LAS VEGAS – Phil Rowe (7-2) survived a slow start to battle back for a thrilling, third-round TKO win over Leon Shahbazyan (7-2), scoring a UFC deal in the process.

The contest served as the featured bout of Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series event, which streamed live on ESPN+ from UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and Rowe’s contract was the only one issued on the night.

Shahbazyan looked to press to start, though Rowe looked confident on the outside as he shifted from side to side. It was a tactical approach to start, but Shahbazyan was able to land clean first, sending his opponent to the floor with a few strikes to an off-balance for. Shahbazyan unleashed a barrage of strikes on the floor, but Rowe gutted his way back to the feet. From there, Shahbazyan tried to keep the pressure high, hunting for the finish but eventually backing away to reset.

Rowe showed an impressive chin as he moved about the cage, but Shahbazyan continued to find a home for punches from both side. Shahbazyan was headhunting a bit and loading up on the right hand, but Rowe proved dangerous with a few counter punches of his own and a flying knee that just missed. Rowe was in constant motion on the outside, and he started to let his hands go a bit more in the final minute and lasting until the bell.

Rowe was a little more active to start the second, and Shahbazyan elected to push the action in the clinch. Rowe circled off with relative ease, and they continued to battle for position against the cage. Rowe eventually backed away and started unleashing punches that found their mark. Shahbazyan was quickly wobbled, and Rowe continued to unleash a barrage of relentless punches. A dazed Shahbazyan was able to close the distance and score a takedown, trying to slow the offense. It worked, but Rowe was able to sweep to the top shortly after.

On the floor, Rowe controlled from the top, though Shahbazyan did a decent job of keeping his opponent close, minimizing the amount of damage done. Still, Rowe was in clear control, and he did unleash a vicious series of strikes that nearly ended the fight at the bell.

Rowe started quickly in the third, landing a Superman punch that scored clean. Rowe continued to throw his hands, and they certainly found their mark. A wobbled Shahbazyan fell to the canvas, and Rowe followed with more punches, ending the fight just 16 seconds into the final frame.

In light heavyweight action, Jamal Pogues (7-2) impressed over three rounds, scoring a one-sided decision win over a previously undefeated Marcos Brigagao (11-1).

Both men came out swinging heavy leather in the opening seconds before Pogues tried to change levels and bring the action to the floor. Brigagao proved up to the challenge, but as he tried to continue striking, Pogues slipped underneath the blows and was able to drive the action to the canvas. Pogues controlled the top position and avoided a few submission attempts from his downed opponent while attempting to strike when possible. Brigagao was able to use the transitions to escape back to his feet, but Pogues quickly drove him back down again.

With Brigagao working from a kneeling position, Pogues was able to control from the back and then turning for an armbar that briefly looked threatening. Brigagao showed capable defense in rolling free, and the action went back to the feet late in the frame. Pogues flashed out a flying knee that brought a few cheers, then he slipped under his opponent’s punches and again scored with a takedown, finishing with some hammerfists at the bell.

Pogues flashed out a high kick to open the second, and he clearly looked the more powerful striker. Brigagao pushed forward with strikes, and they exchanged punches before moving into the clinch. Pogues eventually backed away and rattled off some quick punches that impressed, then shot forward with another successful takedown. Brigagao was again active with his legs from the bottom, but Pogues was able to slip free from each attempt and counter with heavy punches.

Brigagao escaped back to his feet, but Pogues tagged him with a high kick and again landed a takedown. Still, Brigagao showed his durability, battling his way back to the feet and then looking to engage. The two continued to trade until the end, with Pogues getting the best of it, but Brigagao impressing with his toughness.

The two men hugged it out to start the third, but they quickly went back to work. Brigagao was a bit outgunned, but he certainly wasn’t backing down. While the striking was a little more even, the wrestling clearly favored Pogues, and he drove forward for another takedown. Again in the dominant position, Pogues looked to strike from the top, but Brigagao was wily underneath and turned and rolled until he could get back to his feet.

With time winding down, Pogues faked a few takedowns and then popped his opponent with punches. Brigagao eventually tried to score a takedown of his own, but Pogues defended with relative ease before backing away and then driving in for his own takedown, which proved successful. In the final minute, Brigagao refused to stay complacent, bucking crawling to his knees before standing. Pogues shoved him to the floor once again in the final seconds, cruising to a decision win, 30-27 on all three cards.

Steve Garcia (10-3) failed to impress at weigh-ins, missing the bantamweight mark by 3.5 pounds, but he certainly delivered in the cage, scoring an impressive first-round stoppage of Desmond Torres (7-2).

The two men opened quickly, trading kicks in the center before Torres changed levels and drove the action to the cage. Garcia defended well, so Torres backed away and then slipped a strike before moving inside again and looking for the takedown. Garcia again defended well, turning his back but holding a kimura grip and forcing caution from his opponent before they reset in the center.

The pace was high again on the restart, with big strikes exchanged in the center. Torres ducked in on a perfect single-leg, but Garcia answered with an immediate escape back to the feet, where he defended against the fence. Torres tried to threaten with a kimura grip of his own, but it wasn’t there, and they again went back to the middle.

Garcia found his range late in the round, landing big punches to the body, as well as barrage of elbows and knees. Torres was clearly affected by the attacks, and he did his best to cover up, but Garcia was relentless. The onslaught finally saw Torres collapse to the floor, and Garcia followed with big hammerfists to end the fight with 25 seconds left in the opening round.

In the night’s lone women’s contest, strawweight Mallory Martin (5-2) showed dominant grappling and capable striking, as well, en route to a unanimous decision over a gritty Micol Di Segni (7-3).

Di Segni set up on the outside to start, and Martin wasted little time ducking forward and making it cleat she intended to grapple. Di Segni fended off the early attempts and used crisp punches as she did. Martin continued to press and was able to grab the body, lifting Di Segni in the air and slamming her to the canvas, landing in side control. Di Segni scrambled underneath to regain guard, but Martin was heavy on top, keeping her position and striking when possible.

Di Segni eventually turned to her knees and exposed her back, defending well as she moved to the feet. However, Martin kept tight to the body and was able to secure an inside trip, bringing the action back to the canvas again. Di Segni battled back to the feet again in the final minute, pulling free from a guillotine before firing a few wild strikes ahead of the bell.

Di Segni came out looking to strike in the second, landing a few big punches early. The overhand right found a home for Di Segni, but Martin was happy to trade shots in the pocket, and she found the mark with her counters, well. Martin was incredibly relaxed as they traded, even as Di Segni was the busier fighter with her hands.

Martin drove forward at the halfway mark, wrapping the body and patiently working her takedown until she was able to again get the fight to the floor and set up in side control. Di Segni worked to half-guard and then scrambled to her feet in the final minute, where she again looked to strike. She seemed to fatigue a bit with the high pace, and she tripped on a late spinning backfist, allowing Martin to finish the round on top.

Martin picked up the pace with her striking to start the third, but Di Segni was happy to answer. Martin was clearly the more efficient striker, but Di Segni did her best to answer back with volume. Still, Martin was clearly the better grappler, and she again worked inside and took the fight to the floor, slipping quickly around to the back when her opponent moved to a kneeling position.

To her credit, Di Segni did again battle back to her feet, refusing to be trapped on the floor. Eventually, she broke free from her opponent’s grip and again looked to strike. A Superman punch landed clean, but Martin walked through it. Di Segni was scrappy, moving forward and firing punches and elbows, but Martin did a great job of slipping and avoiding the majority of the contact. Still, the pace was high until the bell, where Martin took home a decision win, 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

In the night’s first contest, bantamweight Ricky Steele (6-0) kept his career record perfect with a hard-fought decision win over a previously unbeaten Phil Caracappa (8-1)

Caracappa looked to press forward at the start, but Steele’s kicks certainly kept him honest in his approach. Still, Caracappa picked his moments to explode forward with punches, working into the clinch early in the frame but not doing much with the position before the reset. Caracappa did score with a takedown from the clinch at the midpoint of the round, but Steele was able to work his way back to the center.

Steele used kicks to all levels in the latter stages of the frame, though Caracappa was able to walk through them and lock the body for a takedown in the final minute, setting up on top and looking to attack. Steele again scrambled back to his feet, this time exposing his back in the process. Caracappa hopped on, but Steele was able to shake him off and finish the round on top.

Caracappa again rushed forward to start the second, but Steele timed his advances and landed a high kick that snapped his opponent’s head back. An off-balance Caracappa hit the canvas, and Steele was able to take top position. Steele tried to capitalize with strikes, but Caracappa showed heart in battling his way back to the feet, eventually creating room to reset.

As they engaged again, Caracappa unleashed big punches and again drove into the clinch. Steele again proved a tough customer against the cage, and they jockeyed for position along the fence. Shoulder strikes, foot stomps and relentless dirty boxing were exchanged inside, and both men seemed content to work from the clinch until the bell, when Caracappa slipped on a wild high kick just at the end.

Steele certainly seemed he fresher man to start the third, and he continued to flash out kicks, while Caracappa did his best to blast forward with punches. Eventually, he moved into the clinch yet again, but Steele defended well against the fence and landed a few elbows to the head. Caracappa’s corner begged for him to disengage, but Steele was able to circle off the fence and seemed happy to work in tight.

As the round progressed, Steele was able to find a few opportunities for knees and elbows inside. Caracappa answered with two big elbows that seemed to wobble his foe. Caracappa slipped on a high kick as he tried to follow up, thought he popped quickly back to his feet and jumped to a guillotine. Steele waited through it and popped his head out in the final minute, finishing the round on top and walking away with the decision win, though he had to wait through a split read, 28-29, 29-28 and 29-28.

Dana White’s Contender Series 25 results include:

• Phil Rowe def. Leon Shahbazyan via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 0:16
• Jamal Pogues def. Marcos Brigagao via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Steve Garcia def. Desmond Torres via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:35
• Mallory Martin def. Micol Di Segni via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Ricky Steele def. Phil Caracappa via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)