Through the early stages of his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series last fall, it looked like Carpenter was going to get bounced from the ranks of the unbeaten by Mexican veteran Edgar Chairez. But the self-assured Carpenter steadied himself and rallied, taking control of the contest as Chairez faded, earning a unanimous decision win and a UFC contract in the process, and this weekend, he makes the walk for the first time opposite the returning Juancamilo Ronderos.
Carpenter is the latest in a long line of talents to progress through the developmental ranks at The MMA Lab in Glendale, Arizona, learning under the tutelage of head coach John Crouch, former UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson, and surrounded by quality coaches and training partners. He went 6-1 in his amateur career, losing only to fellow Arizona product and DWCS alum Junior Cortez, and has now posted six straight victories to begin his time in the professional ranks.
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Like so many of the fighters to come through the MMA Lab, the 26-year-old UFC newcomer is fundamentally sound and technically sharp, and exhibited plenty of toughness and resolve in his battle with Chairez. It was the kind of bout where a young fighter that had never faced much adversity could have looked for an exit, but instead, Carpenter kept pressing forward and secured a victory.
Saturday’s pairing with Ronderos is a solid first test for the DWCS grad — a matchup with a fighter from a good gym that has already competed on this stage and holds a good win over former UFC competitor Eric Shelton.
The flyweight division continues to get deeper with each passing month, and it will be interesting to see where Carpenter fits in as he continues to develop and progress.
