Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 8, Week 3 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 8, Week 3
United States
Main Card • Final
Russia
R3, 5:00
Austria
R3, 5:00
Brazil
R2, 2:38
France
R1, 2:29
England
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
Official UFC Contract Awards
UFC Promotional Contract Recipients
UFC Contract Recipients: UFC CEO Dana White awarded official UFC promotional contracts to four fighters: Andrey Pulyaev, Bogdan Grad, Marco Tulio, and Malcolm Wellmaker.
Flyweight Opener Decision: Nick Piccininni was not awarded a contract despite winning a split decision over Jack Duffy, as promotional executives desired more finishing offense before offering an Octagon contract.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | — | — | UFC Contract | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | UFC Contract | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | UFC Contract | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | UFC Contract | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Purses for Dana White’s Contender Series competitors are governed by promotional talent agreements and are not publicly disclosed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Undisclosed figures are represented by (—). Four winning athletes secured UFC promotional contracts at the conclusion of the event.
Historic Promotional Records Set
Promotional Records Established at DWCS Season 8, Week 3
Dana White awarded four promotional contracts to Andrey Pulyaev, Bogdan Grad, Marco Tulio, and Malcolm Wellmaker, marking an 80% contract rate for victorious fighters on the card.
Marco Tulio landed a rare spinning back kick to the liver to finish Matthieu Letho Duclos at 2:38 of Round 2, scoring one of the few spinning kick liver stoppages in Contender Series history.
Michael Aswell (155) and Bogdan Grad (102) combined for 257 significant strikes over 15 minutes, setting a DWCS Season 8 single-fight record for combined significant strikes.
Malcolm Wellmaker delivered a blistering one-punch walk-off right hand knockout of Adam Bramhald at 2:29 of Round 1, snapping Bramhald’s 11-fight career winning streak.
Andrey Pulyaev swept all three judges’ scorecards 30–27 by outlanding Liam Anderson 98 to 45 in significant strikes and stuffing 4 of 5 takedown attempts in the main event.
Four-time NCAA All-American wrestler Nick Piccininni completed 6 takedowns and racked up 8 minutes and 35 seconds of ground control to secure a hard-fought split decision.
After suffering a first-round knockout on DWCS Season 7 in 2023, Bogdan Grad returned on Season 8 to win a split decision war and capture his coveted UFC contract.
Augusta, Georgia’s Malcolm Wellmaker preserved his unblemished professional mixed martial arts record, advancing to 8-0 with his emphatic first-round stoppage.
Chute Boxe standout Marco Tulio recorded two official knockdowns in under eight minutes before halting Letho Duclos with his spinning kick combination.
The five-bout showcase featured athletes from six separate countries across three continents (Russia, United States, Austria, Brazil, France, and England).
Malcolm Wellmaker’s first-round knockout at 2:29 stood as the fastest stoppage of the entire Season 8, Week 3 fight card.
Malcolm Wellmaker landed 20 of his 30 attempted strikes (67% accuracy), the highest individual accuracy percentage recorded on the broadcast.
When and where did Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 8, Week 3 take place?
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 8, Week 3 took place on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Andrey Pulyaev and Liam Anderson?
Russia’s Andrey Pulyaev defeated Liam Anderson via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27), outstriking Anderson 98 to 45 in significant strikes over three rounds to secure a UFC contract.
Who earned UFC contracts on DWCS Season 8, Week 3?
UFC CEO Dana White awarded contracts to four fighters: Andrey Pulyaev, Bogdan Grad, Marco Tulio, and Malcolm Wellmaker.
Why was Nick Piccininni not awarded a UFC contract despite winning?
Although Nick Piccininni defeated Jack Duffy via split decision, Dana White felt his wrestling control lacked offensive urgency and damage, and declined to award him a contract that night. Piccininni was invited back to compete later in Season 8.
How did Marco Tulio defeat Matthieu Letho Duclos?
Brazil’s Marco Tulio delivered a highlight knockout via a spinning back kick to the liver and follow-up punches at 2:38 of Round 2, earning his UFC contract on his second Contender Series appearance.
How fast was Malcolm Wellmaker’s knockout of Adam Bramhald?
Malcolm Wellmaker delivered a crisp walk-off right hand knockout at 2:29 of Round 1, snapping Bramhald’s 11-fight winning streak and improving his own record to an unbeaten 8-0.
What happened in the featherweight battle between Bogdan Grad and Michael Aswell?
Bogdan Grad and Michael Aswell engaged in a wild striking war featuring 257 combined significant strikes. Bogdan Grad won via split decision (30–27, 29–28, 28–29) to earn his UFC contract.
What were the scorecards for Nick Piccininni vs. Jack Duffy?
Nick Piccininni defeated Jack Duffy via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28), relying on 8:35 of control time and 6 takedowns to sway two of the three judges.
How many fights finished inside the distance on the card?
Two of the five bouts ended in knockouts: Malcolm Wellmaker in Round 1 (2:29) and Marco Tulio in Round 2 (2:38).
What venue and cage size were used for DWCS Season 8, Week 3?
The event took place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, inside the standard 25-foot Octagon enclosure.
Where was DWCS Season 8, Week 3 streamed live?
In the United States, the event was broadcast exclusively live on ESPN+ and Paramount+, and globally on UFC Fight Pass.
Who were the commentators and announcer for the event?
Play-by-play was called by Brendan Fitzgerald alongside analysts Laura Sanko and Paul Felder, with Joe Martinez announcing the fighters inside the cage.
How many countries were represented by fighters on the card?
The card featured athletes from six different countries: Russia, the United States, Austria, Brazil, France, and England.
How many strikes did Michael Aswell throw in his fight against Bogdan Grad?
Michael Aswell attempted 338 total strikes (connecting on 184) and 307 significant strikes (landing 155), setting a featherweight striking output benchmark for Season 8.
Who is Andrey Pulyaev and which team does he represent?
Andrey Pulyaev is a Russian middleweight representing the prestigious Storm Shlemenko Fight Team in Omsk, Russia, under former Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko.
UFC news
