And here it is! This is week 7 and it’s the mid-season finale of Dana White’s Contender Series 2020 season.

We’ve got five fights tonight, and a break that lasts until November. Let’s hope that tonight’s athletes leave us wanting more!

Here we go!

Kyle Driscoll v. Dinis Paiva

Round 1.

The men come out and touch gloves.

Paiva lands an overhand that momentarily puts Driscoll down.

A quick flurry from Driscoll only finds air.

Paiva looks much more comfortable on the feet.

Driscoll shoots, but only ends up pressing Paiva against the fence.

They separate and Driscoll start jabbing.

Driscoll shoots again and gets Paiva’s back once they hit the mat.

They are now against the cage and Paiva is fighting hard to get back to his feet, fighting the back clinch of Driscoll.

Paiva is surviving here, but Driscoll is looking for the choke.

Paiva escapes and the men are striking again.

Paiva eats a heavy leg kick.

The pair trade a few combo attempts, but nothing lands.

The round comes to an end.

Round 2.

The pair meet in the middle, and Driscoll throws a head kick that is blocked.

Both men are moving a bit more, possibly in an attempt to turn up the action.

A low blow from Driscoll halts the action.

After only a moment, the fight continues.

Big right hand from Driscoll! He shoots again, but the takedown is stuffed.

Driscoll whiffs on a combination due to the expert head movement of Paiva.

Driscoll misses on another takedown.

Paiva is looking more relaxed now that he knows he can thwart these takedowns.

An eye poke halts the action, but only for a moment.

Driscoll is moving forward. He throws a right hand to a head kick, but both are blocked.

Paiva gets caught by a right hand, but he returns with a pair of head kicks.

The pair miss on combinations.

They continue to gauge distance and miss with strikes.

The round comes to an end.

Round 3.

The fight continues.

Both men throw strikes that are blocked.

Driscoll is being super aggressive here. He is moving forward with punches, a few of which connect.

Driscoll shoots, but Paiva reverses the position, and the men return to their feet.

Both men connect with solid hooks at the same time.

Nice right hook from Paiva. He hits Driscoll with a heavy right hand and sends him to the mat!

Driscoll is surviving with his wrestling, but Paiva reverses the position so that he is now in Driscoll’s guard.

Driscoll is holding on, but Paiva is trying to stay active with punches.

An armbar attempt from Driscoll is thwarted.

Driscoll hits a sweep from the guard, and now he has Piava’s back!

Driscoll goes for another armbar, but falls off!

Driscoll sweeps again as the fight comes to an end.

Fight Overall: It was a fine fight and a good effort. I think both men could have been a bit more active. Neither man will get a contract after that fight.

Result: Kyle Driscoll def. Dinis Paiva via Unanimous Decision (29-28 x 3)

Danyelle Wolf  vs.  Taneisha Tennant

Round 1.

The women come to the center.

Wolf goes to work with the jab. She follows up with a right hand that wobbles Tennant.

Tennant is attacking the legs early. She lands a nice oblique kick.

Wolf is throwing leg kicks of her own, which I did not expect. She catches Tennant with another good right hand.

Tennant is on the retreat. She is getting bullied around the cage trying to avoid Wolf’s hands.

Tennant lands a good kick, and the women stand in the center.

Nice head kick attempt from Wolf is blocked.

Tennant goes to grapple, and is pressuring Wolf against the fence. Wolf frames her way back to the center of the cage.

Tennant shoots for a takedown, but Wolf stuffs it, and the women go back to the striking.

The round comes to an end.

Round 2.

The athletes return to the center of the cage for round 2.

Good body kick from Tennant. She lands a great hook on the chin of Wolf!

Tennant is pressuring and chaining together kicks and punches.

Wolf is looking a bit flat here.

Tennant clinches Wolf against the cage, but Wolf gets away.

Again Tennant pushes Wolf to the cage, and again Wolf gets away.

Wolf has slowed quite a bit here.

Nice double jab to a right hand from Wolf.

An eye poke from Tennant halts the action.

Wolf is able to continue, and the fight is on.

Wolf is coming back on with the punches.

Tennant misses with an elbow but lands a pair of kicks.

Wolf counters a kick with a right hand.

Wolf gets a takedown on Tennant, but lets her right back up.

Great punches coming from Wolf, and they are connecting.

Tennant is teeing off on Wolf! Wolf looks hurt, and she is just surviving right now.

The pair clinch against the fence as the horn blows.

Round 3.

Wolf comes out with a hard leg kick.

Wolf is being really aggressive here.

Tennant moves forward, but she is poked in the eye pretty bad.

Tennant looks to be in some serious pain.

Tennant says she can continue, but the ref seems not to be convinced.

The fight continues, and Tennant is really looking to get something done from the body lock.

They separate and Wolf goes back to her boxing. Wolf is swinging wild!

Nice right hands from Wolf, and Tennant gets the clinch again. They are against the fence and Tennant is working her way to a trip.

Wolf falls back for a guillotine! Tennant is doing the textbook defence and eventually passes to half guard.

Tennant is working towards a kimura, but gets kicked away.

Tennant is just standing over her opponent picking away with leg kicks.

The fight is over and the bell sounds.

Fight Overall: Both fighters impressed me here. Wolf, while definitely green, had a more well rounded game than I expected. In addition, Tennant has improved quite a bit since her last fight.

Result: Danyelle Wolf def. Taneisha Tennant Unanimous Decision (29-28 x 3)

Korey Kuppe  vs.  Michael Lombardo

Round 1.

Kuppe is so much taller here.

No glove touch from these men.

Kuppe is bouncing and threatening the side kick.

Nice body kick from Kuppe. Nice oblique kick as well.

Nice combination from Lombardo connects.

Kuppe avoids Lombardo’s right hand and returns one of his own.

Lombardo is pushing Kuppe against the cage. He is trying to lift Kuppe, but he is so tall.

Lombardo gets the takedown, and is working strikes from the guard.

Kuppe gets to the mission control position, keeping Lombardo postured down.

Lombardo escapes the position and lands a big elbow!

Kuppe is looking to lock up Lombardo’s shoulder, but he lets it go quickly.

Lombardo legs Kuppe back up.

Kuppe steps in with a knee. Lombardo gets caught in a very tight choke!

Lombardo barely survives the choke as the round comes to an end.

Round 2.

The second round starts, and Lombardo is pressuring hard. He has Kuppe against the fence.

Lombardo is working towards a trip. He gets close to it, but Kuppe stays on his feet.

Lombardo has the back clinch now, and he is kneeing the legs of Kuppe.

Lombardo is trying to work here, but Kuppe stymieing the action.

Lombardo puts Kuppe down with a labored throw. He starts working his ground and pound with Kuppe’s head stuffed into the cage.

Kuppe tries for a sweep, but nothing results from his effort.

Powerful elbow from Lombardo!

Kuppe is trying to work the rubber guard, but the round comes to an end before he can.

Round 3.

Kuppe comes out quick!

Lombardo gets right back into the clinch and again has the back of Kuppe against the fence.

Kuppe pulls guard and is stuffed against the cage.

Lombardo is working the body, but not committing to anything major.

Kuppe is trying to work his way up, but Lombardo is doing a fantastic job of controlling the top position.

Lombardo is trying to posture up, but Kuppe is being a bit too active.

Lombardo is working the body again.

Kuppe is giving up his back to get back to his feet.

A slam puts Kuppe back to the ground.

Kuppe locks up the rubber guard, but the round comes to an end.

Fight Overall: Another fight, another pair of fighters who did themselves no favors if they wanted a contract.

Result: Michael Lombardo def. Korey Kuppe via Unanimous Decision (29-28 x 3)

M. Naimov v. Collin Anglin

Round 1.

The fighters come to the center and touch glove.

Quick strikes from Naimov to open things up.

Anglin is feinting quite a bit.

Naimov again with a quick leg kick.

Anglin with a kick of his own, but he eats a spinning back kick.

Anglin is working for a takedown against the fence, but Naimov is landing knees.

They separate and Naimov goes back to work with the leg kick.

Nice combination from Anglin, but he gets caught with a right hand.

Anglin puts Naimov back against the fence, but Naimov is staying upright.

Anglin gets the takedown and now has Naimov’s back.

Naimov escapes and lands a huge knee! Anglin is hurt!

Naimov puts Anglin in the thai clinch, but gets taken down.

The round comes to an end with Anglin on top in side control.

Round 2.

The men come straight back out to the center.

Naimov lands a great right hand.

Anglin is doing good work by mixing things up.

Naimov presses Anglin against the fence, but the separate quickly.

Naimov lands a great knee to the head of Anglin.

A low plow pauses the action. Naimov’s bad.

The action continues.

Anglin is coming out swinging here, and he put together a great combination at Naimov’s expense.

Naimov with another great leg kick.

These men are swinging.

Nice jab from Naimov.

Great takedown from Anglin, and he has Naimov flattened out.

Naimov is working to spin around into the guard of Anglin, but he cannot. The control of Anglin is too good.

Anglin has the mount, and he fires off some strong elbows.

The round is over.

Round 3.

The men meet in the center.

Anglin throws a combination, but nothing lands.

Naimov with a good counter.

Uppercut from Anglin connects. He follows that up with more strikes.

Naimov is hurt bad, and Anglin is bombing on him!

I’m not sure how Naimov is still up.

Big shots from Anglin!

Naimov doesn’t have much left in the tank.

Nice elbow and right hand from Anglin.

Anglin hits a takedown and takes the back of Naimov.

Naimov survives and takes top position.

Naimov finishes the last round with some light ground and pound.

Fight Overall: That’s what we’re looking for here at DWCS.

Result: Collin Anglin def. M. Naimov via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Gregory Rodrigues  vs.  Jordan Williams

Round 1.

The middleweights come out and touch gloves.

Williams attempts a jab, but gets caught with a front kick to the body.

Rodrigues with a huge right hand.

Rodrigues is landing hard every time he connects.

Good shot from Williams on the counter.

Williams continues to press forward. Rodrigues has his takedown attempt denied.

Williams connects with a huge shot, and Rodrigues is hurt!

Williams lets go with a flurry of punches, and shuts Rodrigues down!

What a flurry!

Fight Overall: Come from behind win for Williams here. He looked great, and he did what he does: knock people out.

Result: Jordan Williams def. Gregory Rodrigues via Knockout Round 1 (2:19)

Who Won?

Kyle Driscoll – Unanimous Decision

Danyelle Wolf – Unanimous Decision

Michael Lombardo – Unanimous Decision

Collin Anglin – Unanimous Decision

Jordan Williams – Knockout (Round 1)

Who Got a Contract?

Driscoll is passed over.

Danyelle Wolf gets a contract. Color me surprised, but the UFC needs women featherweights.

Michael Lombardo gets passed over.

Collin Anglin gets a contract!

Jordan Williams gets a contract!

And that’s it!

Not the most action we’ve ever seen on a Tuesday night, but I think we saw some solid prospects that might return this November for the rest of the 2020 season.

So, after the last card before our mid-season break we are 21-12-1 in our predictions. Not bad, but I hope to only improve that record moving forward this November.

See you all then!