LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Dana White’s Contender Series 33.
The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday night’s card, which streams on ESPN+.
In the night’s featured bout, Gregory Rodrigues (7-2) takes on Jordan Williams (8-3) in a middleweight fight. In addition, Collin Anglin (7-1) meets Muhammad Naimov (5-0) at featherweight.
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In the night’s first contest, featherweight Kyle Driscoll (12-3) banked the first two rounds against Dinis Paiva (13-8) and then survived a late charge to take home a decision win.
Paiva landed a big right hand early in the contest, sending Driscoll briefly to the canvas. He stood back up quickly, and after a bit more of a feeling out on the feet, Driscoll shot forward for a takedown, though he couldn’t get the fight to the floor. A second effort shortly after did get the action to the canvas, slipping around to the back when Paiva scrambled back to his feet. Paiva was patient, though, and eventually worked his way free, and they played out the remainder of the round on the feet.
The pace remained steady on the feet to open the second. Driscoll was the aggressor, and he occasionally looked unsuccessfully for a takedown. Paiva was solid in defense, but he also wasn’t able to mount much in the way of counters.
That changed in the third, when Paiva came alive on the feet. Driscoll seemed to slow just a bit, and Paiva found a home for a big left hand. Driscoll tried to turn to his wrestling, but Paiva hit a slick switch and was able to push down to top position.
Driscoll worked from an open guard, briefly teasing an armbar on a couple of occasions and then sweeping to the dominant spot late in the frame. Paiva reversed the favor in the final seconds, but it was too little, too late, and Driscoll walked away with a decision win, 29-28 on all three cards.
1st win locked! @KyDriscoll takes the win by UD!
[ #DWCS is live NOW on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/YOFDlygucC
— UFC (@ufc) September 16, 2020
Up-to-the-minute Dana White’s Contender Series 33 results include:
MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
- Gregory Rodrigues vs. Jordan Williams
- Collin Anglin vs. Muhammad Naimov
- Korey Kuppe vs. Michael Lombardo
- Taneisha Tennant vs. Danyelle Wolf
- Kyle Driscoll def. Dinis Paiva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)