Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9, Week 3 Today Show

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9, Week 3 Today Show

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Date & Time

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 — 8:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) / 5:00 PM Pacific Time (PT)

Location

UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada

Matchcard (Main Card – Final)

1. Middleweight (185 lb) – Main Event
   Trent Miller vs. Ryan Gandra

2. Featherweight (145 lb) – Co-Main Event
   Damon Wilson vs. Marcio Barbosa

3. Light Heavyweight (205 lb)
   Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs. Alik Lorenz

4. Lightweight (155 lb)
   Cristian Perez vs. Manoel Sousa

5. Heavyweight (265 lb)
   Donte Johnson vs. Darion Abbey

Match Previews

• Trent Miller vs. Ryan Gandra
  Miller (8–2) brings experience and grit, while Gandra (7–1) enters with sharp striking and a six-fight win streak. A classic striker vs. grappler battle with Gandra the favorite.
• Damon Wilson vs. Marcio Barbosa
  Wilson’s range and clinch skills contrast with Barbosa’s knockout power. Barbosa boasts 15 of his 16 wins by first-round finish, making him one of the most dangerous on the card.
• Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs. Alik Lorenz
  Yakhyaev looked dominant on paper with advantages in both striking and takedowns. Analysts expected a quick finish.
• Cristian Perez vs. Manoel Sousa
  Perez relied on takedowns and ground control, but Sousa’s pressure striking and durability made him a strong pick to rally late.
• Donte Johnson vs. Darion Abbey
  Despite giving up size and reach, Johnson’s speed and activity made him the clear favorite against the bigger Abbey.

Conclusions & Results

• Ryan Gandra defeated Trent Miller via TKO (Round 1, 2:51) — earned UFC contract.
• Marcio Barbosa knocked out Damon Wilson (Round 1, 4:14) — UFC contract awarded.
• Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev stopped Alik Lorenz in just 30 seconds — UFC contract awarded.
• Manoel Sousa rallied to TKO Cristian Perez in Round 3 — UFC contract secured.
• Donte Johnson overwhelmed Darion Abbey with a TKO at 1:04 of Round 1 — UFC contract awarded.

Summary: All five winners—Gandra, Barbosa, Yakhyaev, Sousa, and Johnson—impressed Dana White with dominant performances. Four ended in first-round finishes, while Sousa’s comeback in Round 3 sealed the sweep of UFC contracts.