He's with Laura Sanko

00:26:35Thank you so much guys. We'll still undefeated now 10 and oh that was a one-way traffic

00:26:41My friend absolutely. I just want to thank God my family

00:26:46the whole Dan and white contender series the staff everything is so professional and I'm just grateful for every opportunity I got

00:26:54Only up from here and you got a facetime from DC there. We didn't catch that on camera. What did he say to you?

00:27:00Cowboys up baby. That's family. That's family, you know as hard as this fight game is, you know

00:27:06We and are knocking each other's heads off, you know, I just got to give a shout out to signups TBA

00:27:11Go give him a look go give him a shout out. That's all I got to say

00:27:14Talk to me about your strategy in this fight

00:27:17I don't know if I've ever seen more vicious ground-and-pound than what you deliver out there pure elbows

00:27:23Cutting him up from the very beginning man. A lot of people don't know it's way worse than this and training, you know

00:27:30My coaches they teaching me how to how to

00:27:33Control my breathing and doing all that which that comes with it

00:27:37But it gets way more deadly daily than that. I'm coming in small, you know

00:27:44I'm only weighing 174 right now, but it don't matter. You know, we about to get me on this lift this lift

00:27:49I'm the professionalism is coming out. Just stay tuned. I

00:27:54Love it. You got a great crowd behind you back in Muskogee, Oklahoma

00:27:57Take a look here. They were going crazy

00:28:07That's where that beast come from her my daddy Jacoby Austin and Latrice Smith the beast treats the beast

00:28:12No one's messing with Latrice the beat. Yeah, not at all blacksmith, baby. Let's go. Thank you. Dana white. Thank you

00:28:18Contender series. I respect all y'all. Thanks for the opportunity. Give me more. Give me more. Give me more

00:28:23Give me more. Give me more. Give me more. That's a mic drop. If I've ever heard one. Congratulations to Kobe guys

00:28:29We'll send it back to you. Thanks very much

00:28:31Give me more fight fans are gonna want to see more out of Jacoby Smith a rising welterweight prospect safe to say

00:28:41The night only up from here

00:28:44Hey

00:28:44Well coming up next alien Sephora smashed in the door for a Spanish fighter say hello to Abdallah El-Rami

00:28:50Moroccan born but now fighting out of Malaga, Spain

00:28:53He enters his first fight in 18 months tonight, but he does so riding a six-fight win streak

00:28:58But Torres Finney looks to stop that streak and finally break through. He's the 5'8 middleweight that Dana White says

00:29:06He needs to show something more to punch his ticket to the big show. We'll see what he has in store for us tonight

00:29:16He's back

00:29:18Torres Vinny

00:29:1925 years old has exploded through those doors

00:29:23Torres Vinny definitely coming out here to prove himself right keep doubt me because every time I step into that cage

00:29:29Every time you see me do something my life

00:29:32Oh

00:29:44The Punisher Torres

00:29:48Say this man, I am the Punisher. I am Torres Finney and Dana. That's one thing

00:29:57What's all right

00:30:01Oh

00:30:08He has been nothing short of a monster that power is out of this world

00:30:16Junior you stand up with this guy. You're gonna get hurt. He's a scary individual

00:30:22This is my belt I'm coming nobody can take that belt away from me

00:30:32Oh

00:30:33Salt Lake City, Utah has been a

00:30:37Great spot on the calendar in recent years. It was Leon Edwards breakthrough moment

00:30:42It was the BMF title fight last year with Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier and now it's Poetan Pineda

00:30:49Defending his belt. He's the busiest champ, and he's trying to turn back Khalil roundtree jr. For the 205 pound strap

00:30:57It's part of a championship doubleheader with Rocky Pennington defending her bantamweight title against the former champ Giuliana Pena who wants it back

00:31:03Also, Jose Aldo an underdog to Mario Bautista and Kevin trailblazer

00:31:08Holland is back in the middleweight division kept UFC 307 this Saturday on ESPN plus

00:31:15Pay-per-view, but up next

00:31:17185 pounders on deck and ready to shine one of them very familiar with this UFC apex

00:31:25On week two of the contender series this season Terez Finney picked up his second win on the show

00:31:30He plans on making it his fight against Abdella Erremi his last before making his way to the UFC

00:31:40My record is 7-1 five finishes by KO and TKO

00:31:45I'm a different breed I suffering a lot when I was young these hard times inside me make me more strong and

00:31:52My mind is bulletproof

00:31:55My name is Abdella Rami

00:31:5727 years old. I fight from Malaga, Spain. I

00:32:01Born in Morocco. I born in Casablanca

00:32:04When I was three years old my family moved to Spain my mom and my dad is a very very strong

00:32:11persons with a very strong

00:32:14Mentality my mother my father create this man. I need to make my father's and my family proud

00:32:20My father helped me a lot in everything he played in me discipline

00:32:26And he make me a good mentality and good health. I stopped my kickboxing career

00:32:3355 54 victories in 72 fights and

00:32:37When I was 20 years old, I decided to change

00:32:42And I love it. I love it. I love it

00:32:46This is my opportunity I need the best performance of my life I go to finish this right I

00:32:53100% and he can't stop a guy like me with my mind with a bulletproof mind

00:32:57I am ready for this victory and for my entrance in the UFC

00:33:05For the winner by unanimous decision

00:33:08Decision

00:33:15Congratulation to Torres Finney his entire cheering section is hyped up. He also talked about is he a fighter that people want to see fight

00:33:25What a journey it has been you know to be back here once again

00:33:29The contract isn't the thing that's motivating me anymore

00:33:33You have now put doubt amongst me now you challenging me and I want to show that I'm up to the challenge

00:33:39I'm excited to be able to go out here and show the reason why I'm gonna be in the UFC. Don't keep down Torres feet

00:33:46My name is Torres Finney. I'm fighting out of Chattanooga, Tennessee from a boogie combats

00:33:52Week two I competed against Cam Rousey. That wasn't my best performance

00:33:56I know it wasn't even walking to the back. I even had it in the back of my mind man

00:34:02But I know that I'm a better fighter than what I showed. I

00:34:06Do understand the reason why Dana didn't give you the contract Dana said

00:34:11Finney I'm always brutally honest with this stuff

00:34:13You get absolutely decimated in the UFC with the performance that you put on tonight

00:34:20Now he said based on your performance today

00:34:24What about my performance tonight?

00:34:27Going here and handling my business against Abdelirahman

00:34:30I know what type of fighter I am. I know what type of fighter I can be. I know I have so much more potential

00:34:36I know I'm at 25, 9 and 0, on the verge of 10 and 0. I'm ready and I'm ready for anything you throw at me

00:34:42You say I get decimated? You say it was a disservice to bring me in? Well, let's see

00:34:46Let's see if that's true because I'm ready for that challenge

00:34:56Abdelirahman looking to become

00:35:00The first Moroccan born fighter to punch his UFC ticket through Dana White's contender series

00:35:07Paulie's a decorated kickboxers the youngest Spanish national champion as a kickboxer moved to Spain when he was three years old

00:35:14That's why he fights out of Malaga, Spain and calls it home

00:35:18Repping two countries tonight as he looks to make it to the big show. Yeah, and I really do like his kickboxing style

00:35:23He's very tight with his hands up high always got good kicks and I wrote in my notes

00:35:28Especially for a guy his size he kicks really well to all areas high low middle

00:35:33He can do it all and he's sneaky with some of his elbows. He when he's in close. He gets creative

00:35:38He finds ways to land his close-range weapons as well as those far-range weapons and he's been put through it

00:35:43I've seen him get dropped in fights and find his way back and get the win in those fights

00:35:47Very tough and having all that kickboxing experience combined with the seven and one professional MMA record. He's in for tonight

00:35:55He knows he's gonna have to defend takedowns here. So we're gonna see a lot about that takedown defense tested here tonight

00:36:00I need to greet you're getting a pretty decent underdog price on her Rami. What are your thoughts on this fight?

00:36:04Yeah, and this is not a fate of the undefeated as a pro and undefeated as an amateur tour as Finney

00:36:10This is a bet on a Rami based on the betting line open to minus 145 got bet up to minus 200 within five minutes

00:36:17But now we're looking at about a three to one favorite and with all that k1 experience and dangerous power

00:36:22He mixes the strikes well little takedown defense

00:36:25I'll sprinkle some plus money

00:36:26All right, five of those seven wins for Abdella or Rami have come by knockout

00:36:32See if he can extend his six-fight win streak tonight's here in Las Vegas

00:36:45There is much more

00:36:46History to Terez Finney than just the last two fights

00:36:49It was a two-time state wrestling champion high school in Georgia played college football for Tennessee Chattanooga

00:36:56But of course the focus has been on what he's done on Dana White's contender series last summer

00:37:02It was a win season two. It was a win Paul Felder

00:37:06I don't know if I've ever heard Dana White be as harsh in his

00:37:09Criticism certainly this season then Terez Finney after a win safe to say he's got to go out and show

00:37:15Something different. Yeah. I mean he really does right?

00:37:18He really needs to go out there and almost come out of it himself and what he's used to doing

00:37:23I'm not saying that he can't stick to his guns and use some wrestling

00:37:27But he's got to be damn aggressive with he's got to be powerful with the ground and pound and he has got to look like

00:37:33He is going for the finish the entire time. He's in the octagon

00:37:36I think if he goes out there and he lays it on the line and takes

00:37:40Risks in front of Dana and the matchmakers and gets a big finish here

00:37:44He's got a chance. Yeah, you nailed it on the head. They're risk-taking

00:37:47Urgency, those are the things that Dana White wants

00:37:57You'd be the first fighter in Dana White's contender series history

00:38:06Back here a third time looking for that win. There's his crew back home in Chattanooga at a gogi combatives

00:38:13Therese Finney

00:38:15Others have fought three times on the contender series

00:38:18But that was after some results that didn't go their way to rest and he has won each time here

00:38:23Now he's looking for the contract to go along with it

00:38:26He's three years younger than Abdallah or Rami or Rami stands four inches taller

00:38:31Finney's always going to be the shorter fighter in this weight class, but he's some minus 270 betting favorite

00:38:38I'm ready for this one. Eric. McMahon is your referee for fight number two tonight?

00:38:44I thought are you ready? You ready?

00:38:47This fight clock is brought to you by Bud Light official beer sponsor of the UFC Finney's in red

00:38:53Karami's in blue big left hook there from a Rami take down early for Finney

00:39:00And he gets it now the big question. Let's see how he approaches the aggression. He put it right in front of Dana

00:39:06Yeah, what will he do with it? He's got this spot front and center

00:39:09These are the moments where he's got to maintain control, but do

00:39:14Damage like we saw in that last fight

00:39:17Collects the right wrist of your Rami and a Rami a bit of a fish out of water in this position full mount for Finney down

00:39:31I mean a very tough spot here

00:39:36He's gonna choose the back route towards Finney a little high here, but he's flattening him out. This is bad for a Rami

00:39:52Choke now he's he almost stepped off to the side. He's choosing to stay in full mount squeeze away

00:39:59Where that 5-8 burly frame might?

00:40:02provide an advantage

00:40:04For Finney, oh, yeah, I can only imagine what it's like to be squeezed in an arm triangle. Did he tap?

00:40:12He's gurgling

00:40:16Trying his hardest oh

00:40:19Man, he is fighting with everything. Yes

00:40:24Gives the thumbs up after McMahon checked in

00:40:35Name credit to a Romney for getting out of that at what cost

00:40:40Talk about heart

00:40:46He's got to be careful again here

00:40:49Every time he looks to frame Torres when he uses his head to start to start to look for that joke again

00:40:55I

00:41:00Mean he is nine and oh he's finished seven of those nine wins

00:41:03So his performance on season two that went the distance is not indicative of the fighter that he's been as a pro

00:41:09But only one of his wins are by submission

00:41:13Curiously enough it came last October right here on team

00:41:18Squeezes him out again. Yeah, he's got to be very careful

00:41:20He keeps trying to reach over to try to get back up to his feet and get to a hip

00:41:24He's got to try to clear that right leg get out of this half guard and get himself to that fence as best he can

00:41:30You know, one of the things that I think

00:41:33Torres when he deals with in terms of how short he is for this division

00:41:37It's hard to be face to face and chest to chest in half guard

00:41:41He's got to get to full mount to really be

00:41:45This is what Finney's got to do here I

00:41:48I

00:41:51Think forget even the arm trying I know he could probably get it but I think it would be even more exciting and just

00:41:57Better for his case to get the contract. He just postures up right in front of Dana and the guys

00:42:02It starts laying down some ground and power

00:42:07Risk losing that position to get a big

00:42:12He's I mean he's fighting so hard

00:42:15To maintain this dominant position against the longer legs of a Rami

00:42:19That he is he's losing. He's losing a little bit of momentum of the moment

00:42:26Possibly thinking about in Marikana there

00:42:38Now he's got the back

00:42:40This is trouble photos hooks in and flattens him out looking for the rear naked choke

00:42:49Ring away close to the TKO victory right in front of Dana White

00:42:56And Torres Finney

00:42:59Becomes the first fighter to win three bouts on Dana White's contender series a sly smile

00:43:10I

00:43:14Got exactly what he came for the data probably got a little more than he came

00:43:26That is a stout powerful middleweight

00:43:30from Chattanooga, Tennessee

00:43:32Torres Finney is now 10 and 0

00:43:36And

00:43:37Pretty fleet of foot and the music comes on he sure is I mean the way that he was able to

00:43:42Ride these positions stay in a dominant spot even though the height was at a disadvantage for him

00:43:48And then when the moment came land big shots

00:43:51That is what we have been looking for the entire time from Torres Finney the urgency to finish the fight and what better spot?

00:43:58Right in front of Dana White to deliver these shots and finish that fight. That was awesome

00:44:05total strikes 49 to 2

00:44:08Significant strikes 35 to nothing for Torres Finney who was utterly dominant

00:44:15In a first round stoppage victory. That's his fifth win that came inside of round number one

00:44:22Let's make it official

00:44:24Justin Bernard

00:44:27Ladies and gentlemen after four minutes ten seconds into round number one

00:44:30Referee Eric McMahon calls a stop to the fight for the winner by TKO

00:44:44Gotta think the third time's a charm. Don't you Paul? I mean it would be quite

00:45:01He's got the Dana White's contender series triple crown now as you said, yeah

00:45:06I mean one on this four cards one by sub one by knockout

00:45:08He's done it all and I do think that after a performance like that you go in here the third time

00:45:15Especially after hearing some harsh things from Dana to come back and then pull off a performance like that

00:45:21I think it's time

00:45:31I

00:45:32Said to res Vinny

00:45:34He's good on the mic to Paul. That was impressive. We've seen two dominant fighters tonight so far

00:45:40Listen, and as long as Torres Finney can do these types of fights where he gets these dominant positions. He's so strong

00:45:47He's so physical and all I think we wanted to see from him is to open up a bit

00:45:52Let the strikes go use that size and that power to set up these big TKOs. You've shown you got submissions now

00:45:59You got a TKO. I mean, this is what we wanted to see from him. And now Torres Finney's with Laura Sanko

00:46:05Thank you very much guys. Well Torres Finney you came for that repeat and you did it right in front of Dana white

00:46:11Yeah, hey, I got to take down the perfect spot. I told y'all man. Look I'm on that level

00:46:17I don't come in here just to say that I know it the people I've trained with the gyms

00:46:22I've been to I know I'm on that level tonight. I had a great opportunity and I showcased it

00:46:26I know the last two fights wasn't to the best of my ability

00:46:28But thank God that he is still a warrior spirit in me to like no matter what how many knows you hear your life

00:46:36keep grinding because eventually you'll get that one yes from God keep knocking that door down keep knocking that door down an

00:46:42Absolute inspiration to come out here three times first fighter in contender series history to have three wins on the show

00:46:49Talk to me though about the mindset that it took to

00:46:53Experience what you did previously in this season here

00:46:56What you know Dana's harsh criticism and then come back out here and do it again and get the finish

00:47:02Yes in a dominant fashion, you know, I tell people, you know, I took this fight on short notice

00:47:07I literally was about to plan to go on vacation after my fight in August and they said

00:47:13One more opportunity what you like to do

00:47:15I said bring it on because I know what level I'm on took the final short notice came here if went against a high-level

00:47:21High level kickboxing got him out of there around one. So you put anybody in front of me?

00:47:26I say this I know Dana the first time he said it'll be a disservice

00:47:29I know the second time he said I get decimated

00:47:31But I got a challenge to you put him in front of me and I'll show you who a decimate who I like my chances

00:47:36Against anybody on this planet in the middle weight on this planet. Hey, I got God with me

00:47:40So give me anybody knock him down. Talk to me about the crew PC here in Chattanooga, Tennessee

00:47:45You have an amazing amazing support group. We see there. Oh, man. I see my whole team. That's family

00:47:51You know, my family's here my mom my dad

00:47:54Everybody knows anybody everybody that's been following me my granddad with a poor child. Let's go, baby. I got that poor child

00:47:59I thought and then my uncle

00:48:01Dante a TDD coach Larry of a snoop all those people man. There's so many people in my life

00:48:07my coaches

00:48:08Sterling Matt Larry as I said people back at home, you know for me when BAM

00:48:14Yeah, he gave you a warm-down knockout, baby, you know, Johnny Jones Robert white, you know

00:48:18These people have been so beneficial to me in my life. They helped me get to this point in my life

00:48:22So I want to thank them all first obviously think of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ everybody

00:48:27I love you all but we got one more thing. Y'all already know I'm about to do and that is

00:48:36What to rise is cooking another mic drop guys, I'll send it back to you

00:48:45Therese is

00:48:48Trademark

00:48:50Then the interview Dana white

00:48:55You know, it looks like he's

00:48:57Happy to be proven wrong and then you know

00:49:00Just looked away when it got the dance got a little too intense right in front of him for Therese Finney

00:49:0510 and 0 25 years old fighting out of Chattanooga now

00:49:09We could take that vacation and later this month

00:49:11He will celebrate his 26th birthday the USC fight pass

00:49:15Invitational eighth-date event is set with the inaugural Craig Jones

00:49:18Invitational million-dollar winner Nikki Rodriguez taking on rising star Michael Pixley

00:49:24The single greatest night of submission grappling returns on Thursday, October 10th streaming live and exclusively on UFC fight pass

00:49:31Follow at UFC fight pass for more announcements this week

00:49:38We're coming to you live on a beautiful Tuesday night in Las Vegas

00:49:43Vegas UFC was just in Paris, France. That's Las Vegas's version of Paris

00:49:51The fountains are going and the sports books are packed these days with football fans and fight fans alike Yanni the Greek

00:49:59What's your take on what's coming up next?

00:50:04This is a really good fight between these two and we've seen the line drop significantly

00:50:08In fact Martinez opened as high as a 3 to 1 favorite and we're now looking at about a minus 150 take back about minus

00:50:15125 on Franklin and I think there's some value still on this dog

00:50:19I thought it was a coin flip to begin with and I thought it was just a lack of a big sample size of a

00:50:25Record because since the no contest Franklin's done nothing but win and his opponents had won 71% of their fight

00:50:32So it's been against decent competition. He's gonna have the power in this one. He mixes the strikes

00:50:37Well, he's a BJJ purple belt. Well rounded as they come at plus money. Will we get a dog?

00:50:42It's now 27 favorites and nine dogs in this season

00:50:47Close to 80% the dogs gotta start barking soon. We'll see Yanni. Thanks very much

00:50:52It's phantom weights up next and time to see how it goes down between

00:50:56What we expect to be a hotly contested bout at 135 pounds

00:51:02The brother of UFC veteran Melissa Martinez David Martinez plans on joining his sister on the roster

00:51:08But undefeated Xavier Franklin has something to say about that and is ready to play spoiler

00:51:17So I walk in the class the teachers telling us hey you got to write paper about if you weren't in college

00:51:22What do you really want to do and I start writing down everything right now. I'm gonna be a UFC champion

00:51:28I'm gonna fight all these guys so that I turn the paper in she's like Xavier

00:51:32I read your paper and I felt like this inspired me to want to go chase my dreams

00:51:36You know if you feel like this is what you should do

00:51:39I don't think being here is gonna help you achieve that goal. So I kind of like teared up a little bit

00:51:45That's what I ran down the stairs and my friends like bro, where you going? And I was like, I'm going to chase my dream

00:51:50My name is Xavier Franklin. I'm 27 and my team is George Pawlowski more time boxing. I

00:51:57I just had a dream. I wrote it down that I wanted to be a champion

00:52:01Struggling financially just to get through life. So my bank accounts going negative. I'm asking people bank accounts going negative my best friend

00:52:09Monty who gave me money to chase my dream ended up get shot a few weeks later and

00:52:15I'm struggling to deal with that

00:52:18So I'm one of my best friends. I got shot in the head. He gave me money to start everything. He ends up surviving

00:52:23He's just missing a piece of his skull

00:52:26You know, I'll never forget what he did for me. Like I don't know where I would be if he didn't

00:52:31That stuff is the stuff that I hold with me and when I go fight

00:52:37The ups and downs

00:52:39Still struggling with the money then now and then now I'm here on this scene

00:52:44I just feel like this is my chance to to shine

00:52:47I feel like this is God giving my second chance to show who is a bit Franklin reviews

00:52:54I

00:52:58Think a presenter now a los quinceaños

00:53:01MMA ha sido mi meta llegar a la ufc de mis diez peleas de ganas que tengo

00:53:06Nueve han sido knockouts y el poder de esos knockouts. La verdad es que solo entro y hago lo que tengo que hacer en la jaula

00:53:14Mi nombre es David Martinez. Tengo 26 años y entreno en bomb breakers

00:53:20Llevo entrenando toda mi vida este karate de ahí entre negra desde los dos años porque mis papás son mis entrenadores

00:53:28Ellos son cintas negras de karate y desde ahí empezó todo toda la historia

00:53:32Mi hermana es mi más grande inspiración. Eso nombre es melissa super meli martinez. Ella siempre ha logrado

00:53:39las cosas y yo siempre quiero

00:53:42seguir tras de ella

00:53:43Entonces ella me inspira a lograr este este contrato porque ella está firmada con la compañía y pelea dentro de tres semanas

00:53:52tener a dos martinez

00:53:54dentro de la ufc seria

00:53:56mas grande hecho realidad

00:53:58cuando salí de esquina con ella me puse la

00:54:02chamarra que decía martinez en la parte de atrás y dije ahora si puedo morir en paz pero

00:54:08ahora yo siento que falta mi nombre ponerlo en la

00:54:12parte de la chamarra entonces

00:54:14no va a ser la persona que separe entre mí y mi sueño porque

00:54:17yo sé lo que tengo dentro de mí y yo sé que lo puedo lograr

00:54:21voy a salir a dar mi 100% y mi 100% radica en el 90% de mis peleas son finalizaciones

00:54:29entonces yo voy a hacerlo lo que se hace el mejor que es ir a terminar la pelea

00:54:42Bueno, alguien cambió el escritorio

00:54:45con la historia de Xavier Franklin, creo que mucha gente diría no, es demasiado obvio y es demasiado increíble, ¿verdad?

00:54:52No vas a ir a la maestra y decir, oh, vamos a bajar las escaleras y perseguir tus sueños para ser un luchador pro y llegar a la ufc

00:54:58y aquí está, Xavier Franklin está en el cuspo de la ufc

00:55:03brillante luchador atlético de la área de Dallas, Texas. Sí, él se enamoró de

00:55:09Conor McGregor y todo lo que le trajo a MMA, el espectáculo que le trajo y entonces en ese momento cuando le preguntaron

00:55:16¿Qué estarías haciendo si pudieras estar haciendo algo?

00:55:19Él lo escribió, dijo que era una especie de un círculo de consciencia y hablé de querer ser un campeón de la ufc y

00:55:25propias a

00:55:26el profesor

00:55:27Sí

00:55:28que estaba dispuesto a decir, ¿sabes qué?

00:55:29No creo que estás loco porque en realidad pensaba que iba a tener un mal grado en ese papel, pensaba que iba a,

00:55:33you know, kind of get chided for just sort of writing a bunch of stuff down

00:55:37She pulled him aside said no, go chase your dream and props to him for actually doing it walking out of college

00:55:43And here he is tonight on the precipice of taking the first big step and making that dream come true, Paul

00:55:50Yeah, because we have heard the other side of that story where athletes have been told. Oh, what are you doing?

00:55:55You're crazy. You're never gonna make it out of your mind

00:55:57So it's refreshing to hear that somebody did say hey, man, go do what you want to do and this guy's exciting

00:56:03He's got dynamite in those hands. Very fast boxing. Good kicks. Just a real treat to watch

00:56:09It's gonna be a very fun matchup between these two

00:56:12Pretty unique design on the dome. I like Xavier Franklin. He's ready for David Martinez

00:56:18And here is a black Spartan David

00:56:21Martinez as Mexico builds as more of a hotbed for MMA and UFC talent

00:56:27David Martinez hoping to join his sister

00:56:29They would become the first brother-sister tandem to be in the UFC. Some have come close

00:56:35Reyes Cortez has fought a couple of times on the contender series to join his sister Tracy, but a test hasn't happened yet

00:56:40Perhaps that changes tonight Paul

00:56:42Yeah

00:56:42And this is a you know a young man here with insane footwork and a pace that is just hard to match and that is

00:56:49What we're gonna see I think from the beginning of this fight moving on he non-stop moving Scott great kicks

00:56:55Especially to the legs and

00:56:57cardio and gas tank for days to be able to move like that throughout the fight and you see in this feature there a

00:57:03Real good karate background, especially kill pushing karate. We see those guys. Those guys are hard, man

00:57:08They're always attacking the body and legs in particular, even though it's karate

00:57:12He'll push in karate is all about low leg kicks digging to the body and mental toughness. Yeah, it's a very

00:57:19Damaging traditional martial art both of his parents were black belts and they really kind of raised him on the mat

00:57:25He said he started doing karate at the age of two

00:57:28So basically, you know right after he started walking he started kicking and you see that that movement that you talked about Paul this speed

00:57:35it's gonna be a matter of if

00:57:37Xavier Franklin can find him and land the power or if Martinez's footwork is just gonna be his undoing

00:57:43He was in the corner of his sister Melissa's UFC debut. That was all the way back in

00:57:482022 she fights again in a couple of weeks right here at the UFC Apex, but it's David's turn tonight

00:57:53He's a small betting favorite one year younger than Xavier Franklin

00:57:57I think than one inch taller at five six inch and a half edge and reach eyes with Martinez

00:58:03Mark Smith the veteran referee back in the octagon for fight number three tonight

00:58:08All right, Xavier ready David ready fights on

00:58:13Red de la Cruz on hand with us again on a Tuesday night. Happy you are to here on ESPN plus

00:58:19Xavier Franklin's in blue

00:58:21David Martinez in red

00:58:27Martinez has finished nine of his ten victories seven coming in the first round and all nine of those by knockout

00:58:38Kicks on display early

00:58:42Martinez

00:58:43That's something that we've seen is a beer Franklin struggle with

00:58:47Consistently in his fights in particular his last fight against Isaiah Gutierrez. It was a big factor

00:58:52He did win the fight, but it's certainly something to look out for coming from David Martinez

00:59:13Oh, there's that movie he's just so incredibly fast laterally in and out his range awareness

00:59:29Exactly that's Franklin style. This is exactly what he likes to do is try to pressure but right now he's pressuring at a distance

00:59:35It's just a little bit too far away for him to be able to box

00:59:38Martinez Martinez could still land those leg kicks. That's three really solid leg kicks landed from Martinez so far

00:59:54Martinez able to dip and escape

01:00:07Oh

01:00:14On the way in by Martinez, yeah, I tried to step in with that left kick to the body and Martinez

01:00:21Nicely with that right hand

01:00:26Another heavy leg kick and he opened himself up

01:00:38Great

01:00:50Yeah, he's trying to take it off

01:01:08See those faints from Martinez

01:01:19Under two minutes round number one

01:01:27Franklin trying to close Martinez down

01:01:38Stop time

01:01:41Low on the push kick from Martinez with just over 90 seconds to go in the round

01:01:49Stay over here stay over here

01:01:53Oh, we almost got a show hey accidental

01:02:00Are you ready? Yeah, are you ready? Yeah. All right careful

01:02:04Time it fight compelled strong. Yes. It's it got that got that straying time

01:02:17See if Franklin can make some adjustments to kind of wrangle I think a leg kick for him to kind of

01:02:25Martinez might be a good strategy, but

01:02:27I

01:02:31Was just gonna say Franklin is used to being a counter-striker

01:02:35He pressures with his presence and then forces the action out of the opponent so that he can counter and what Martinez is doing

01:02:41Well here is using his face to sort of force Franklin

01:02:52Look at the face of Martinez

01:02:58Nice counter, right

01:03:02Final minute as Martinez is turning it on a little bit of that traditional martial arts coming out there with that wheel kick

01:03:08Won his last fight that way it was a nasty wheel kick knockout

01:03:12I

01:03:31Might make his punches

01:03:33Oh

01:03:38First round in the books David Martinez with a circus act in the final seconds

01:03:52So listen when he when you pulling it out, he's gonna throw that kid shoot the two down the middle

01:03:58Anytime you pull the shit out. He's gonna throw that kid

01:04:00Okay, so you pull I'll be ready to shoot the two down the middle, okay

01:04:04Use your jab more. Yeah

01:04:16Take a look

01:04:17I mean the damage from these leg kicks

01:04:19Although we're not seeing it yet in the gate of Franklin and Martinez clearly watch the same film

01:04:25I did and saw that as a big opportunity lands the right hand there as well

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01:05:01Now Martinez is providing a soundtrack with these leg kicks on Xavier Franklin

01:05:11It's piling up on that left leg

01:05:18Catch that timing that's that karate back. I mean the speed of that lead hook kick was crazy

01:05:29I

01:05:39Don't matter don't do it again. Yeah

01:05:52I'm interested to see if he starts to go upstairs with these kicks

01:05:55Once he could get Franklin really thinking about that calf kick so focused on that

01:06:02Second shot for a takedown for Franklin

01:06:05He tried one from way far out that was easily defended at round number one and Martinez able to shuck them there as well

01:06:19Martinez momentarily

01:06:25Trying to catch him coming in

01:06:41Starting to find his timing with his boxing now, but he's still eating a lot of leg kicks

01:06:52Franklin yelling

01:06:56Now the damage is starting to pile up you can see it he was wearing it well around number one

01:07:00You really couldn't see a bruiser much of a limp

01:07:02But now the damage is evident on the left calf of Franklin perhaps. That's why he's turned up the urgency here

01:07:14That's really good really different styles here now Franklin get himself back into this fight here

01:07:20He's gotta keep trying to score these

01:07:23Punches he's finding his time

01:07:27Draws the attack out of

01:07:29Martinez which got

01:07:31Dangerously sloppy there for a moment. Well, I'd like Laura talked about he's usually the counter striker and the more he can faint and draw

01:07:37the boxing of

01:07:39Martinez

01:07:41This is the closest one he's got to like that he switches to the single he didn't have the double there

01:07:54Let's see if you can start to change something together here

01:07:57Go for the high crotch. I don't know if he's gonna be able to pull that off

01:08:01Martinez has this deep wizard. He's pulling on the front the other elbow as well

01:08:11I

01:08:14Martinez swinging a miss on both sides they went simultaneously and then another big

01:08:2890 seconds to go in an action-packed round two

01:08:41I

01:08:53Trade right hands there

01:09:11I

01:09:14Was just about to say it had been a minute since Martinez had attacked that leg again

01:09:23Punching his way all the way across the octagon as we show you the striking numbers at different levels make it 17 leg kicks now

01:09:30Tell you after round one and now round two

01:09:33Martinez has a great ability to turn it on in the final minute of the round to really try to put a stamp on it

01:09:38What's been a close fight and a ridiculous pace both of these guys

01:09:45We knew that from Martinez coming in this is how he fights moves all around the cage big kicks

01:09:55Decent boxing

01:10:00Action to the bell we'll see a third round between these 135

01:10:09I was better, baby. You see he getting tired. He's shooting

01:10:17When he gets too hot

01:10:20Deep breath deep breath

01:10:24And slow out slow

01:10:26And slow out slow now the punches is landing you I'm saying and he's trying to he's getting his hands on heat

01:10:32He's trying to throw the two. He's throwing wide ass hooks. Yeah, I want straight down the middle

01:10:37Quick and stay light on your feet

01:10:41Here's another big leg kick landed from Martinez and another one

01:10:45He's been consistent throughout the fight, but then that right hand got Franklin back into this second round started to find his timing

01:10:53Landing some significant shots to the face of Martinez

01:11:03Steps in

01:11:07They're thrown such aggression

01:11:14These guys seems to be breathing hard either

01:11:24That's feeling at the worst

01:11:36Oh

01:11:4122 and counting in the leg kick department registered

01:11:45Martinez in the 23rd brings them off his feet. Yeah, and he is officially feeling it now you can tell his stance staggered

01:11:52There you almost fell down

01:11:54And then shot for a takedown

01:11:56Oh

01:12:01What was it 22 23 now 23, that's a lot of they're powerful

01:12:11They're not little feeler out kicks to the leg

01:12:26I

01:12:39Love that he's getting busier with them as the fight is going on here the third

01:12:43Is now the movement is clearly effective

01:12:53Franklin's we're asking him to mix in some body shots here. They want him thrown to the body then coming back upstairs

01:12:59Despite the fact that Franklin continues to push forward. I do think he's compromised just enough. Oh, yeah, it's where Martinez

01:13:05Is starting to pull ahead in these boxing combinations?

01:13:09He just doesn't have quite the mobility that he did earlier in the fight. You can't chase as much

01:13:15And even when he does he's still got a lot of power

01:13:18He's got a lot of power in the body. He's got a lot of power in the head

01:13:22He's got a lot of power in the body. He's got a lot of power in the head

01:13:25You can't chase

01:13:27And even when he does just put that weight on that lead leg now

01:13:32Just the fear that maybe a big leg kick is coming right behind as soon as I put my weight on it to try to get

01:13:38Loaded up for a big shot

01:13:49I don't know what happened there

01:13:51I

01:13:54Hate

01:14:21Jab to the leg kick was one of his favorites

01:14:38To Panama it stand right in the center

01:14:42Back and forth fight David Martinez

01:14:45Using that movement to his advantage later in the fight

01:14:48Not as much sting to these strikes

01:14:59He's trying to check the leg kicks, but he still can't feel good as he is now ready

UFC Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8 Week 8 10/1/24 – October 1st, 2024 full show Part 1

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