Alex Apodaca Upsets Bella Mir as Sean Clancy Jr Earns UFC Deal

Alex Apodaca produced a major upset against Bella Mir on Dana White's Contender Series, winning a unanimous decision and securing a UFC contract. BBC Sport reported that each of the three judges scored the contest 29-28 for the 32-year-old American, who entered the matchup as a heavy underdog.

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The defeat was the first of Mir's five-fight professional mixed martial arts career. The 23-year-old, daughter of former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, had arrived as a highly rated prospect and an overwhelming favorite but was unable to persuade any of the judges that she had won the bout.

Mir's loss also denied her a contract from a series on which standout winners are often offered places on the UFC roster. BBC Sport reported that Mir has spoken about ambitions extending across several combat disciplines, including a UFC championship, Brazilian jiu-jitsu honors, a Zuffa Boxing belt and an Olympic wrestling gold medal.

UFC president Dana White challenged the scale of the pre-fight betting market after the result. He said the odds had been badly out of line, pointing to the volatility of the sport and the possibility of an underdog overturning expectations. Apodaca's performance was rewarded with a UFC deal following the decision.

Sean Clancy Jr also secured a UFC contract on the same Contender Series card. The 23-year-old Scot stopped American Gary Balletto in the second round after landing a sequence of unanswered strikes on the ground, according to BBC Sport. His finish provided a sharp contrast to the closely scored decision in the Mir-Apodaca contest.

Clancy is the welterweight champion of the UK-based Cage Warriors promotion. His victory over Balletto extended his unbeaten professional start to nine fights and gave him the opportunity to move onto the UFC roster. Apodaca survived three rounds to win on all three scorecards, while Clancy forced a stoppage before the final round. Mir, meanwhile, leaves the event without a UFC contract and with the first loss on her professional record.