Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 3 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 3
United States
Main Card • Final
R1, 3:49
Norway
R1, 3:57
Brazil
R3, 5:00
R1, 1:37
R3, 1:50
Official Event Results
Official UFC Contract Awards
UFC Promotional Contract Recipients
Historic Contract Sweep: For the first time in Contender Series franchise history, UFC President Dana White offered official UFC contracts to all five winning fighters on the card.
Contract Rescission Note: Antonio Trocoli was originally awarded a promotional contract on the broadcast, but his contract was subsequently rescinded by the UFC after he tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone.
Traditional Bonuses: No standard $50,000 post-fight performance bonuses (Fight of the Night or Performance of the Night) are issued on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Reported Payouts & Fighter Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| NC | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| NC | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000* | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 |
*Purses on Dana White’s Contender Series are developmental contracts set by standard commission agreements at $5,000 to show and $5,000 to win. *Antonio Trocoli’s win bonus was withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) after testing positive for nandrolone, leading to his release and a 9-month suspension.
Historic Contender Series Records Set
Promotional Milestones Established at Season 3, Week 3
For the very first time in Dana White’s Contender Series history, Dana White awarded UFC contracts to all five winning fighters on a single broadcast.
Four of the five bouts on the card concluded inside the distance (two submissions and two knockouts), tying the highest stoppage rate of Season 3.
Joe Solecki locked in an arm-in guillotine choke that rendered Jesse Wallace completely unconscious before any physical tap could occur.
Jonathan Pearce landed 142 significant strikes over 11 minutes and 50 seconds, setting a then-record for a lightweight stoppage bout on DWCS.
Pearce (142) and Jacob Rosales (80) combined for 222 significant strikes landed, the highest combined striking output on the entire Season 3 roster.
Maki Pitolo finished Justin Sumter in just 1 minute and 37 seconds, landing 30 significant strikes at an electric pace of 18.5 strikes per minute.
Hunter Azure controlled Chris Ocon for 8 minutes and 24 seconds across three rounds, controlling more than 56% of the 15-minute contest.
Hunter Azure registered 5 official submission attempts alongside 4 takedowns, setting a single-fight submission attempt record for DWCS Season 3 bantamweights.
Joe Solecki converted his lone takedown attempt (1-for-1) while defending all offensive advances to seamlessly transition straight to the finish.
Antonio Trocoli became the first athlete in Contender Series history to have his newly signed UFC contract terminated following a positive NSAC test for nandrolone.
This event served as only the third DWCS broadcast ever hosted inside the newly opened UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas following its grand opening in June 2019.
This single card produced two multi-year UFC competitors who went on to earn multiple UFC stoppage victories in Jonathan Pearce and Joe Solecki.
When and where did Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 3 take place?
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 3 took place on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Joe Solecki and Jesse Wallace?
Joe Solecki defeated Jesse Wallace via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:49 of Round 1 in their lightweight headliner, earning a UFC promotional contract.
How many UFC contracts were awarded at DWCS Season 3, Week 3?
For the first time in Contender Series history, all five winning fighters were awarded UFC contracts by Dana White: Joe Solecki, Antonio Trocoli, Hunter Azure, Maki Pitolo, and Jonathan Pearce.
Why was Antonio Trocoli’s UFC contract rescinded?
Antonio Trocoli tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone in a test administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), prompting the UFC to release him immediately.
Why was Kenneth Bergh vs. Antonio Trocoli overturned to a No Contest?
Trocoli originally won via first-round submission (neck crank), but the result was officially overturned to a No Contest by the NSAC following Trocoli’s positive drug test.
Who won the bantamweight bout between Hunter Azure and Chris Ocon?
Hunter Azure defeated Chris Ocon via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27) after dominating the fight with 4 takedowns, 5 submission attempts, and over 8 minutes of control time.
How did Maki Pitolo win his fight against Justin Sumter?
Maki Pitolo earned a contract by securing a blistering TKO (punches) at 1:37 of Round 1, landing 30 significant body and head strikes inside 97 seconds.
How did Jonathan Pearce earn his UFC contract against Jacob Rosales?
Jonathan Pearce delivered a relentless striking performance, landing 142 significant strikes and 4 takedowns before finishing Rosales via TKO (punch) at 1:50 of Round 3.
Were Fight of the Night or Performance of the Night bonuses awarded?
No. Dana White’s Contender Series does not issue standard $50,000 post-fight performance bonuses; the incentive for competing athletes is earning a multi-fight promotional contract with the UFC.
How was Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 3 broadcast?
The event was streamed live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States and internationally via UFC Fight Pass.
Who called the fights for DWCS Season 3, Week 3?
Play-by-play announcer Dan Hellie called the action cage-side alongside UFC lightweight contender Paul Felder, with Laura Sanko conducting post-fight interviews.
What size Octagon was used for this event?
The event utilized the smaller 25-foot Octagon enclosure permanently housed at the UFC Apex, designed to foster higher action and finish rates.
What was the live gate and attendance?
DWCS is produced inside a private production studio facility with no general admission tickets sold, resulting in an attendance composed strictly of VIP guests, scouts, and media with a $0 live gate.
How many fights finished inside the distance on this card?
Four out of five bouts (80%) finished inside the distance, including 2 knockouts (Pitolo, Pearce) and 2 submission finishes (Solecki, Trocoli).
How did the contract winners fare in the UFC?
Jonathan Pearce became a prominent featherweight contender with multiple UFC finishes, while Joe Solecki scored multiple high-level submission victories inside the Octagon.
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