The fighters showed out tonight on Dana White's Contender Series, win or lose. Perhaps the single greatest event in the show's history ended with every winner earning a UFC contract.
Let's take a closer look at the card, top to bottom:
The two men involved in the opening act of the night wasted no time getting after it. The fight was a war that saw Goff get dropped by a head kick early on. After appearing to have been knocked out briefly, he recovered and unleashed a swarm of punches, forcing the referee to step in.
Final result: Billy Goff def. Shimon Smotritsky via TKO (punches) - Round 1 3:37
The lone Heavyweight fight of the night delivered on the expectations. Both men landed heavy strikes early on but it was the former LFA Heavyweight champion Waldo Cortes-Acosta that pulled away the win, earning a first-round TKO after finding his range and putting his opponent away with strikes.
Final result: Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Danilo Suzart via TKO (punches) - Round 1 3:40
This fight was an action-packed war that was more of a showcase of Marshall's skills and Matthews' heart than anything else. Although Matthews had his moments, the fight was mostly one-way traffic for Marshall as he walked away with the unanimous decision win.
Final result: Francis Marshall def. Connor Matthews via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
One of the greatest mixed martial arts rounds of the year occurred as Vinicius Salvador and Shannon Ross left everything they had inside the octagon. Salvador had Ross on unsteady legs for most of the contest, scoring 3 knockdowns. Ross stayed in the fight, however, landing massive shots of his own and slowing his opponent before Salvador put him away in the 2nd round.
Final result: Vinicius Salvador def. Shannon Ross via TKO (punches) - Round 2 4:22
The final fight of the night ended on a high note with Chris Duncan and Charlie Campbell both displaying their heart and skills. Campbell knocked Duncan down on multiple occasions, seemingly on his way to an inevitable win before Duncan composed himself in the middle of a barrage and landed a massive right hand that sent his opponent to the canvas. He landed two more shots that put Campbell out cold.
Final result: Chris Duncan def. Charlie Campbell via knockout (punches) - Round 1 1:43
Last weekend Dana White demanded more action and drive from fighters, and tonight that message was well received.