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Dana White’s Contender Series featured another night full of finishes, and four athletes earned UFC deals with their performances at DWCS 32 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

In the night’s featured contest, Tafon Nchukwi (4-0) scored an absolutely brutal finish over Al Matavao (8-3), who was ultimately taken out of the cage on a stretcher.

Matavao was the aggressor to start, switching stances and looking to stick and move at all angles. Nchukwi was more patient in his approach but did certainly catch his opponent’s attention with a stiff left hand. Matavao was the more mobile fighter, but Nchukwi’s power edge was clear. Nchukwi kept his guard high and walked forward, investing in work to the body while also attacking the head.

To his credit, Matavao did his best to find entries and rattle off multiple punches while in range. Still, it was clear the more meaningful blows were landing from Nchukwi.

Nchukwi continued to walk forward in the second, walking through his opponent’s strikes to deliver big shots of his own. Matavao started bleeding around his left eye and was clearly feeling his energy fade, as well. Still, he refused to make Nchukwi’s easy, but he eventually pulled back from an exchange without covering, and a left high kick landed square on the temple and left him out cold on the canvas at the 2:01 mark of the second round.

SHOW CLOSER.

@TafonDaDon goes shin on chin to close #DWCS!

[ Contracts up next on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/EK8lciDjO4

— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2020

In a dogged lightweight contest, Sherrard Blackledge (5-0) earned a convincing decision victory over a gritty and previously undefeated Cameron Church (4-1).

Blackledge looked to use his jab early, but Church countered with several low kicks that found the mark. Blackledge instead turned to his grappling, initiating a clinch and looking for a trip that wouldn’t come. As they reset, Blackledge seemed to find his rhythm a bit, finding a home for the jab and reddening his opponent’s nose. Church threw everything with power, while Blackledge’s strikes seemed a bit more fluid.

Blackledge scored a brief takedown but was unable to keep the fight there, and they went quickly back to working on the feet. Blackledge worked to a clinch once again, but Church alertly worked his way free and went back to throwing power shots from range. Blackledge put a stamp on the final minute by scoring a powerful takedown and finishing the round with plenty of ride time.

Blackledge turned to the takedown early in the second, but an ill-placed knee landed to Church’s groin, causing a brief pause. Blackledge apologized on the restart, and the two went back to trading punches. Blackledge started adding in kicks to all levels, and punches in bunches landed. Church proved his durability, battling through it to return fire before accidentally landing low, as well. Again, the pause was brief.

Blackledge looked for a takedown on the restart and was awarded on his second effort, setting up in Church’s guard. Church missed on an armbar but created a scramble that got him back to the feet. However, Blackledge brought him right back to the floor shortly after. Church teased a kimura from the bottom, then turned to the armbar once again. Blackledge pulled free and slipped to side control, this time controlling his opponent during the ensuing scramble.

Church was the aggressor to start the third, but Blackledge retreated and countered well. Knees were traded in the clinch before Blackledge again scored a takedown with relative ease. Church was active from his back, looking to control the wrists and hunt for submission opportunities, but Blackledge was able to keep his limbs safe and grind away from the top. Blackledge briefly went after an arm-triangle, but it wasn’t there. Instead, Blackledge just kept himself on top, staying in the dominant spot until the final bell and taking home a decision win, 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Tonight belongs to @SherrardB Will it end with a contract? #DWCS pic.twitter.com/nEb3spgeDz

— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2020

Long considered a “can’t miss” prospect, Phil Hawes (8-2) finally delivered the performance he had failed to issue in previous trips to “The Ultimate Fighter” and “Dana White’s Contender Series” with a crushing first-round TKO win over Khadzhi Bestaev (10-4).

The taller Bestaev did his best to stay long to start, while Hawes pressed forward with power punches and a few pounding low kicks that clearly did damage. With Bestaev switching stances and worried about the low strikes, Hawes delivered a huge right hand over the top that sent his opponent crashing to the floor. A few vicious hammerfists on the floor sealed the deal at the 1:18 mark of the opening round.

Phillip Hawes with SUPER-HUMAN power to end it in RD 1

Vegas is the place to be this Tuesday.

[ Tune in on #ESPNPlus ] #DWCS pic.twitter.com/47aXp7KzVR

— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2020

In bantamweight action Drako Rodriguez (7-1) impressed with a slick technical submission over Mana Martinez (6-2).

The striking was lively between the two to open the contest, with Rodriguez landing the first big shot with a solid straight. Shortly after, he pressed forward and was able to drive an off-balance

Working from his back, Martinez was impressive, working first for an armbar and then an omo plata to sweep to top position. However, Rodriguez even more impressively switched quickly to a triangle choke that looked to be fully locked. Martinez refused to tap, doing his best to work free, but the choke was in tight. Rodriguez continued to squeeze, making minor angle adjustments, and Martinez eventually went to sleep at the 2:22 mark of the first.

“I NEED THAT CONTRACT, DANA!”

Drako Rodriguez didn’t come to Vegas to mess around.

[ Watch LIVE on #ESPNPlus ] #DWCS pic.twitter.com/X4gnnx5SsC

— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2020

In the night’s first fight, Aliaskhab Khizriev (13-0) kept his perfect career record intact with a 50-second submission win over Henrique Shiguemoto (13-4-1).

Both men were aggressive at the start, and though Khizriev slipped off-balance just seconds into the contest, he immediately sprang back up, worked inside for a takedown, and moved immediately to the back. From there, he quickly worked in a rear-naked choke, flattened out his opponent and scored the tap in impressive fashion.

STILL UNBEATEN.

Khizriev wastes no time – no energy at #DWCS.

[ Watch LIVE on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/7PDkNUHK8W

— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2020

Dana White’s Contender Series 32 results include:

MAIN CARD

• Tafon Nchukwi def. Al Matavao via knockout (high kick) – Round 2, 2:01
• Sherrard Blackledge def. Cameron Church via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Phil Hawes def. Khadzhi Bestaev via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:18
• Drako Rodriguez def. Mana Martinez via technical submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:22
• Aliaskhab Khizriev def. Henrique Shiguemoto via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 0:50