The fight everyone was talking about at Dana White’s Contender Series Week 3? Yeah, Alex Apodaca pulled off the upset against Bella Mir, daughter of former UFC champ Frank Mir, by unanimous decision. This Tuesday night showdown at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas wasn’t just another fight, it was a battle for a spot on the UFC roster, and Apodaca absolutely earned it.
Apodaca Grinds Out Early Rounds Against Mir
Right from the jump, these two women’s bantamweights met in the middle of the cage. Mir landed a left hand early, and they immediately started trading shots. Mir tried to circle on the outside, but Apodaca was relentless, constantly inching forward. Mir tried to catch a kick and work it to the ground, but Apodaca stood her ground, showing some serious defense. Mir got in close with a combination, and they clinched up against the cage. That’s when Apodaca started mixing in those front kicks to the body, really wearing Mir down.
Late in the first round, Mir finally secured a takedown and got Apodaca’s back. But talk about a reversal! Apodaca flipped the script, landing punches right as the bell sounded. MMAWeekly saw it, scoring that first round 10-9 for Apodaca. Going into the second, they touched gloves, and Apodaca immediately pressed the attack. Mir shot for another takedown, but Apodaca stuffed it like it was nothing. They exchanged some heavy right hands, but Apodaca kept going back to those pesky front kicks. By the end of the second, Mir was bleeding from her nose. No surprise, MMAWeekly scored that round 10-9 for Apodaca, too.
The Final Bell and What It Means for the UFC Dream
Mir knew she was down going into the third, and she came out desperate for a takedown. Apodaca, again, sprawled perfectly and defended it. Mir got back to her feet, still trying to get the fight to the canvas. In a wild scramble, Mir managed to take Apodaca’s back with about two minutes left on the clock. Apodaca, though, protected her neck like a pro, and the fight wrapped up with Mir just isolating a leg, unable to do more damage.
The judges’ scorecards came in, and it was no surprise: Alex Apodaca def. Bella Mir via unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 29-28. What a performance! This wasn’t the only action-packed fight of the night, either. We saw Guilherme Uriel secure a submission win with a standing guillotine choke in Round 1, and Sean Clancy Jr. got a TKO win with punches in Round 2. Ronald Humphrey also won by submission via rear-naked choke in Round 1, and Nick Galanti delivered a knockout with punches in a blistering 35 seconds of Round 1.
For Apodaca, that unanimous decision means everything. It’s not just a win, it’s a statement. Every one of these athletes is fighting for a shot at the big show, the UFC roster. With that kind of grit and execution, you gotta wonder how long until we see her name announced on a main card. It’s what these Contender Series nights are all about, right?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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