SHARE
It’s been a stellar season thus far for Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, with several more fighters added to the UFC roster from the latest installment.

Last week saw three more fighters earn their way to the UFC with victories, along with an 18-year old prospect being offered a developmental contract.

Heavyweight prospect Jeff Hughes earned a first-round knockout to join his teammate Stipe Miocic on the UFC roster, while Australian Jim Crute looked outstanding in his victory as well to get his contract. Sodiq Yusuff engaged in one of the best fights in the history of the Contender Series as he also got the call up, while Chase Hooper got his developmental contract with plenty of time to evolve still ahead of him.

This week, 10 more athletes will attempt to earn their way on to the UFC roster, with fights taking place from heavyweight down to featherweight, including a featured bout in the 155-pound division as Roosevelt Roberts takes on Garrett Gross in lightweight action.

With that said, let’s take a look at the matchups that will take place in the latest installment of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.

ROOSEVELT ROBERTS VS. GARRETT GROSS

The featured bout this week will see highly touted prospect Roosevelt Roberts looking to keep his perfect record intact as he takes on a veteran in Garrett Gross.

Roberts comes to the Contender Series out of California, where he trains primarily out of Adrenaline MMA in San Bernardino. Roberts is undefeated as a pro with a 6-1 mark as an amateur as well. Since decided to go pro, Roberts has racked up five straight finishes — three by knockout and two by submission — with only one of those fights going past the first round.

Gross will do his best to slow down Roberts’ fast starts as he comes into the fight with more than triple the total fights as his opponent on Tuesday night.

Gross has won his last four fights in a row and five out of his last six overall. The Illinois-based lightweight has been a devastating finisher his entire career, including knockouts in eight of his 11 professional wins. Gross has also faced some stiff competition en route to the Contender Series, including a fight with current welterweight contender Belal Muhammad back in 2013.

This fight promises to deliver a ton of action, so don’t be surprised if Roberts vs. Gross doesn’t even make it past the five minute mark.

DON’TALE MAYES VS. MITCHELL SIPE

Heavyweight slugger Don’Tale Mayes will take his second stab at the Contender Series when he returns this week in a heavyweight clash against undefeated prospect Mitchell Sipe.

Last year, Mayes made his first appearance on the show where he suffered a TKO loss to Allen Crowder in the third round. Crowder ended up in the UFC while Mayes had to go back to the drawing board. Since that time, Mayes picked up an impressive win over Mohammed Usman, younger brother of current welterweight contender Kamaru Usman, and now he’s back to prove he’s ready for the UFC.

Meanwhile, Sipe has been a fighter almost his entire life and he’s only 22 years old.
The California native first started training back in 2014 after growing up as a troubled youth, but once he found fighting, that became his passion and where he’s spent all of his time ever since. Sipe is a devastating finisher with his past three fights all ending by way of knockout, so don’t expect a slow start from either fighter in this matchup.

IAN HEINISCH VS. JUSTIN SUMTER

Middleweight prospect Ian Heinisch will look to complete his miraculous comeback story when he gets his shot in the Contender Series while facing off with Justin Sumter this week.

Heinisch is a former Colorado state wrestling champion who then went to junior college to continue his wrestling career before he fell off track and ended up on the wrong side of the law. After getting clean and sober, Heinisch returned to the mats, where he found a natural transition into mixed martial arts, and he’s turned into a serious fighter. Heinisch has won 10 professional fights with only one setback along the way and he’s competed in some top flight promotions along the way, including his past three wins, which came in Legacy Fighting Alliance.

As for Sumter, he fights out of West Haven, Connecticut and he’s faced some tough competition in his career, including an amateur fight against current UFC middleweight Eryk Anders. Sumter trains alongside fellow prospect and former Contender Series veteran Karl Roberson, so he’s definitely got the right people around him to get ready for this opportunity.

JOIN FIGHT PASS TO WATCH | HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK’S EVENT

MAURICE MITCHELL VS. JORDAN GRIFFIN

Featherweights Maurice Mitchell and Jordan Griffin will also square off on Tuesday night as two of the most experienced fighters on the show this season.

Mitchell comes to the Contender Series out of Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, where he trains alongside a long list of UFC veterans, including Cody Garbrandt and Hall of Famer Urijah Faber. Born in Alaska before training in California, Mitchell has won his last six fights in a row with all of those victories coming by way of knockout or submission with only one bout making it past the second round.

Griffin comes into the fight with even more experience while training out of the famed Roufusport academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That gym is responsible for numerous UFC champions and top contenders over the years, including Anthony Pettis and current welterweight king Tyron Woodley. Griffin has won his last three fights in a row, all by submission, as he looks to impress the matchmakers in his Contender Series debut on Tuesday.

JUAN ADAMS VS. SHAWN TEED

Heavyweights Juan Adams and Shawn Teed will kick off the show this week, as these two fighters look to build on recent wins while fighting in the Contender Series.

Adams is a freak athlete standing 6-foot-5-inches tall with a huge frame and massive upside as he is still very young in his mixed martial arts career. Adams comes to the Contender Series out of Houston, where he trains at the same gym as former Ultimate Fighter hopeful Dulani Perry, who just recently competed on the “Undefeated” season of the show. Adams is a powerhouse who pushes the 265-pound weight limit, so look for a ton of power coming from this young man tonight.

As for Teed, he comes into the fight while training out of the Ricardo Almeida Academy in New Jersey, where he works alongside a laundry list of top UFC fighters, including former lightweight champions Frankie Edgar and Eddie Alvarez. Teed has only suffered one loss on his record and that’s to current UFC fighter and former Contender Series veteran Azunna Anyanwu. Teed has earned submissions in four of his five professional wins, so don’t be surprised if he looks to slow Adams down with a strong ground game in this heavyweight matchup.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

LEAVE A REPLY