It was a historic night for Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series a week ago when four athletes were able to earn UFC contracts after a spectacular set of performances.
It was the most contracts ever handed out after one episode of the Contender Series, which goes to show that performance pays off, no matter how many great fights are on a single card.
In the third week of the Contender Series, 10 new fighters will look to take their stab at earning that same UFC contract, with several weight classes being represented, as well as the first women's fight of the season.
In the featured bout, Antonina Shevchenko — the older sister of top-ranked flyweight contender Valentina Shevchenko — will attempt to join her sibling on the UFC roster when she faces Jaimee Nievera in a bout at 125 pounds.
Also on the card, former Ultimate Fighter competitor Julian Erosa returns with hopes of securing a second stint in the UFC as he competes in the featherweight division.
With that said, let's take a look at the five matchups that will make up week three of Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series
ANTONINA SHEVCHENKO VS. JAIMEE NIEVERA
Fighting is in her DNA.@AntoninaPantera makes the walk this Tuesday.Stream LIVE on @UFCFightPass https://t.co/rbsCeJZacT pic.twitter.com/lpEjx1QOo0
— UFC (@ufc) June 24, 2018
The women's flyweight division is still sorting itself out in the UFC, but a pair of top prospects will look to join the fray in this featured bout on Tuesday night.
Antonina Shevchenko comes to the Contender Series with an undefeated record in her professional mixed martial arts career along with a huge resume from her time spent as a Muay Thai fighter. Shevchenko is a former Muay Thai champion with technical prowess in her striking that will be virtually unmatched in the UFC, except perhaps by her own sister.
Shevchenko would like nothing more than to join Valentina as the first sisters on the UFC roster but first she has to shine in her Contender Series debut.
As for Nievera, she comes in with a three-fight win streak, including a unanimous decision victory in her last fight that just took place two weeks ago. Of course, Nievera is taking this fight on short notice, but thanks to the close proximity of her last bout, she should be in perfect shape to give Shevchenko a serious challenge. Nievera comes from a traditional martial arts background training out of San Francisco, with a mix of submissions and knockouts on her record, so she'll definitely look to steal the show when she steps into the Octagon on Tuesday night.
Two guys looking to prove they belong.Don't miss @ATweedy1 vs @TeEdwards_ on @DanaWhite's Tuesday Night Contender Series: https://t.co/jAxbzZrSXB pic.twitter.com/aHcCcmZtR7
— UFC (@ufc) June 24, 2018
Lightweights Austin Tweedy and Te Edwards will also look to impress while trying to join arguably the most stacked division in the sport.
Tweedy comes out of American Top Team in Indianapolis, where he boasts an impressive record, including seven wins in a row. Tweedy has experience against some tough competition in the past, including a win over Octagon veteran Jason Gilliam as well as a victory against former Ultimate Fighter hopeful Daniel Head. Tweedy has a slew of wins by submission, but don't doubt his hands because he's got plenty of pop behind his punches.
Meanwhile, Edwards comes to the Contender Series out of the MMA Lab in Arizona, where he works alongside a laundry list of current UFC fighters while training under head coach John Crouch. Edwards has won all of his fights by knockout in the first round, so don't blink when he gets released from the corner as the fight begins.
GREG REBELLO VS. JOSH PARISIAN
The heavyweights will also look to throw down on the Contender Series this week with heavy-handed veteran Greg Rebello squaring off against Josh Parisian.
Rebello hails from Rhode Island but he trains out of Sityodtong in Boston where he works under head coach Mark Dellagrotte. Rebello has won four out of his last five fights with stoppages in all of those victories. Rebello will be looking for some redemption after suffering a knockout loss when he appeared in the Contender Series during season one.
Michigan’s Parisian is making his Contender Series debut on short notice, and he’s got a striking background as well, with a 2-0 pro boxing record under his belt. He has two submission wins on his 6-2 record, though, so he is dangerous wherever the fight goes.
JULIAN EROSA VS JAMALL EMMERS
It's been more than two years since Erosa last appeared in the UFC after competing on season 22 on The Ultimate Fighter as part of Urijah Faber's team. Erosa went 1-1 in his previous stint with the UFC and now he'll look to earn his way back on the roster after picking up wins in six of his last eight bouts. Erosa has faced solid competition since leaving the UFC and holds a win over Austin Springer, who picked up an impressive victory of his own on the Contender Series last week.
As for Emmers, he steps into this lightweight bout with four straight wins while most recently competing under the LFA fight banner. Emmers comes from a wrestling background after competing at the college level while also holding a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Emmers also holds a win over UFC veteran Chris Avila, who he defeated in a lightweight matchup in 2017.
A middleweight bout will kick off the Contender Series card this week, with prospects Jordan Williams and Tim Caron facing off.
Jordan Williams accepted this opportunity on short notice after Andrew Todhunter was forced from the bout. Williams comes to the event with good experience on his record while training out of the Nor-Cal Fighting Alliance in California, where he trains under former UFC contender and noted Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt David Terrell. Williams has gone 5-1 in his past six bouts, with finishes by knockout or submission in all of his victories.
Meanwhile, Caron comes out of New England with an impressive resume of his own, including two wins in a row — one by submission and the other by a devastating slam knockout with both coming in the first round. Much like Todhunter, Caron has never gone to a decision in his career so this should absolutely be an action-packed fight between two career finishers when they meet in this middleweight clash to start Tuesday Night's latest lineup of the Contender Series.
