Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 9 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 9
United States
Main Card • Final
R3, 0:16
Armenia
R3, 5:00
Brazil
R1, 4:35
R3, 5:00
Italy
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
Official Contract Awards
UFC Contract Recipients
UFC Contract Winner: Phil Rowe was the sole athlete to earn an official UFC contract from Dana White at Week 9 after scoring an emphatic third-round technical knockout over Leon Shahbazyan in the main event.
Note on Contender Series Awards: Standard post-fight performance bonuses (Fight of the Night / Performance of the Night) are not distributed on Dana White’s Contender Series cards.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed 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 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $4,000 | $5,000 | — | $9,000 | |
| LOSS | $6,000 | — | — | $6,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 |
*Disclosed figures reflect standard Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) baseline payout structures for Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 ($5,000 to show, $5,000 to win). Steve Garcia forfeited 20% of his show purse ($1,000) to Desmond Torres after missing weight at 139 lbs.
Historic Contender Series Records Set
Promotional Records Established at DWCS Season 3, Week 9
Phil Rowe was the solitary athlete awarded an official UFC promotional contract by Dana White at Week 9, halting Leon Shahbazyan via third-round knockout.
Rowe’s 16-second barrage in the final round stands as one of the fastest third-round technical knockout finishes in Dana White’s Contender Series history.
Jamal Pogues completed 7 takedowns across three rounds against Marcos Brigagão, tying the second-most takedowns landed in a DWCS light heavyweight bout.
Pogues amassed 8 minutes and 39 seconds of ground control time, controlling over 57% of the contest to sweep all three judges’ scorecards 30-27.
Mallory Martin (149) and Micol DiSegni (137) combined for 286 total strikes, setting a Season 3 promotional record for combined strikes landed in a women’s strawweight contest.
Despite dropping a unanimous decision, Micol DiSegni landed 112 significant strikes, recording the highest significant strike count in a losing effort in Contender Series women’s history.
Steve Garcia dismantled undefeated prospect Desmond Torres with heavy elbows and ground strikes to score the fastest stoppage on the Week 9 card at 4:35 of Round 1.
Garcia became only the second fighter in Season 3 history to secure an emphatic stoppage victory after failing to make the contracted bantamweight limit at weigh-ins (139 lbs).
The Ultimate Fighter 27 alumnus Ricky Steele logged 6:25 of control time to edge Phil Caracappa via split decision, preserving his unblemished professional MMA record.
Phil Caracappa denied 11 of 12 takedown attempts from Ricky Steele, setting a high-water mark for takedown defense efficiency in a DWCS bantamweight contest.
Contender Series 25 served as the ninth consecutive event hosted inside the UFC Apex production facility in Las Vegas during its inaugural year of operation in 2019.
Following Phil Rowe’s signing, the total number of fighters signed to UFC contracts across the first nine weeks of Season 3 reached 26 athletes.
When and where did Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 9 take place?
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 9 (also known as DWCS 25) took place on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Phil Rowe and Leon Shahbazyan?
Phil Rowe defeated Leon Shahbazyan via TKO (punches) at 0:16 of Round 3 after a back-and-forth welterweight clash that featured knockdowns by both fighters.
Who earned a UFC contract at DWCS Season 3, Week 9?
Phil Rowe was the sole fighter awarded an official UFC promotional contract by Dana White at the conclusion of the event.
What happened in the light heavyweight co-main event between Jamal Pogues and Marcos Brigagão?
Jamal Pogues controlled the bout with seven takedowns and over eight minutes of control time, earning a unanimous decision sweep (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) over Marcos Brigagão.
How did Steve Garcia defeat Desmond Torres?
Steve Garcia overwhelmed Desmond Torres with vicious ground-and-pound elbows and punches to claim a TKO victory at 4:35 of Round 1.
Why did Steve Garcia vs. Desmond Torres take place at catchweight?
Steve Garcia missed the bantamweight non-title limit at weigh-ins, registering 139 lbs. The fight proceeded at a 139-pound catchweight, with Garcia forfeiting 20% of his purse to Torres.
Who won the women’s strawweight fight between Mallory Martin and Micol DiSegni?
Mallory Martin defeated Italy’s Micol DiSegni via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) in a high-volume affair featuring 286 combined strikes.
What was the result of Ricky Steele vs. Phil Caracappa?
Undefeated TUF 27 veteran Ricky Steele defeated Phil Caracappa via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) to advance to 6-0 in his career.
Were there any $50,000 post-fight performance bonuses awarded?
No. Dana White’s Contender Series does not feature standard post-fight performance bonuses; fighters compete exclusively for official UFC promotional contracts.
How many fights took place on Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 9?
The card consisted of 5 professional mixed martial arts bouts, featuring two knockout finishes and three three-round decisions.
Is Leon Shahbazyan related to any other notable UFC fighter?
Yes. Leon Shahbazyan is the older brother of UFC middleweight contender Edmen Shahbazyan, who previously earned his own UFC contract on Season 2 of DWCS.
How many takedowns did Jamal Pogues land?
Jamal Pogues completed 7 of 11 takedowns against Marcos Brigagão, logging 8:39 of control time to dominate the grappling exchanges.
How was DWCS Season 3, Week 9 broadcast?
The event streamed live exclusively on ESPN+ across the United States, featuring commentary from Brendan Fitzgerald and Paul Felder.
How many strikes did Micol DiSegni land despite losing?
Micol DiSegni landed 112 significant strikes (137 total strikes), representing one of the highest strike counts in a losing effort in Contender Series history.
How many UFC contracts were awarded throughout DWCS Season 3?
Through the first nine weeks of Season 3, Dana White awarded a total of 26 UFC promotional contracts to emerging prospects.
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