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Tag: Justin Wetzell

  • “Contender Series For Him In 2 Years” – Fans React As Marcirley Alves Staves Off Justin Wetzell For 2025 PFL Bantamweight World Tournament Title

    “Contender Series For Him In 2 Years” – Fans React As Marcirley Alves Staves Off Justin Wetzell For 2025 PFL Bantamweight World Tournament Title

    In a battle of two men who started the PFL bantamweight tournament as alternates before being official participants, Marcirley Alves managed to outwork Justin Wetzell in a featured bout at the PFL World Tournament card in Charlotte, North Carolina, to become the 2025 PFL World Tournament champion at bantamweight.

    Alves started strong, finding his range early with combinations, including a sharp left that caught Wetzell in the opening round. Wetzell tried to slow the pace, but Alves’ striking volume and takedown defense controlled most of the fight’s first half.

    Momentum shifted in round four, as Wetzell finally secured takedowns and pressured Alves, mixing knees and body shots. Wetzell took his grappling pressure and combined it with clinch pressure in the fifth.

    Wetzell then landed a huge knee in the fifth that dropped Alves. He nearly scored a D’Arce choke, but Alves narrowly escaped. Wetzell pushed forward with flurries and cage control, though Alves stayed in control and fired back.

    Marcirley Alves Defeats Justin Wetzell For PFL Bantamweight World Tournament Title

    Alves reached the final with a finish of Leandro Higo in the first round and a win over former Bellator champion Brent Primus in the semifinals.

    Wetzell, who entered with 11 wins in his last 12, secured his spot in the final through wins over Kasum Kasumov and Mando Gutierrez.

  • PFL World Tournament Week 9 Results & Highlights

    PFL World Tournament Week 9 Results & Highlights

    The second of three events to mark the conclusion of the PFL’s 2025 World Tournaments goes down in Charlotte, North Carolina tonight — and MMA News has you covered with all the action.

    The World Tournament is the spiritual successor to the season-and-the-playoffs has had since its inaugural season in 2018. As part of the changes in format to the PFL upon the official folding of the Bellator brand earlier this year, the PFL changed its global season to a single-elimination tournament format, adding more weight classes, eight fighters per weight class.

    First-round action took place in April and May, with June — previously hosting the second leg of the regular season — hosting semifinal action. This month will see the conclusion of these tournaments, with eight winners receiving PFL World Tournament title belts and $100,000.

    This evening will be headlined by the lightweight tournament final between defending champion Gadzhi Rabadanov and Alfie Davis. Rabadanov, who defeated Brent Primus to claim the 2024 lightweight title, looks to become just one of a handful of PFL fighters to become a back-to-back tournament champion, let alone a two-time PFL tournament champion. Rabadanov made it to the finals with a pair of first-round finishes against Marc Diakiese and Kevin Lee. Davis, meanwhile, advanced here with a first-round knockout of Clay Collard and a decision win over Primus.

    The co-main event will be the women’s flyweight tournament final between Liz Carmouche and Jena Bishop. Carmouche, the former Bellator women’s flyweight champion, reached the finals through an 85-second finish of Ilara Joanne and a decision over Elora Dana. Bishop reached with a unanimous decision over Kana Watanabe and a second-round submission of Ekaterina Shakalova.

    Also featured will be the bantamweight tournament final featuring Marcirley Alves and Justin Wetzell. Alves made it to the final through decision wins over Leandro Higo and Jake Hadley. Wetzell scored decision wins over Kasum Kasumov and Mando Gutierrez.

    2025 PFL World Tournament Week 9 Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Lightweight Final: Alfie Davis def. Gadzhi Rabadanov via unanimous decision (48-47 x3)
    • Women’s Flyweight Final: Liz Carmouche def. Jena Bishop via KO (R3, 2:56)
    • Bantamweight Final: Marcirley Alves def. Justin Wetzell via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47 x2)
    • Lightweight: Robert Watley def. Mads Burnell via TKO (R3, 2:43)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Women’s Flyweight: Juliana Velasquez def. Ekaterina Shakalova via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Lightweight: Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Adryan Grundy via TKO (R3, 3:23)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Sabrinna de Sousa def. Saray Orozco via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
    • Bantamweight: Renat Khavalov def. Vilson Ndregjoni via TKO (R1, 2:49)
    • Welterweight: Chris Mixan def. Kendly St. Louis via TKO (R1, 4:36)
    • Featherweight: Damian Nelson def. Isaiah Diggs via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Damian Nelson vs. Isaiah Diggs

    Kendly St. Louis vs. Chris Mixan

    Renat Khavalov vs. Vilson Ndregjoni

    Sabrinna de Sousa vs. Saray Orozco

    Biaggio Ali Walsh vs. Adryan Grundy

    Juliana Velasquez vs. Ekaterina Shakalova

    Mads Burnell vs. Robert Watley

    Marcirley Alves vs. Justin Wetzell

    Liz Carmouche vs. Jena Bishop

    Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Alfie Davis

  • PFL 2025 Finalist on PFL vs. ONE Idea: “I’ll be the lineal champ across the board”

    PFL 2025 Finalist on PFL vs. ONE Idea: “I’ll be the lineal champ across the board”

    Justin Wetzell is squarely focused on capturing PFL gold this week but also has a peripheral focus on other PFL belts as well as some ONE Championship titleholders to boot.

    Justin Wetzell clashes with Marcirley Alves for the PFL bantamweight tournament title in the promotion’s 2025 World Tournament on August 15th. Wetzell was a recent guest on Bowks Talking Bouts and touched upon his thoughts on the global expansion efforts from the Professional Fighters League. When discussing his thoughts on the PFL’s global expansion efforts with their Europe, Africa and MENA circuits in the context of if this feels like an exciting time to be a contracted combatant with the Professional Fighters League, Justin Wetzell said,

    “Yeah, it’s super cool how they’re expanding and they have different leagues, man. Once I win this belt, I want to fight the champions of the other leagues to show that I’m the best bantamweight in PFL, period.”

    How Wetzell feels about a potential PFL vs. ONE champs against champs card

    It was then referenced some of the recent comments made by the Professional Fighters League’s Donn Davis toward ONE Championship‘s Chatri Sityodtong regarding an idea for a champions versus champions event. When asked what thought on an idea like that becoming a reality someday, Justin Wetzell stated,

    “Yeah, that’d be sick, man. I’ll be the lineal champ across the board. I mean, I believe in my heart I can beat Merab [Dvalishvili], bro. I can beat anyone.”

    When touching on some interesting variables of a possible Professional Fighters League vs. ONE Championship event and things like what ruleset would be utilized for those fights but addressing that it is an exciting concept all the same, Justin Wetzell quipped,

    “Yeah, I like the the collab fights or the co-promotion fights. Those are sick.”

  • ‘Extremely Lackluster Main Card Opener’ – Fans Blast Justin Wetzell Win Over Mando Gutierrez To Start PFL World Tournament Card In Wichita

    ‘Extremely Lackluster Main Card Opener’ – Fans Blast Justin Wetzell Win Over Mando Gutierrez To Start PFL World Tournament Card In Wichita

    Gutierrez had early striking success and attempted a guillotine in the opening round. Wetzell, however, reversed into top control and landed consistent ground-and-pound.

    That focus on the guillotine may have been Gutierrez’s downfall. The second round saw Wetzell assert more control with takedowns, positional advances, and steady ground striking. Gutierrez’s rubber guard and submission attempts weren’t enough for sustained offense.

    Wetzell continued to pressure and press the action on the ground in the third en route to a decision win.

    Justin Wetzell Earns Decision To Advance To PFL World Tournament Finals

    https://twitter.com/100PEAKTEAM/status/1936220890909601908

    Wetzell has now won five straight. He advanced to the semifinals with a decision over Kasum Kasumov in April.

    Gutierrez sees a three-fight win streak snapped. He earned tonight’s spot with a submission over Francesco Nuzzi.