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LAS VEGAS – Former pro boxer Tony Johnson (8-2) did his best to strike at every opportunity but was forced to battle in the clinch throughout a tedious three-round affair with Alton Cunningham (7-2), grinding his way to a decision win, 29-28 on all three cards.

The bout served as the featured contest of Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 18 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card, which streamed on ESPN+, saw all five fights go to the judges, but two winners were still awarded contracts.

Cunningham took the center the start and looked to strike, but it was Johnson who landed clean first, briefly staggering his opponent with a big right hand. A leaping knee came shortly after, and a high kick partially landed, as well. Cunningham battled through the adversity, moving inside and looking to slow things down in the clinch. A takedown attempt failed, but Cunningham was able to recover a bit before returning to the center.

Cunningham continued to push inside as the round unfolded, but Johnson defended well and snuck in powerful punches from short range whenever possible. Cunningham briefly got the action to a knee on a pair of occasions, but he wasn’t able to mount any real offense.

Cunningham’s right eye was closing very quickly to start the second, but he was allowed to continue. He moved immediately to the clinch at the start of the frame. Johnson did his best to create space, but it took referee Jason Herzog to call for a restart to create any real room. Cunningham moved immediately back to the clinch when they started again. Johnson struggled to find any room to work, with Cunningham content to hold the bodylock against the cage.

The doctor took another look at Cunningham’s eye to start the third, but he was allowed to carry on. Again, he moved immediately to the clinch, and though he was able to get a takedown, Johnson popped immediately back to his feet. Cunningham threw him down again, and this time he was actually able to get into his opponent’s guard.

Cunningham tried to strike from the dominant position, though Johnson was able to get back to his feet, once again forced to defend against the cage. Cunningham broke away only briefly to punch, and Johnson has to worry about the takedown, limiting his striking options. The two were separated with a minute left, but Cunningham went right back to the clinch – though he did finally unleash with a few flying knees in tight to close. Still, Johnson was awarded the decision win, 29-28 on all three cards.

Gonzales stays perfect in fast-paced grind

In the night’s co-feature, Justin Gonzales (10-0) extended his perfect record with a dominating decision win over a wily Zach Zane (12-8).

The pace was frenzied to start, but the two men eventually clinched against the cage, with Gonzales controlling from the outside. He eventually was able to pull the action back to the center and drag his opponent to the canvas, where Zane immediately looked to work an active guard. With nothing there, the action moved back to the feed, and the mad scramble began again.

When the wild scrambles finally slowed, Gonzales was again in control from the clinch. Gonzales used a bodylock and a beautiful trip to take the action down, but Zane refused to stay there. Still, while Zane worked back to the feet, he struggled to gain any real offense before the bell.

Gonzales caught a kick to start the second frame, and he pushed Zane to the floor and began to punch away. Zane immediately worked back to the feet, but again Gonzales was in control of the positioning and punched away when there was space to work. Gonzales eventually drug the action back ti the canvas and got on the back, delivering a barrage of punches that only stopped for a quick shot at a choke. Zane somehow survived the attacks and crawled back to the feet, but Gonzales remained in complete control, again taking the fight to the floor and finding his way on to the back.

Zane came out firing in the third, but Gonzales met him in the center and again took the fight to the floor. Zane continued to show his heart, climbing back to the feet and looking to battle, but the offense was completely one-sided. Gonzales continued to control in the clinch and take the action to the floor repeatedly, only for Zane to prove impossible to finish. Gonzales was relentless until the end, throwing punches and pushing Zane to the brink but not securing the finish, instead taking home a decision, 30-26 on all three cards.

Daukus’ submission attacks stymied

In a middleweight contest, Kyle Daukaus (7-0) unleashed a non-stop barrage of submission attempts but couldn’t ever force Michael Lombardo (8-2) to relent, settling instead for a one-sided decision

Lombardo came out firing right hands at the start, but Daukaus covered well and looked to return fire. After trading punches on the feet, Lombardo eventually moved inside and looked for the takedown, though Daukaus was able to defend well against the cage and remain upright. Lombardo was relentless with his effort in the clinch, though Daukaus was eventually able to pull back to the center of the cage.

Lombardo shot inside and nearly found himself trapped in a guillotine choke though he scrambled and rolled until he was able to pop free. He couldn’t get any offense going, though, as Daukaus was able to score a takedown in the final seconds, finishing the round on top.

The taller Daukaus looked to utilize his length on the feet to start the second, though the pair ended up back in the clinch. Lombardo again looked to take the fight to the floor, but he couldn’t get get Daukaus off his feet. Forced to strike, Lombardo did finally get the action to the canvas by catching a kick, though he had to battle through another guillotine choke to get there.

Daukaus was unconcerned working from his back, quickly getting his legs high Daukaus and into position for a triangle choke. Daukaus couldn’t get the squeeze, so he turned first to strikes and then an armbar. Lombardo couldn’t ever free, though he did survive until the bell.

Daukaus shot quickly inside to start the third, moving immediately into an arm-triangle choke that looked threatening. Lombardo showed strength with his right arm, pressing down and saving himself, but Daukaus simply transitioned to keep the dominant position, eventually slipping to the back. Lombardo showed great durability as he fought off a deep rear-naked choke attempt in a scramble, but he could never get free. Daukaus stayed on the back and continued to strike while looking for an opportunity to sink the choke. He latched it in at the close, but he couldn’t squeeze tight enough to get the tap, settling instead for a decision win, 30-25, 30-26 and 29-27.

Johns dominant in decision win

In a bantamweight clash, Miles Johns (9-0) kept his career record unblemished, doing his best to get a finish but settling for a decision over an incredibly game Richie Santiago (7-2).

Johns punched his way into a clinch in the opening seconds before backing away and looking to strike. An inadvertent Santiago eye poke forced the doctor to come take a look, but the fight continued.

On the restart, Johns looked the crisper striker, and he found the mark repeatedly with quick combinations. Johns drove through with a slamming takedown, but his corner immediately called for him to back away and reset. He eventually did get back to his feet, but the continued to battle in the clinch. Johns backed away late in the frame and returned with another takedown, finishing the round on top.

Johns came out throwing pinpoint right hands to start the second, and he dropped Santiago with a clean shot. He followed to the floor and tried to finish with a guillotine but returned to the feet when Santiago was able to escape. Johns nearly exposed his back in a scramble that followed, though he was able to posture and break free, again settling in top position after missing on an arm-triangle attempt. Santiago was unable to escape, and the round finished there.

Johns walked forward to start the third, and a few crisp right hands wobbled his foe. Knees to the body sent the action to the floor, and Johns tried to finish with hammerfists. A gritty Santiago refused to go away, battling back to the feet. Johns remained the better striker, but a crafty Santiago continued to find ways to put him difficult positions.

A stalemate in a seated position saw referee Chris Tognoni bring the fighters back to the feet, and the slugfest continued. A wobbled Santiago tried to shoot, but Johns sprawled out and tried to wrap the neck. Santiago turned his back to the floor. Johns backed away in the final minute, looking to stand and trade, though Santiago wobbled to the canvas once again, where the fight finished. Johns took home the clearcut decision, 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26.

Overweight opponent no issue for Baeza

In the night’s first fight, Miguel Baeza (7-0) nearly had a finish in the opening round but had to settle for a hard-fought decision win over a gritty Victor Reyna (10-4), who was seven pounds over the welterweight limit at Monday’s official weigh-ins.

Reyna controlled the center to start the action, though Baeza moved well on the outside and looked to strike when openings were presented. Eventually, a Baeza right hand landed flush, sending his opponent to the floor. Baeza jumped on top and tried to strike, though Reyes was able to recover and look to work back to his feet. Baeza was able to take the back, briefly locking in a rear-naked choke, but Reyes showed his grit in keeping his chin tucked and forcing his opponent to abandon the attempt.

Reyna was the aggressor in the second, and he sent an off-balance Baeza to the floor early, though he couldn’t keep the action there. The two continued to work on the feet, with both men having moments in a measure series of exchanges. Reyna seemed to get the nest of the shots, but Baeza was certainly dangerous, as well, as he proved in the closing seconds with a big knee to the body that sent his opponent toppling to the floor and holding his midsection.

Both men came out swinging in the third. Reyna seemed to land the first real significant blow, scoring with a right over the top that briefly staggered his foe. Baeza quickly recovered and returned fire, keeping the action high. The two went back and forth on the feet before Baeza looked at the neck for a potential D’Arce choke. It failed, and the gamble left him on the bottom as Reyna happily took top position. Baeza had one more trick in his bag, working for a triangle choke at the bell, though he couldn’t get the finish before the end. Still, he cruised to a decision win, 29-28 on all three cards.

Dana White’s Contender Series 18 results include:

• Tony Johnson def. Alton Cunningham via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Justin Gonzales def. Zach Zane via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
• Kyle Daukaus def. Michael Lombardo via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 29-27)
• Miles Johns def. Richie Santiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
• Miguel Baeza def. Victor Reyna via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

For more on Dana White’s Contender Series 18, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.