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Tag: Brendan Loughnane

  • ‘Could Smoke Topuria’ – Fans React As Unbeaten Timur Khizriev Beats Brendan Loughnane To Win 2024 PFL Featherweight Title

    ‘Could Smoke Topuria’ – Fans React As Unbeaten Timur Khizriev Beats Brendan Loughnane To Win 2024 PFL Featherweight Title

    Timur Khizriev put a beating on former PFL featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane to capture this year’s 145-pound gold in the main event of the 2024 PFL World Championship.

    Khizriev established dominance early with consistent kicks, eventually securing a takedown. On the ground, he pressured and smothered Loughnane, leaving little room for the former champ to do offense.

    The Russian continued to outstrike him in the second round, mixing in precise jabs and hard combinations. The British standout found brief success wtih a check hook, but Khizriev’s pressure and accuracy left him a bloodied mess by the round’s end.

    The undefeated grappling specialist continued his offense before scoring another takedown. Loughnane continued to batted back to his feet and went toe-to-toe with Khizriev at times, but the Russian’s jab continued to be his key.

    This pace continued the championship rounds, with Khizriev’s striking wearing Loughnane out and his grappling pressure proving to lock up his control of the fight.

    One judge gave Khizriev a sweep, while the other gave him the fight 49-46.

    Timur Khizriev Dominates Brendan Loughnane To Become 2024 PFL Featherweight Champion

    Khizriev, the former Wushu Sanda champion, made it to the championship bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with wins over Brett Johns, Enrique Barzola, and Gabriel Braga earlier this year.

    Loughnane, meanwhile, became PFL featherweight champion in 2022 but was upset by Jesus Pinedo in 2023. He made it to his second PFL final today with wins over Pedro Carvalho, Justin Gonzales, and Kai Kamaka III during the regular season.

  • 2024 PFL World Championship Results & Highlights: Khizriev Dominates Loughnane, Ditcheva Stops Santos

    2024 PFL World Championship Results & Highlights: Khizriev Dominates Loughnane, Ditcheva Stops Santos

    The 2024 PFL World Championship took place on Friday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    This week saw the Professional Fighters League back in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to crown its title winners for this year — both PFL Global and PFL MENA — following the conclusion of the regular season and semifinals.

    After a set of showcase bouts featuring the likes of Costello van Steenis, Slim Trabelsi, and Mansour Barnaoui, four inaugural kings were crowned as part of the promotion’s Middle East and North Africa expansion.

    The main card followed, with six fighters on the global roster walking away with championship gold and $1 million in prize money.

    Brendan Loughnane and Impa Kasanganay both failed in their bid to experience that for the second time, with the featherweight suffering a lopsided five-round loss to Timur Khizriev in the main event and the light heavyweight standout falling victim to Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov’s power in under a minute.

    Perhaps the most intriguing clash on the lineup came in the co-headliner, meanwhile, as the undefeated Dakota Ditcheva faced the toughest test of her blossoming career thus far. She ultimately followed her PFL Europe success last year with global glory, getting the better of former UFC title challenger Taila Santos in shockingly dominant fashion.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the best highlights.

    2024 PFL World Championship Results

    PFL World Championship Card:

    • Featherweight Championship: Timur Khizriev def. Brendan Loughnane via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva def. Taila Santos via TKO (body punches): R2, 4:41
    • Light Heavyweight Championship: Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov def. Impa Kasanganay via TKO (punches): R1, 0:58
    • Welterweight Championship: Shamil Musaev def. Magomed Umalatov via TKO (punches): R3, 1:44
    • Lightweight Championship: Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Brent Primus via KO (punches): R3, 2:31
    • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov def. Oleg Popov via submission (triangle choke): R1, 2:51

    PFL MENA Championship Card:

    • MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdullah Al-Qahtani def. Maraoune Bellagouit via TKO: R1
    • MENA Welterweight Championship: Omar El Dafrawy def. Mohammad Alaqraa via KO (hammerfists): R2, 0:57
    • Amateur Women’s Atomweight: Hattan Alsaif def. Lilia Osmani via TKO (knees): R2, 1:37
    • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb def. Rachid El Hazoume via KO (punches): R1, 1:25
    • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi def. Georges Eid via unanimous decision

    Showcase Fight Card:

    • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui def. Alfie Davis via submission (rear-naked choke): R3, 3:41
    • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi def. Abraham Bably via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
    • Featherweight: Gabriel Braga def. Jeremy Kennedy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj def. Jose Perez via submission (guillotine choke): R3, 1:10
    • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis def. Joao Dantas via KO (head kick): R1, 0:48

    Costello van Steenis Def. Joao Dantas

    Asael Adjoudj Def. Jose Perez

    Gabriel Braga Def. Jeremy Kennedy

    Slim Trabelsi Def. Abraham Bably

    Mansour Barnaoui Def. Alfie Davis

    Mohsen Mohammadseifi Def. Georges Eid

    Ali Taleb Def. Rachid El Hazoume

    Hattan Alsaif Def. Lilia Osmani

    Omar El Dafrawy Def. Mohammad Alaqraa

    Abdullah Al-Qahtani Def. Maraoune Bellagouit

    Denis Goltsov Def. Oleg Popov

    Gadzhi Rabadanov Def. Brent Primus

    Shamil Musaev Def. Magomed Umalatov

    Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov Def. Impa Kasanganay

    Dakota Ditcheva Def. Taila Santos

    Timur Khizriev Def. Brendan Loughnane

  • 2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    The 2024 PFL World Championship takes place on Friday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    The upcoming show takes place Friday, November 29, at the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card of global title fights begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the MENA championship card and showcase card starting at 9:30 AM ET/6:30 AM PT and 7:15 AM ET/4:15 AM ET, respectively.

    In the main event. England’s Brendan Loughnane will shoot for his second title in the SmartCage, having previously emerged with gold in his possession at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

    To repeat that feat, he must upset the odds to hand 17-0 Russian Timur Khizriev his first professional defeat in mixed martial arts.

    Perhaps the most intriguing matchup comes in the co-headliner as another UK standout challenges for season glory. Striking specialist Dakota Ditcheva will get her toughest test to date, with former UFC title challenger Taila Santos marking the latest looking to take her ‘0’ inside the cage.

    2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    PFL World Championship Card (3 PM ET, ESPN+):

    • Featherweight Championship: Brendan Loughnane (144.8lbs) vs. Timur Khizriev (144.7lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva (124.9lbs) vs. Taila Santos (125lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight Championship: Impa Kasanganay (204.6lbs) vs. Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov (204.1lbs)
    • Welterweight: Championship: Magomed Umalatov (168.8lbs) vs. Shamil Musaev (169.8lbs)
    • Lightweight Championship: Brent Primus (154.3lbs) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (155lbs)
    • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov (245.8lbs) vs. Oleg Popov (249.5lbs)

    PFL MENA Championship Card (9:30 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • MENA Featherweight Championship: Maraoune Bellagouit (144.8lbs) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (144.4lbs)
    • MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (169.6lbs) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (170lbs)
    • Amateur Women’s Atomweight: Hattan Alsaif (105.4lbs) vs. Lilia Osmani (108.3lbs)**
    • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (134lbs) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (134.8lbs)
    • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (154.6lbs) vs. Georges Eid (155lbs)

    Showcase Fight Card (7:15 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui (153.6lbs) vs. Alfie Davis (155.7lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi (243.5lbs) vs. Abraham Bably (251.8lbs)
    • Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo (152lbs)* vs. Jeremy Kennedy
    • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj (145.9lbs) vs. Jose Perez (145lbs)
    • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis (185.9lbs) vs. Joao Dantas (185lbs)

    *Jesus Pinedo missed the featherweight limit by 6 pounds, replaced by Gabriel Braga

    **Lilia Osmani missed the atomweight limit by 2.3 pounds, fight to proceed at catchweight of 109 pounds

  • PFL World Championship Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Loughnane vs. Khizriev, Ditcheva vs. Santos, & More

    PFL World Championship Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Loughnane vs. Khizriev, Ditcheva vs. Santos, & More

    The 2024 PFL World Championship is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this week’s long lineup.

    The upcoming show takes place Friday, November 29, at the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card of global title fights begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the MENA championship card and showcase card starting at 9:30 AM ET/6:30 AM PT and 7:15 AM ET/4:15 AM ET, respectively.

    At the lengthy event, plenty of gold will be handed out as the latest global champions and the inaugural MENA kingpins are crowned following the conclusion of this year’s regular seasons.

    And the headlining spots have gone to a pair of British standouts, with 2022 featherweight title winner Brendan Loughnane shooting for two-time status in the main event opposite Timur Khizriev. Before that comes a matchup long pointed to as one of the most intriguing in the promotion, as last year’s PFL Europe flyweight queen Dakota Ditcheva meets former UFC title challenger Taila Santos.

    Also competing for championships will be the likes of Impa Kasnaganay, Brent Primus, and Denis Goltsov, while notable names like Mansour Bernaoui, Slim Trabelsi, Jesus Pinedo and Costello van Steenis will appear in showcase bouts.

    2024 PFL World Championship Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for this year’s PFL World Championship (as of 11/27), courtesy of DraftKings.

    PFL World Championship Card (3 PM ET, ESPN+):

    • Featherweight Championship: Brendan Loughnane (+260) vs. Timur Khizriev (-325)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva (-380) vs. Taila Santos (+300)
    • Light Heavyweight Championship: Impa Kasanganay (-180) vs. Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov (+150)
    • Welterweight: Championship: Magomed Umalatov (+220) vs. Shamil Musaev (-270)
    • Lightweight Championship: Brent Primus (+410) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (-550)
    • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov (+110) vs. Oleg Popov (-130)

    PFL MENA Championship Card (9:30 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdelrahman Alhyasat (-115) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (-105)
    • MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (-410) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (+320)
    • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (-290) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (+235)
    • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (-218) vs. Georges Eid (+180)

    Showcase Fight Card (7:15 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui (-298) vs. Alfie Davis (+240)
    • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi (-148) vs. Abraham Bably (+124)
    • Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo (-290) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (+235)
    • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj (-142) vs. Jose Perez (+120)
    • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis (-625) vs. Joao Dantas (+455)
  • VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

    VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

    The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

    After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

    A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

    Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

    Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

    Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

    For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

  • PFL Finalist Admits He Nearly Retired Before Fighting For His Second World Championship Win

    PFL Finalist Admits He Nearly Retired Before Fighting For His Second World Championship Win

    This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up.

    Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales which were followed by a split decision win over Kai Kamaka III. However, what makes his journey to the finals this year so impressive is what happened in 2023.

    After defeating the likes of Bubba Jenkins and Chris Wade in 2022 to become the champion, Loughnane looked to do it again for the second time in a row. Having already beaten the top names in his division, he would have been a big favorite to do just that at the start of the next season.

    After stopping Marlon Moraes in his first bout, the 35-fight veteran was finished for the first time in his career when he was knocked out by Jesus Pinedo in the opening round with Pinedo going on to win the world championship. After taking the rest of 2023 off, the former champion has since returned with a rejuvenated drive.

    Ahead of his return on November 29, Loughnane revealed in a recent interview with Mirror Fighting that after his loss to Pinedo, he contemplated retirement having already set himself and his family up financially by winning the 2022 season. Now, he has the chance to double that by becoming the first of 18 men to beat Khizriev.

    “It was difficult. I didn’t really want to do it again,” he said. “I thought ‘I’m done with this sport. I’ve been knocked out, I’ve got way over $1million in my account. What am I doing this for?’ I had to reassess everything, but I’ve come back and I’ve shown tenacity in the champion that I am. I’ve come back and shown everyone that sometimes you get knocked down in life, or knocked out in my case and you’ve got to come back stronger.”

  • Former PFL Champion Labels UFC Featherweight The Most Underrated Fighter In The UK

    Former PFL Champion Labels UFC Featherweight The Most Underrated Fighter In The UK

    Former PFL champion and upcoming finalist Brendan Loughnane has been around the UK MMA scene for a long time. The veteran has long been considered one of the most talented fighters in the region and he finally got his breakthrough when he signed with the PFL after fighting all over the world before that.

    During a recent episode of Uncaged by talkSPORT, Loughnane used his knowledge of the wide range of competitors to pick out a fighter that is set to return to the Octagon this weekend as his most underrated fighter from the UK. Wales’ Jack Shore is back in action on Saturday night when he heads to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

    “The Tank” will make his third appearance as a featherweight by taking on Youssef Zalal in a fight that has gone totally under the radar for most fight fans. Shore is looking to bounce back from a controversial loss last time out at UFC 301 where his fight with Joanderson Brito was stopped due to a cut on his shin.

    The 29-year old was 16-0 before being stopped by Ricky Simón in his final fight at 135-pounds and was attracting some hype off of his five fight win streak. Though Loughnane is reserving judgement on whether he can replicate that same level of success in the featherweight division, he believes Shore has all the skills he needs to compete at the highest level.

    “I think he’s the most underrated UK fighter right now, I really do, Jack Shore. I think he’s had a bit of bad luck but I think when he puts it together mate, like I don’t know about this move to featherweight…let’s just see, let’s just make an assumption after this fight but I really rate Jack and his team and I think he flies under the radar.”

  • PFL Champion: Only One Active UFC Fighter Bigger Star Than Sean O’Malley

    PFL Champion: Only One Active UFC Fighter Bigger Star Than Sean O’Malley

    Sean O’Malley had clear star potential from the moment that he impressed Dana White with his Contender Series debut that earned him a UFC contract.

    Having been the main event in his last two outings where he won the bantamweight title and defended it, “Suga” is back to headline his biggest event to date.

    At UFC 306 this weekend, he will be the last man to walk out at a historic event hosted inside the Sphere for Noche UFC.

    Given the demographic that O’Malley is able to connect with and his polarizing qualities, there’s no denying that he’s one of the biggest names in the sport right now.

    However, a former PFL winner recently made the case for why there is another fighter on the roster that is currently the brightest active star that the promotion has.

    Brendan Loughnane Says Ilia Topuria Is A Bigger Star Than Sean O’Malley Right Now

    Ilia Topuria put in some incredible performances during his path to becoming featherweight champion.

    After capping that off by stopping Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, “El Matador” really cemented himself as one of the top names in the UFC right now.

    What some fans may not have realized at the time is the amount of support he has in Europe from both his Spanish and Georgian fans.

    This was proven in front of our very eyes when he took the belt back home to Spain and walked out, as the champion, in front of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid.

    Looking at social media numbers alone, Topuria has a bigger following on Instagram with 4.5 million to O’Malley’s 4.3 million, despite the fact that “Suga” has been a notable name in the UFC for longer.

    On a recent episode of Uncaged by talkSPORT MMA, 2022 PFL featherweight champion and 2024 finalist Brendan Loughnane made the case for why Topuria takes the top spot right now.

    “Do you know what? There’s one man that we’re missing out on here that’s totally missed the conversation. Ilia Topuria, I’d put above him [O’Malley] right now, I really would. He’s walking out at the Bernabéu! Ilia Topuria has just knocked out our guy Volk who is pound-for-pound, wherever you put him, he’s in that conversation. He’s doing the same thing that Sean’s doing. I’ve never seen anyone captivate an audience quite like, well obviously bar Conor McGregor, let’s take Conor McGregor out of this, I would put Ilia above Sean O’Malley right now. Just due to the fact of the way he finished Volk.

    “Sean’s got great finishes along the way, he’s obviously finished Sterling and all that but I’m talking personally. I just, this Ilia Topuria thing and the train that’s moving at the minute, again I don’t want to keep going on about this Bernabéu thing but do you know how big, well I know you know, but that is humongous and I just know what’s going on because I have the same manager as this guy. I know the type of deals he’s getting, I know the type of circles he’s moving in, he’s had less fights than Sean in the UFC I believe and I just feel like his train is moving a little bit faster at the minute, maybe I’m completely wrong.”

    Read also: Dana White Responds To ‘Experts’ Criticizing Noche UFC: ‘Talked About That UFC 300 Wasn’t A Good Card!’

  • 2024 PFL 9 Playoffs Results & Highlights: Brendan Loughnane Outlasts Kai Kamaka III

    2024 PFL 9 Playoffs Results & Highlights: Brendan Loughnane Outlasts Kai Kamaka III

    The 2024 PFL Playoffs continued on Friday night with the last of three semifinal events in the postseason, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    The Professional Fighters League was back this week, with the championship finals at featherweight and welterweight decided at The Anthem in Washington D.C.

    In the 145-pound main event, 2022 PFL kingpin Brendan Loughnane returned for the next step in his pursuit of a second title. To reach another final, the Brit got the better of ex-UFC fighter Kai Kamaka III across three rounds.

    He’ll now go on to face Timur Khizriev with $1 million prize money and this year’s featherweight championship on the line after the Russian outlasted Gabriel Braga in the other semifinal

    The welterweight bracket, meanwhile, saw Magomed Umalatov make good on his favorite status by defeating Neiman Gracie in the PFL 9 co-main event. That result ensured an always likely all-Russian final, with his compatriot Shamil Musaev beating another Russian in Murad Ramazanov in their immediate rematch.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!

    2024 PFL 9 Playoffs Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Featherweight Semifinal Main Event: Brendan Loughnane def. Kai Kamaka III via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
    • Welterweight Semifinal Co-Main Event: Magomed Umalatov def. Neiman Gracie via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Featherweight Semifinal: Timur Khizriev def. Gabriel Braga via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
    • Welterweight Semifinal: Shamil Musaev def. Murad Ramazanov via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Welterweight: Mukhamed Berkhamov def. Ray Cooper III via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
    • Featherweight: Enrique Barzola def. Tyler Diamond via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Featherweight Jose Perez def. Jesse Stirn via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Heavyweight: Maxwell Djantou Nana def. Kent Mafileo via KO (punch): R2, 4:50
    • Welterweight: Shido Boris Esperança def. Tyler Hill via TKO (punches): R1, 3:31

    Shido Boris Esperança Def. Tyler Hill

    Maxwell Djantou Nana Def. Kent Mafileo

    Jose Perez Def. Jesse Stirn

    Enrique Barzola Def. Tyler Diamond

    Mukhamed Berkhamov Def. Ray Cooper III

    Shamil Musaev Def. Murad Ramazanov

    Timur Khizriev Def. Gabriel Braga

    Magomed Umalatov Def. Neiman Gracie

    Brendan Loughnane Def. Kai Kamaka III

  • 2024 PFL 9 Playoffs: Brendan Loughnane vs. Kai Kamaka III Weigh-In Results

    2024 PFL 9 Playoffs: Brendan Loughnane vs. Kai Kamaka III Weigh-In Results

    The 2024 PFL Playoffs continue this Friday with matchups from the featherweight and welterweight divisions. Before the bouts can be made official, all fighters weighed in today.

    The event will occur at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. In the main event, former PFL Featherweight Champion Brendan Loughnane takes on Kai Kamaka III to determine who will advance to the finals.

    All fighters successfully weighed in except Eric Alequin, who was unable to do the weight cut for his welterweight matchup against Luca Poclit. The fight is officially canceled for tomorrow’s card.

    After missing the 2023 PFL Championships last year, Loughnane has been on a mission to become a two-time tournament winner. His last victory was an impressive TKO win due to a doctor stoppage against Justin Gonzales at PFL 6 on June 28.

    DraftKings currently has the former champion as the favorite to win on Friday. However, Kamaka III is a tough opponent to defeat. The former Bellator featherweight is on a five-fight win streak and has the ability to pull off the upset.

    Elsewhere on the card, Shamil Musaev will face Murad Ramazanov in a welterweight rematch. They fought each other at PFL 6 in a close fight until the second round. Musaev was able to get a TKO victory after landing a devasting left hook and a barrage of punches. Ramazanov faces the challenge of avenging his loss, but he did have moments of success, including getting a takedown. After their first fight, both welterweights will try to adapt and implement a game plan to move forward to the championships final.

    The PFL 9 preliminary card will kick off the event at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT on ESPN+. The main card will air on ESPN and stream on ESPN+ at 10 PM ET/ 7 PM PT.

    2024 PFL 9 Playoffs: Brendan Loughnane vs. Kai Kamaka III Weigh-In Results

    (Fight Card Is Subject To Change)

    Main Card (ESPN & ESPN+):

    • Featherweight Semifinal: Brendan Loughnane (146 lbs) vs. Kai Kamaka III (145.6 lbs)
    • Welterweight Semifinal: Magomed Umalatov (170.6 lbs) vs. Neiman Gracie (170 lbs)
    • Featherweight Semifinal: Gabriel Braga (146 lbs) vs. Timur Khizriev (145.8 lbs)
    • Welterweight Semifinal: Shamil Musaev (170.2 lbs) vs. Murad Ramazanov (171 lbs)

    Preliminary Card (ESPN+):

    • Welterweight: Ray Cooper III (171 lbs) vs. Mukhamed Berkhamov (170.5 lbs)
    • Featherweight: Tyler Diamond (146.6 lbs) vs. Enrique Barzola (145.4 lbs)
    • Featherweight: Jesse Stirn (145.6 lbs) vs. Jose Perez (145.3 lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Maxwell Djantou Nana (263.8 lbs) vs. Kent Mafileo (248 lbs)
    • Welterweight: Shido Boris Esperanca (170.8 lbs) vs. Tyler Hill (171 lbs)
  • ‘He’s Touching Billionaire Status…’ – PFL Star & Conor McGregor’s Sparring Partner Feels UFC 303 Withdrawal Showed ‘Maturity’

    ‘He’s Touching Billionaire Status…’ – PFL Star & Conor McGregor’s Sparring Partner Feels UFC 303 Withdrawal Showed ‘Maturity’

    MMA fans had to wait a long time before there was concrete news about the return of Conor McGregor.

    There was plenty of questions during this time about whether he would ever comeback, how much he still has left to give to the sport and so on.

    When McGregor announced his withdrawal from the UFC 303 main event against Michael Chandler, some took this in combination with the long wait and posed another theory regarding whether “The Notorious” was ever going to actually fight on June 29.

    Having trained with the Irishman throughout his comeback process, PFL’s Brendan Loughnane strongly disagrees with any sentiment that McGregor doesn’t have that same passion for competition anymore.

    Brendan Loughnane Says Conor McGregor Still Has The Same Fire & Was Correct To Pull Out Of UFC 303

    Loughnane, who is set to return at PFL 9 on August 23, has spent a lot of solid time around McGregor in the past year specifically.

    Having trained alongside “The Mac” as he was looking to make a return to the Octagon, he believes that McGregor is still just as motivated to compete as ever before but pulling out of UFC 303 due to his broken toe was the right call.

    Loughnane drew attention to the fact that the former UFC champ-champ never needs to fight again so putting himself through a training camp in the first place should tell you all you need to know about where he’s at regarding the current status of his career.

    “This guy is hungry for it, he doesn’t have to do this now, he’s touching billionaire status. He’s doing this out of the love of the sport, guy loves it through and through, he’s a martial artist. He wakes up every day, this is what lights the fire inside people like him and me.

    and the fact that he got the injury and he pulled out shows me that he’s in a good place because it’s like going through these fights injured for what? He’s done it before, it’s well documented that he’s done it many times before. Do it when you’re healthy, there’s so much on the line now.”

    Loughnane, like many others have, made reference to how McGregor’s injury that led to such a long time away from the Octagon was caused by him going into the third fight with Dustin Poirier with an existing injury that cost him the fight.

    He believes that with this in mind, it was the correct decision to make on this occasion.

    “I’m glad that he did it, it’s showing maturity and I can’t wait for his comeback.”

  • PFL Announces 2024 Playoff Main Cards, Former Bellator Champ Replaced In Semifinal

    PFL Announces 2024 Playoff Main Cards, Former Bellator Champ Replaced In Semifinal

    Following the conclusion of the promotion’s latest global regular season, the lineups are set for this year’s PFL Playoffs.

    2024 was always going to be a big one for the PFL, as it marks the first season since it acquired a rival promotion in Bellator. After kicking off the year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a cross-brand event and commencing its sophomore PFL Europe campaign in Paris, eyes turned to the global season.

    And having hosted six events across April and June, the brackets for the 2024 PFL Playoffs were decided, and the main cards are now set.

    A recent press release announced which semifinals will feature in main event slots, as well as the order below them.

    PFL Playoffs 1: Goltsov vs. Johnson (August 2)

    This year’s PFL playoffs will kick off with heavyweight and women’s flyweight action at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 2.

    In the main event, PFL veteran Denis Goltsov makes his bid for a second championship final in what will be his fourth semifinal appearance. The Russian has worked his way back to the postseason courtesy of knockout wins over Linton Vassell and Thiago Santos. He’ll next face Tim Johnson, whose six-point finish of Danilo Marques saw him secure a playoff place in his SmartCage debut.

    The other heavyweight semifinal has undergone a change. In the second fight of the night, Linton Vassell will battle Oleg Popov for a place in the final. The former didn’t qualify in the top four spots but has been handed a chance at redemption following an injury to former interim Bellator champion Valentin Moldavsky.

    Co-headlining for the women’s flyweights will be Dakota Ditcheva, who breezed to top-seed status in the regular season by extending her perfect professional record with crushing TKOs against Lisa Mauldin and Chelsea Hackett. She’s next set for her toughest test to date opposite Jena Bishop.

    Opening the main card, meanwhile, will be an intriguing semifinal matchup between two flyweight elites in ex-UFC title challenger Taila Santos and Bellator champ Liz Carmouche, both of whom recorded consecutive wins to secure their playoff spots.

    Main Card (9 PM ET, ESPN/ESPN+):

    • Heavyweight Playoffs Main Event: Denis Goltsov (34-8) vs. Tim Johnson (18-9) 
    • Women’s Flyweight Playoffs Co-Main Event: Dakota Ditcheva (12-0) vs. Jena Bishop (7-1)
    • Heavyweight Playoffs Main Card Bout: Oleg Popov (18-1) vs. Linton Vassell (25-9) 
    • Women’s Flyweight Playoffs Main Card Bout: Liz Carmouche (22-7) vs. Taila Santos (21-3) 

    PFL Playoffs 2: Kasanganay vs. Silveira (August 16)

    The second stop in the PFL’s postseason sees the SmartCage head to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, for light heavyweight and lightweight fights on August 16.

    In the main event, Impa Kasanganay continues his pursuit of a second straight PFL championship against the man at the expense of whom he captured the 205-pound crown in 2023, Josh Silveira. The other light heavyweight contest comes in the co-headliner, with 2022 title winner Rob Wilkinson battling Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov.

    Opening the main card on August 16 will be the always entertaining Clay Collard, whose quest for a first PFL title must next go through former Bellator standout Brent Primus. Elsewhere in that division, Gadzhi Rabadanov and Michael Dufort will share the cage.

    Main Card (9 PM ET, ESPN/ESPN+):

    • Light Heavyweight Playoffs Main Event: Impa Kasanganay (17-4) vs. Josh Silveira (13-3)
    • Light Heavyweight Playoffs Co-Main Event: Rob Wilkinson (19-2) vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (23-7-1)
    • Lightweight Playoffs Main Card Bout: Gadzhi Rabadanov (22-4-1) vs. Michael Dufort (13-5) 
    • Lightweight Playoffs Main Card Bout: Brent Primus (14-3) vs. Clay Collard (25-13) 

    PFL Playoffs 3: Loughnane vs. Kamaka III (August 23)

    The featherweights and welterweights will round out the semifinal action at The Anthem in Washington D.C. on August 23.

    In the main event, 2022 featherweight kingpin Brendan Loughnane looks to continue his momentum from a strong regular season en route to another dose of PFL success. To do so, he must stall the charge of Kai Kamaka III, who is looking to capture the $1 million check in his first taste of season action. The other featherweight semifinal sees 2023 finalist Gabriel Braga tasked with blemishing the perfect record of Timur Khizriev.

    Co-headlining the August 23 card will be Magomed Umalatov, whose submission of Brennan Ward last time out has left him as a potential favorite in the eyes of many. He’ll look to further prove those predictions right by eliminating South Africa’s Don Madge from the equation. Opening the main card at 170 pounds, meanwhile, is a rematch between the undefeated Shamil Musaev and Murad Ramazanov. While the latter was knocked out by his fellow countryman in June, his first regular season bout was enough to keep him inside the divisional top four.

    Main Card (9 PM ET, ESPN/ESPN+):

    • Featherweight Playoffs Main Event: Brendan Loughnane (29-5) vs. Kai Kamaka (14-5-1) 
    • Welterweight Playoffs Co-Main Event: Magomed Umalatov (16-0) vs. Don Madge (11-5-1) 
    • Featherweight Playoffs Main Card Bout: Gabriel Braga (14-1) vs. Timur Khizriev (16-0) 
    • Welterweight Playoffs Main Card Bout: Shamil Musaev (18-0-1) vs. Murad Ramazanov (12-1)