After an anomalous second episode in which there was not a single finish, Dana White's Contender Series returned to form, with four fights ending inside the distance, and in an unprecedented move, all five winners punched their tickets to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
In the opening fight, Jonathan Pearce (9-3) wore out, ground out and finally knocked out Jacob Rosales (11-5) in the third round of their lightweight affair. MMA Lab product Pearce was the sharper man from the beginning, though Rosales did threaten with a tight guillotine attempt near the end of the first round.