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Tag: Vadim Nemkov

  • ‘No Reason Why Nemkov-Francis Shouldn’t Be Made Next’ – Fans React As Vadim Nemkov Runs Through Renan Ferreira To Become PFL Heavyweight Champion At PFL Lyon

    ‘No Reason Why Nemkov-Francis Shouldn’t Be Made Next’ – Fans React As Vadim Nemkov Runs Through Renan Ferreira To Become PFL Heavyweight Champion At PFL Lyon

    After already owning gold at light heavyweight, Vadim Nemkov now has a championship in a second weight class, defeating Renan Ferreira in the main event of PFL Lyon to become PFL heavyweight world champion.

    After a little patience from both men, Nemkov was able to score a takedown. After landing a series of shots, Nemkov got into mount and began to try and find an arm-triangle choke. Ferreira looked to defend, trying to land from the bottom and find his own submission, going on to get into top position.

    It was a fleeting moment, however, as Nemkov got back on top and worked his way back into securing an arm-triangle, getting the submission win and the world title.

    Vadim Nemkov Becomes Heavyweight Champion By Submitting Renan Ferreira At PFL Lyon

    Nemkov went 3-0 in PFL in 2025, coming over following the promotion’s 2023 purchase of Bellator. Nemkov scored finishes of Bruno Cappelozza and Tim Johnson.

    This was Ferreira’s first fight since getting stopped by Francis Ngannou at PFL Battle of the Giants in October 2024.

  • PFL Lyon Live Results And Highlights

    PFL Lyon Live Results And Highlights

    The PFL’s 2025 campaign is nearing its end, and two world champions and two PFL Europe tournament champions will be crowned on Saturday, December 13, with PFL Lyon in France. MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    PFL Europe was the initial expansion effort of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), an effort that has since grown out to MENA in 2024. PFL Africa started up earlier this year, and PFL Pacific will be on the way.

    With PFL looking to simplify its championship picture under the direction of new CEO John Martin, however, PFL Lyon will not only bring the conclusion to the PFL Europe season, but it will also bring us two PFL world champions.

    The main event will see former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov face 2023 PFL heavyweight season champion Renan Ferreira for the heavyweight world championship.

    Since vacating the Bellator light heavyweight title to move up in weight, Nemkov has scored submissions of Bruno Cappelozza and Tim Johnson with the PFL earlier this year. Ferreira finished Ryan Bader in a PFL vs. Bellator heavyweight champions showdown before getting knocked out in seconds by Francis Ngannou at Battle of the Giants last year.

    The PFL women’s featherweight champion will also be decided as the legendary Cris Cyborg faces Sara Collins. Cyborg has lost just twice in the sport and has racked up championships everywhere she has gone, including her PFL Super Fights title win over Larissa Pacheco. Collins is 6-0 in MMA, submitting Leah McCourt in her last fight one year ago.

    The 2025 PFL Europe tournament champions will also be crowned earlier in the card, as Connor Hughes faces Alex Chizov at lightweight and Baris Adiguzel takes on Dean Garnett at bantamweight.

    The event was broadcasted on DAZN in most countries, as well as via ESPN Unlimited in the U.S. If you missed any of the action, MMA News has you covered below with the full results and all the highlights below.

    PFL Lyon Results & Highlights

    Heavyweight World Championship: Vadim Nemkov def. Renan Ferreira via submission (arm-triangle choke) (R1, 4:00)
    Womens’ Featherweight World Championship.: Cris Cyborg def. Sara Collins via submission (rear-naked choke) (R3, 2:55)
    Welterweight Showcase.: Patrick Habirora def. Kevin Jousset via KO (R1, 2:42)
    Bantamweight Showcase.: Taylor Lapilus def. Liam Gittins via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
    PFL Europe Bantamweight Tournament Championship.: Baris Adiguzel def. Dean Garnett via TKO (R1, 0:44)
    Light Heavyweight Showcase.: Boris Atangana def. Guilherme Soares via submission (rear-naked choke) (R2, 2:35)
    PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Championship.: Alex Chizov def. Connor Hughes via KO (R3, 0:50)
    Bantamweight Showcase.: Gustavo Oliveira def. Movsar Ibragimov via KO (R2, 0:34)
    Women’s Flyweight Showcase.: Sabrinna de Sousa def. Paulina Wisniewska via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
    Bantamweight Showcase.: Rayan Balbali def. Levi Batchelor via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

    Rayan Balbali vs. Levi Batchelor

    Paulina Wisniewska vs. Sabrinna de Sousa

    Gustavo Oliveira vs. Movsar Ibragimov

    Connor Hughes vs. Alex Chizov

    Boris Atangana vs. Guilherme Soares

    Baris Adiguzel vs. Dean Garnett

    Taylor Lapilus vs. Liam Gittins

    Patrick Habirora vs. Kevin Jousset

    Cris Cyborg vs. Sara Collins

    Vadim Nemkov vs. Renan Ferreira

  • PFL Lyon 2025: Vadim Nemkov vs. Renan Ferreira, Cris Cyborg Headline Championship Doubleheader On Dec. 13

    PFL Lyon 2025: Vadim Nemkov vs. Renan Ferreira, Cris Cyborg Headline Championship Doubleheader On Dec. 13

    PFL Lyon is set for a championship doubleheader.

    PFL CEO John Martin on Wednesday announced that PFL Lyon will take place on December 13 at the LDLC Arena, headlined by a heavyweight championship showdown between former Bellator titleholder Vadim Nemkov and 2024 PFL tournament champion Renan Ferreira.

    Nemkov last competed at the PFL Champions Series in Dubai this past January, where he secured a first-round submission over veteran Tim Johnson. The 33-year-old Russian is riding a dominant 14-fight unbeaten streak, boasting a professional record of 19-2 with 15 of those victories coming by way of stoppage.

    Meanwhile, Ferreira returns to action for the first time since suffering a first-round TKO defeat to Francis Ngannou in their PFL Super Heavyweight Title clash in October 2024. Before that setback, “Problema” put together a four-fight win streak highlighted by knockout victories over Ryan Bader and Denis Goltsov.

    The 35-year-old Brazilian powerhouse carries a 13-4 professional record, with 12 of those wins coming by way of stoppage.

    Images: @vadimnemkov/@pflmma/Instagram

    Cris Cyborg Faces Undefeated Sara Collins In PFL Lyon Co-Main Event

    The co-main event of PFL Lyon marks the return of Cris Cyborg, who will square off against Sara Collins for the women’s featherweight championship.

    Cyborg was last seen in action inside the SmartCage in October 2024, where she defeated Larissa Pacheco via unanimous decision to capture the PFL Super Fights women’s featherweight title. In 2025, the 40-year-old Brazilian legend has competed in the boxing ring, recording three knockout victories, two in March and another in May.

    Earlier in her career, Cyborg defended her Bellator 145-pound title a record five times, cementing her legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats. She enters this fight with a professional MMA record of 28-2, including 21 wins by knockout.

    On the other hand, Collins will enter PFL Lyon riding a first-round submission victory over Leah McCourt at Bellator Champions Series London in September 2024. The 35-year-old Australian contender remains undefeated, boasting a perfect 6-0 record that includes three submission wins.

    Image: PFLMMA.com

  • ‘We Need Him vs. Ngannou’ – Fans React As Ex-Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Submits Tim Johnson In Final Fight Of PFL Contract

    ‘We Need Him vs. Ngannou’ – Fans React As Ex-Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Submits Tim Johnson In Final Fight Of PFL Contract

    What comes next for Vadim Nemkov is uncertain, but it can still include great opportunities following a win over Tim Johnson in the co-main event of PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai on Jan. 25.

    Nemkov made things look easily, landing several head kicks on Johnson that busted him open across the center of his head. The Russian was able to get a takedown and worked over his American foe against the fence. After dragging him away from the fence, Johnson attempted to power up.

    The former Bellator light heavyweight champion, however, answered by wrapping his legs around Johnson and bringing him back down, flattening the UFC veteran and scoring the rear-naked choke victory.

    Vadim Nemkov Easily Submits Late-Notice Opponent Tim Johnson, Fans Ponder Ngannou Showdown

    Nemkov is now 2-0 at heavyweight after defeating Bruno Cappelozza last February at the PFL vs. Bellator card. Nemkov is now a free agent after fighting out his PFL (formerly Bellator) contract.

    Jonhson, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back fights after three straight wins.

  • Former Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Outlines What PFL Must Do To Keep Him

    Former Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Outlines What PFL Must Do To Keep Him

    Vadim Nemkov isn’t entirely satisfied with how he has been treated since becoming a PFL fighter but he isn’t looking for the exit door either. In fact, despite having the last fight on his current contract this weekend, he is happy to stay with the promotion if they’re able to give him what he was initially promised.

    The Russian is one of the big names and talents that the PFL acquired when they bought Bellator towards the end of 2023 but embedding that huge influx of new fighters have been far less than seamless. Several fighters have been very vocal about this with major names like Gegard Mousasi and Patrício Pitbull being granted their releases from their contracts as a result.

    The promotion is seemingly looking to address this in 2025 by re-shaping their format and Nemkov is seemingly optimistic about the future. One problem did arise when he wasn’t happy with the way that the promotion went about announcing a fight between him and Corey Anderson, who he beat in 2022, without him agreeing to this matchup.

    His bout at this weekend’s Road to Dubai event was then changed to be a clash with Tim Johnson who Nemkov believes is a viable opponent for him as he continues to progress as a heavyweight having previously been the Bellator light heavyweight champion. With this settled, the former titleholder’s main complaint, as he detailed in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, is the same issue that the other fighters have had and that’s activity.

    Nemkov says that having not fought since February last year where he submitted Bruno Cappelozza, he’s open to the idea of committing his future to the PFL if they’re going to honor their claims of how many fights he will be offered over a set amount of time. At 32-years old, he just wants to be able to regularly compete.

    “It’s the last fight on my contract,” Nemkov said through an interpreter. “I was supposed to have four fights during the two years, and I only had one. This is going to be the second fight. … Honestly speaking, I’m OK with the PFL. The thing is I’m at the peak of my fighting career. I feel great. If they’re able to provide what we were supposed to do from the beginning, with three or four fights a year, I would be fine with that. But as of right now, I’m just concentrating on this fight.”

  • Bellator Champion Corey Anderson On Vadim Nemkov: ‘He’s Scared Of Me’

    Bellator Champion Corey Anderson On Vadim Nemkov: ‘He’s Scared Of Me’

    Corey Anderson has faced Vadim Nemkov twice, but he’s increasingly skeptical that their trilogy bout will materialize.

    The two fighters first met in April 2022 at Bellator 277 during the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final for the championship. Their clash ended in a no contest due to an accidental headbutt.

    The rematch took place at Bellator 288, with Nemkov earning a decision victory to defend the Bellator light heavyweight belt. Since then, Anderson has rebounded with decision wins over Phil Davis and Karl Moore, with Anderson’s last win seeing him capture the vacant light heavyweight title.

    Anderson was eager to secure a third fight with Nemkov, and it appeared the trilogy was set for heavyweight at the PFL Road to Dubai: Champions Series event on on Jan. 25. However, the fight fell apart, leaving Anderson frustrated and convinced that Nemkov is avoiding him.

    “I told you a while ago before he moved to heavyweight, I believed he was scared of me,” he said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “Now I know for a fact. He doesn’t want to fight me. He got scared. It was time to go to the altar, and he got cold feet and ran.”

    Anderson expressed disappointment about how the situation unfolded, especially with rumors swirling that Nemkov is on the final fight of his current PFL contract.

    “I feel like after this, he’ll probably never take the opportunity to fight me again,” Anderson continued. “One, he knew I wanted the fight — that’s on him. He’ll finish his contract on a high note, and we’ll never do the trilogy. Two, if it keeps coming, he’s going to find another way out of it.”

    Anderson is ready to move on and remains confident in his ability and eager to get back to fighting, even if the Nemkov trilogy never comes to fruition.