Tag: PFL

Johnny Case Signs New Deal With PFL

After a four-fight run in RIZIN, Johnny Case (27-7-1) will return to the Professional Fighters League for their 2020 season.

First reported by Ariel Helwani of ESPN, news broke on Tuesday that Case would join the lightweight division of the PFL for it’s 2020 season.

Case fought once in PFL back in 2018, going to a two-minute draw against Natan Schulte in the quarter-finals. He was meant to face Jason High in the regular season, however, did not fight as High missed the lightweight limit by four pounds.

The most recent fight for Case was at RIZIN 20 on New Year’s Eve, losing to Tofiq Musayev (18-3) in the semi-finals of the RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix, being stopped with punches in the first round.

Case debuted in RIZIN on New Year’s Eve 2018, defeating Yusuke Yachi due to a cut. He went on to stop Satoru Kitaoka and Roberto Satoshi de Souza in 2019. He finished his RIZIN run with a 3-1 record.

Earlier in his career, Case also competed in the UFC. He finished his major-league run with a 4-2 record, with his two losses being the final two fights of the stint.

Natan Schulte won the lightweight playoffs for the second time on New Year’s Eve, defeating Loik Radzhabov via decision.

PFL 2019 #9 Live Report

Happy Halloween! PFL held their final quarter-final and semi-final evening of fights in 2019 on Halloween night. The show showcased their light heavyweight and heavyweight fighters aiming to reach the New Year’s Eve grand finals.

All of the quarter-final fights this evening were two-rounds long, with the semi-final bouts being three-rounds.

Bout 1: Emiliano Sordi (19-8) (#1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (1-2) (#8) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The evening opened up with a quarter-final fight between top seed Emiliano Sordi and Sigi Pesaleli. Sordi was the more dominant striker from the start. Sordi started to pour on punches and kicks early on to Pesaleli, who was up against the cage. Pesaleli was dropped from uppercuts, getting hit a couple more times before the referee stepped in.

Bout 2: Bozigit Ataev (21-4) (#4) vs. Viktor Nemkov (30-7) (#5) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The next light heavyweight bout was between the two closest light heavyweight seeds, Bozigit Ataev and Viktor Nemkov. Nemkov got a takedown in the first minute of the fight. They stood back up, with Nemkov keeping Ataev in a clinch against the cage. Ataev dropped Nemkov with strikes while in clinch. Nemkov was able to recover and stayed on the ground until the referee stood him back up. Ataev kept coming forward, landing punches. Nemkov stopped Ataev’s momentum with a headlock. Ataev got a takedown in the final minute of the round, catching a leg of Nemkov and throwing him.

In the second minute of the final round, Nemkov put Ataev up against the cage, attempting a takedown. Nemkov tried for another takedown which was stuffed. Not much more happened before the fight concluded. When heading to the scorecards, the fight was ruled a draw. When the judges were asked to pick one fighter, two of the three fighters chose Bozigit Ataev.

Bout 3: Maxim Grishin (30-7-1) (#2) vs. Jordan Johnson (11-1) (#7) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The third light-heavyweight quarter-final saw the more experienced Maxim Grishin face Jordan Johnson. Johnson got a takedown in the first minute of the fight, taking the back of Grishin. They got back up shortly after, where Johnson pursued another takedown. Grishin was taken down by a strike and a shove, although he got back up quickly. Grishin had Johnson backing up in the final moments as he landed some good strikes.

At the very start of the second round, Johnson got another takedown. They stood back up after a minute or so. Grishin stopped another takedown attempt but was put up against the cage for some time. When going to the scorecards, the fight was ruled a majority draw. The tiebreaker had all three judges pick Jordan Johnson move on to the semi-finals.

Bout 4: Vinny Magalhaes (19-11) (#3) vs. Rashid Yusupov (11-2) (#6) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The final light heavyweight quarter-final fight was between Rashid Yusupov and Vinny Magalhaes. After a close striking competition for a few minutes, Yusupov  dropped Magalhaes with a two-punch combination, earning a walkoff knockout victory.

Bout 5: Kelvin Tiller (11-3) (#4) vs. Ali Isaev (6-0) (#5) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The first heavyweight quarter-final of the evening was between Ali Isaev and Kelvin Tiller. Tiller clinched up early, although it was Isaev that got the takedown. Isaev did ground and pound on top of Tiller for most of the round.

Tiller found himself in the same position that he was in the round before, as Isaev took top position and continued ground and pound. When going to the scorecards, all judges favoured Ali Isaev in moving on (20-16, 20-17 & 20-17).

Bout 6: Mo DeReese (8-1) (#2) vs. Jared Rosholt (18-7) (#7) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The next heavyweight bout saw Jared Rosholt face Muhammed DeReese. A leg kick brought Rosholt to the ground early. Rosholt took lots of damage on the ground but after a few minutes got up. Rosholt got a takedown and took the back of DeReese. Rosholt kept throwing punches from the back, with DeReese not doing anything to fight out of it. The referee eventually got involved, giving Rosholt a win.

Bout 7: Denis Goltsov (24-5) (#1) vs. Satoshi Ishii (22-9-1) (#8) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

Moving from ESPN+ to ESPN 2, the heavyweight quarter-finals continued. Satoshi Ishii faced top seed Denis Golstov. Ishii had Mirko Cro Cop cornering him for this fight. After a minute of slow striking from both fighters, Ishii tried for a single leg takedown. The referee stood them back up. Ishii eventually got a takedown, taking top position with a minute left in the round.

The second round was another slow one. Ishii stayed on his back for a lot of the round, while Goltsov threw strikes while standing. Selected to move on via majority decision, Denis Goltsov got the win (19-19, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 8: Alex Nicholson (14-8) (#3) vs. Francimar Barroso (24-7-1) (#6) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final fight of the evening was between Alex Nicholson and Francimar Barroso. In the first minute of the fight, Barroso got a takedown. When they stood back up, both fighters were trading hard punches. Barroso landed an overhand right that shoot Nicholson. He later connected with another overhand, this time it dropped Nicholson. Barroso took top position on the ground. They got back up, with Nicholson throwing bombs. Nicholson landed a low blow knee to Barroso while up against the cage, causing a pause in the fight. They eventually resumed, with Barroso trying for a single leg. They went to the ground for a short moment. Nicholson stormed forward with punches as the round ended.

Nicholson started the second round with another charge forward of strikes. Nicholson slipped while doing a kick, hitting Barroso in the groin once again. Referee Herb Dean did not opt to take a point away from Nicholson. When they resumed, Nicholson landed a push kick which hit Barroso in the groin. A point was taken away that time. Nicholson got hurt by a punch from Barroso, falling to the ground. He recovered and got back up, but was taken down moments later. Nicholson tried for a kimura from the bottom position but couldn’t secure it. After going the distance, all three judges put Francimar Barroso to the semi-finals (20-17, 19-18 & 19-18).

Bout 9: Jordan Johnson (11-1-1) (#7) vs. Rashid Yusupov (12-2) (#6) (Light Heavyweight Semi-Final)

The first semi-final fight of the evening was between Jordan Johnson and Rashid Yusupov. The first round was a striking battle, with both fighters having good combinations.

Johnson got a takedown halfway through the second round. While both fighters were active strikers, it was clear that Johnson was the more active striker.

Johnson dumped Yusupov onto the ground in the opening of the second round as well. He kept the pressure from top position for the whole round. When going to the scorecards, all three judges selected Jordan Johnson as the winner (30-26, 30-26 & 29-27).

Bout 10: Bozigit Ataev (20-4-1) (#4) vs. Emiliano Sordi (20-8) (#1) (Light Heavyweight Semi-Final)

To find the grand final opponent of Jordan Johnson, Emiliano Sordi and Bozigit Ataev faced off next. This was a rematch from August, where Sordi beat Atave in the first round. Sordi had the better striking early on, although Ataev landed a punch which stunned Sordi for a moment late in the round. Sordi got a takedown, eventually took the back of Ataev and put in a rear naked choke which made Ataev tap out. After quite the quick and successful evening, Emiliano Sordi punched his ticket to PFL 10.

Bout 11: Kelvin Tiller (11-4) (#4) vs. Jared Rosholt (19-7) (#7) (Heavyweight Semi-Final)

In the first of two heavyweight semi-final fights, Jared Rosholt and Kelvin Tiller competed. Tiller was the replacement fighter after neither Francimar Barroso or Alex Nicholson were able to fight. Rosholt looked like he was in pain when doing his walkout. Rosholt got a takedown in the second minute of the fight. He stayed in that position until the round concluded.

After Rosholt was on top of Tiller on the ground for a while, the referee stood them back up for the final 30 seconds of the second round.

Rosholt got a takedown early in the final round, assuming the position he was in for the two prior rounds as well. They stayed on the ground until the fight concluded. Jared Rosholt won over the judges with his performance, moving on to the finals (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

Bout 12: Ali Isaev (7-0) (#5) vs. Denis Goltsov (25-5) (#1) (Heavyweight Semi-Final)

The main event of the evening determined the final entrant into the PFL finals. Undefeated heavyweight Ali Isaev went up against top seed Denis Goltsov. The first round was a very methodical one from both fighters.

In the second minute of the second round, Isaev tried for a takedown but Goltsov got out of it shortly. Isaev got a takedown again, but it was Goltsov who got the better position. Isaev eventually got in top position and kept control until the round ended.

The final round was mostly inactive until the final moments when Isaev dropped Goltsov with a punch. He continued to throw down punches from above until the referee stepped in with only a few seconds left. Ali Isaev is the final entry into the PFL 10 grand finals.

PFL 2019 #9 Preview

PFL’s third and second last playoff evening of 2019 will take place on Thursday, with light heavyweights and heavyweights taking the stage. Between the two divisions, eight quarter-final fights and four semi-final fights will take place. Just like the two evenings before, the quarter-final bouts are two-five minute rounds, as the semi-finals are three-five minute rounds.

Bout 1: Emiliano Sordi (19-8) (#1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (1-2) (#8) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The evening will begin on ESPN+ at 5PM EST with six bouts. The first of the half-dozen is top light heavyweight seed Emiliano Sordi facing Sigi Pesaleli. Sordi did damage in his two-season fights, finishing Vinny Magalhaes and Bozigit Ataev. Pesaleli somehow made it into the playoffs despite losing his two-season matchups. Having a negative professional MMA record, Pesaleli is fighting an uphill battle to say the least.

Bout 2: Bozigit Ataev (21-4) (#4) vs. Viktor Nemkov (30-7) (#5) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

Bozigit Ataev will find himself in the PFL playoffs for the second time in his career, starting the evening off against Viktor Nemkov. Ataev lost one of his fights but secured a playoff spot by finishing Dan Spohn in the first round of a fight. Nemkov was 2-0 through the season, but went to the scorecards twice, hence his low ranking.

Bout 3: Maxim Grishin (30-7-1) (#2) vs. Jordan Johnson (11-1) (#7) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

Second year PFL competitor Maxim Grishin will face former UFC fighter Jordan Johnson. Grishin made it to the light heavyweight quarter-finals last season, falling short to Smealinho Rama. This season he got a decision win and a first round finish to move on to the playoffs. Johnson went 1-1 on decision fights in the season to move on. Johnson fought in the UFC four times prior to being in the PFL, going undefeated.

Bout 4: Vinny Magalhaes (19-11) (#3) vs. Rashid Yusupov (11-2) (#6) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final light heavyweight bout of the evening will be between Vinny Magalhaes and Rashid Yusupov. Magalhaes was a finalist of the 2018 PFL season, attempting to win it all this time around. While Magalhaes lost his first fight via second-round punches, he got a first-round armbar victory against Rakim Cleveland to get into the playoffs. Yusupov was 1-2 in the regular season, defeating Mikhail Mokhnatkin via decision to get points and move to the playoffs.

Bout 5: Kelvin Tiller (11-3) (#4) vs. Ali Isaev (6-0) (#5) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

In the first of four quarter-final Heavyweight matches, Kelvin Tiller will face undefeated PFL rookie Ali Isaev. Tiller punches his ticket into the playoffs by getting a first round kimura victory. Isaev got two decision wins to make it into the playoffs. Isaev fought in Fight Nights Global before debuting in PFL this year.

Bout 6: Mo DeReese (8-1) (#2) vs. Jared Rosholt (18-7) (#7) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

Number two seeded Mo DeReese faces Jared Rosholt in the next fight. DeReese started his season with a loss, but bounced back with a first round stoppage against Valdrin Istrefi. Rosholt also had a 1-1 record, but is seeded lower since his victory was via decision. Rosholt has a clear experience advantage.

Bout 7: Denis Goltsov (24-5) (#1) vs. Satoshi Ishii (22-9-1) (#8) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

After six preliminary fights on ESPN+, the show will head to ESPN 2 for the rest of the card at 8 PM EST. The #1 Heavyweight seed Denis Goltsov will have a similarly experienced opponent in Satoshi Ishii in the quarter-finals. Goltsov got the top seed by winning twice, finishing Jared Rosholt and Kelvin Tiller. Ishii had a less successful season, getting a decision win and then losing to Rosholt at PFL 6.

Bout 8: Alex Nicholson (14-8) (#3) vs. Francimar Barroso (24-7-1) (#6) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final fight of the evening will be a heavyweight clash between Alex Nicholson and Francimar Barroso. This fight will be a rematch from the regular season, where Barroso prevailed in a split decision. Nicholson defeated Zeke Tuinei-Wily in his sole win of the regular season, finishing him with strikes. Barroso was undefeated through the season, getting two wins through scorecards.

The show will feature four more semi-final fights, with the finalists competing at PFL 10 on New Year’s Eve for the 1 Million Dollar prize.

PFL 8 2019 Live Report

The Professional Fighters League had it’s second of three playoff evenings on Thursday, with the lightweight and featherweight quarter-finals and semi-finals taking place. As usual, the show had the structure of fighting twice in one night to make it to the finals at a later date. Live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, it was PFL 8.

The quarter-final fights were two-five minute rounds, as the semi-finals were three-five minute rounds.

Bout 1: Alexandre Almeida (21-9) (#9) vs. Lance Palmer (19-3) (#1) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The first undercard fight of the evening saw the top seed Lance Palmer versus Alexandre Almeida. Almeida tried for a takedown early but ended up in bottom position against Palmer. They were stood up with over a minute left in the first round. Palmer got another takedown shortly after. They stayed in that position until the round ended.

In the first minute of the final round, Palmer dropped Almeida with strikes. He then went into top position and threw strikes periodically, similar to what he did in the round before. He continued to throw strikes from top position until the round ended.

When consulting the judges, all three favoured Lance Palmer as the winner (20-17, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 2: Andre Harrison (21-1-1) (#5) vs. Alex Gilpin (13-2) (#4) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The second featherweight quarter-final fight of evening with Andre Harrison and Alex Gilpin. Harrison stopped a takedown successfully early on. After getting hit with some strikes in stand-up, Gilpin landed a trip takedown. Harrison got up, but was taken back down when Gilpin tried for a guillotine choke. They got back up with a minute left. Both fighters started to up their tempo of strikes. Harrison put Gilpin up against the cage as the round ended.

Harrison scored a double leg takedown early in the second round. Gilpin put in a choke which took out Harrison cold, giving Alex Gilpin the win. He got the choke in stand-up, bringing the fight to the ground with it.

Despite having a rough first round, Alex Gilpin pulled through and got a victory, moving on to the semi-finals.

Bout 3: Daniel Pineda (26-13) (#7) vs. Movlid Khaybulaev (14-0-1) (#2) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The next featherweight quarter-final fight saw Daniel Pineda face Movlid Khaybulaev. Earlier in the year, the undefeated Khaybulaev made the rounds online for a vicious knee knockout over Damon Jackson. Very early in this fight, Pineda stunned Khaybulaev with strikes. He kept pressing him until the referee saw enough. Underdog Daniel Pineda moved to the semi-finals scoring a quick stoppage over Movlid Khaybulaev, ending his undefeated record as well.

Bout 4: Jeremy Kennedy (14-2) (#6) vs. Luis Rafael Laurentino (34-2) (#3) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final featherweight fight of the evening was between Jeremy Kennedy and Luis Rafael Laurentino. Kennedy landed a jab early on which knocked Laurentino back. Kennedy tried for a takedown, pinning Laurentino up against the cage for a minute before eventually getting it. Laurentino tried for a leg lock on the ground.

Kennedy got a takedown early in the second round. He landed punches from top position, continuing until the referee stopped the bout.

Bout 5: Ramsey Nijem (10-7) (#8) vs. Natan Schulte (17-3-1) (#1) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The lightweight portion of the quarter-finals was next, starting with the top seed Natan Schulte facing Ramsey Nijem. Schulte was rocked early on but was able to find a rear naked choke on the ground which took Nijem out cold. Despite a rocky start to the round, Natan Schulte advanced to the next round.

Bout 6: Alex Gilpin (14-2) (#4) vs. Lance Palmer (20-3) (#1) (Featherweight Semi-Final)

The next fight was the first semi-final fight of the featherweight division, between Alex Gilpin and Lance Palmer. Before the fight started we saw Henry Cejudo in attendance. Gilpin was the more active striker early on, but that was ended after Palmer landed a takedown. Back in stand-up, Gilpin was the more aggressive striker. Palmer caught a flying knee attempt, putting Gilpin up against the cage as the round ended.

The fighters had pretty evenly matched stand-up in the second round. Palmer got a takedown with just over a minute left in the second round. He kept him on the ground until the round ended.

Palmer landed good punches early in the third round, though none of it seemed to shake Gilpin. Palmer got hurt my a knee then shot for a takedown. Palmer took top position with three minutes left in the round. With less than a minute left in the fight, Palmer started to pick up the ground and pound.

For the second time this evening, Lance Palmer looked at the scorecards to get a victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27). He’ll fight next on New Year’s Eve in the grand finals, attempting to win his second tournament in a row.

Bout 7: Rashid Magomedov (23-4-1) (#5) vs. Akhmed Aliev (18-5) (#4) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

Starting the main card was a quarter-final match between Rashid Magomedov and Akhmed Aliev. The fight started with some good striking from both fighters. Magomedov landed a solid two-punch and knee combination. Aliev was landing good counter-punches. Aliev landed a german suplex in the final minute of the round. Aliev got a trip takedown as the round closed out.

Aliev had a strong second round, pushing the pace and landing the better shots. Akhmed Aliev won over all three judges to advance to the semi-finals (20-18, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 8: Loik Radzhabov (12-1) (#7) vs. Islam Mamedov (18-1) (#2) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The next lightweight quarter-final matchup was between Loik Radzhabov and Islam Mamedov. Early on Mamedov was stunned while trying for a single leg takedown. He was able to endure the strikes and eventually get his takedown, although they stood up seconds later. After Mamedov had top position again they stood up again. Mamedov got a third takedown with a minute left in the round. Mamedov was on the back of Radzhabov as the round ended.

Mamedov went into a standing clinch early in the second round, eventually getting a trip takedown. Radzhabov got a takedown in the final minute of the fight and slipped in a choke which threatened Mamedov. When going to the scorecards, the bout was ruled a majority draw. When going to a tiebreaker, each judge picked Loik Radzhabov as the winner of the fight as a whole, making him advance in the fight.

Bout 9: Nate Andrews (16-2) (#6) vs. Chris Wade (16-5) (#2) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final fight of the evening was between Nate Andrews and Chris Wade. Wave clinched up in the first 10 seconds of the fight. Andrews got a takedown from the clinch, but they got up seconds later with Wade getting the takedown that time. Wade held top position until the round concluded.

Wade put Andrews up against the cage in the first minute although they separated shortly after. Andrews landed a good jab before being taken down. When they got back up, Andrews connected with a few more punches. Wade got another takedown and kept the fight on the ground yet again until it concluded.

The scorecards sent Chris Wade to the semi-finals over Nate Andrews (19-19, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 10: Daniel Pineda (27-13) (#7) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (15-2) (#6) (Featherweight Semi-Final)

The three last fights of the evening were semi-final bouts. The first of the trio was between Daniel Pineda and Jeremy Kennedy. Kennedy got a takedown early on, though Pineda was able to flip the position on the ground quickly. After Kennedy was controlling Pineda on the ground, Pineda came out of nowhere with a guillotine choke which made Kennedy tap out.

Bout 11: Akhmed Aliev (19-5) (#4) vs. Natan Schulte (18-3-1) (#1) (Lightweight Semi-Final)

The first of two lightweight semi-final matches was between Akhmed Aliev and defending champion Natan Schulte. Aliev got a trip takedown in the first minute, with two more seconds later. In the second minute of the fight, Schulte was able to get up and eventually take the back of Aliev. Aliev shook him off and went back to a standing clinch, getting another trip takedown. Aliev was the more active striker in the round.

Staying in stand-up for the first minute of the second round, Aliev got to show more striking. Schulte got a judo throw takedown in the second minute, getting top position from it. He put in a head and arm choke which gave him the win. Natan Schulte punched his ticket to New Year’s Eve for the second year in a row, getting a finish victory.

Bout 12: Loik Radzhabov (12-1-1) (#7) vs. Chris Wade (17-5) (#3) (Lightweight Semi-Finals)

The main event of the evening decided who the second spot in the lightweight grand finals would go to. The fight was between Loik Radzhabov and Chris Wade. At the very start, Wade tried for a flying kick which Radzhabov caught and took down Wade with. When they got back up, Wade did a judo throw to get Radzhabov back down. While both fighters were exchanging strikes in stand-up, a pause cause as Wade was kneed in the groin. The fight resumed after a few minutes of a break. Radzhabov was coming forward with good punches. He threw Wade to the ground and tried for a north south choke.

In the second round, Wade took top position on the ground after throwing Radzhabov down. He was able to escape and return to stand-up. Both fighters were clearly tired by this point in the fight. Both fighters had good stand-up moments. Radzhabov was hit hard from a punch which knocked out his mouthpiece. Radzhabov put in a choke near the end of the second round which Wade escaped.

Radzhabov was on the back of Wade in the final round, trying for a rear naked choke. He was dominant on the ground for a couple of minutes. All three judges gave the fight to Loik Radzhabov (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

PFL will return with PFL 9 on October 31st, with the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight brackets finding their finalists.

Fights Announced For PFL Playoffs

The full lineups for the PFL opening playoff fights were unveiled on Wednesday. The three events over the course of October in the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA will determine the finalists for every weight class. The grand finale of the tournament is set to take place on New Year’s Eve.

The first of three nights will be on October 11th. The evening will feature the women’s lightweight and men’s welterweight tournament. The prelims will air on ESPN+, with the main card on ESPN2. Here’s the current lineup:

  1. Sarah Kaufman (#1) vs. Larissa Pacheco (#4) (Women’s Lightweight)
  2. Kayla Harrison (#2) vs. Genah Fabiam (#3) (Women’s Lightweight)
  3. Glaico Franca (#1) vs. Andre Fialho (#8) (Men’s Welterweight)
  4. Magomed Magomedkerimov (#2) vs. Chris Curtis (#7) (Men’s Welterweight)
  5. Sadibou Sy (#3) vs. Ray Cooper III (#6) (Men’s Welterweight)
  6. John Howard (#4) vs. David Michaud (#5) (Men’s Welterweight)
  7. Men’s Welterweight Semi-Final Match #1
  8. Men’s Welterweight Semi-Final Match #2

The second night in Las Vegas will be just under a week later on October 17th. The evening will feature the tournament bouts for the male featherweight and lightweight brackets. The first hour and a half of the broadcast will take place on ESPN2 before the broadcast flips to ESPN+.

  1. Lance Palmer (#1) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (#8) (Men’s Featherweight)
  2. Movlid Khaybulaev (#2) vs. Daniel Pineda (#7) (Men’s Featherweight)
  3. Luis Rafael Laurentino (#3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (#6) (Men’s Featherweight)
  4. Alex Gilpin (#4) vs. Andre Harrison (#5) (Men’s Featherweight)
  5. Natan Schlute (#1) vs. Ramsey Nijem (#8) (Men’s Lightweight)
  6. Islam Mamedov (#2) vs. Loik Radzhabov (#7) (Men’s Lightweight)
  7. Chris Wade (#3) vs. Nate Andrews (#6) (Men’s Lightweight)
  8. Akhmed Aliev (#4) vs. Rashid Magomedov (#5) (Men’s Lightweight)
  9. Men’s Featherweight Semi-Final Match #1
  10. Men’s Featherweight Semi-Final Match #2
  11. Men’s Lightweight Semi-Final Match #1
  12. Men’s Lightweight Semi-Final Match #2

The final appearance in the desert for PFL will take place on October 31st, Halloween, in the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The night will showcase the playoff fights for the male light heavyweight and heavyweight fighters.

  1. Emiliano Sordi (#1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (#8) (Men’s Light Heavyweight)
  2. Maxim Grishin (#2) vs. Jordan Johnson (#7) (Men’s Light Heavyweight)
  3. Vinny Magalhaes (#3) vs. Rashid Yusupov (#6) (Men’s Light Heavyweight)
  4. Bozigit Ataev (#4) vs. Viktor Nemkov (#5) (Men’s Light Heavyweight)
  5. Denis Goltsov (#1) vs. Satoshi Ishii (#8) (Men’s Heavyweight)
  6. Muhammed DeReese (#2) vs. Jared Rosholt (#7) (Men’s Heavyweight)
  7. Alex Nicholson (#3) vs. Francimar Barroso (#6) (Men’s Heavyweight)
  8. Kevin Tiller (#4) vs. Ali Isaev (#5) (Men’s Heavyweight)
  9. Men’s Light Heavyweight Semi-Final Match #1
  10. Men’s Light Heavyweight Semi-Final Match #2
  11. Men’s Heavyweight Semi-Final Match #1
  12. Men’s Heavyweight Semi-Final Match #2

PFL 2019 #6 Live Report

On Thursday night, the Professional Fighters League wrapped up their final regular season show. This show had the light heavyweights and heavyweights on the card. Live from the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, it was PFL 2019 #6.

For first time viewers, PFL fighters earn points in the regular season based off if and how they win. A victory by default earns a fighter three points. A first round stoppage gives you three more points, a second round stoppage gets you two more points and a third round stoppage gives you one extra point. In regular season bouts, elbows are not allowed.

Here were the standings before the evening of fights.

Light Heavyweight Standings

Place Fighter 2019 Record Points
1 Bozigit Ataev 1-0 6
2 Emiliano Sordi 1-0 5
3 Dan Spohn 1-1 3
4 Rashid Yusupov 1-0 3
5 Maxin Grishin 1-0 3
6 Viktor Nemkov 1-0 3
7 Sigi Pesaleli 1-0 3
8 Jordan Johnson 0-1 0
9 Rakin Cleveland 0-1 0
10 Mikhail Mokhnatkin 0-1 0
11 Vinny Magalhaes 0-1 0
12 Ronny Markes 0-2 0

Heavyweight Standings

Place Fighter 2019 Record Points
1 Denis Goltsov 1-0 6
2 Kelvin Tiller 1-0 6
3 Ante Delija 1-0 3
4 Ali Isaev 1-0 3
5 Francimar Barroso 1-0 3
6 Satoshi Ishii 1-0 3
7 Alex Nicholson 0-1 0
8 Zeke Tuinei-Wily 0-1 0
9 Valdrin Istrefi 0-1 0
10 Carl Seumanutafa 0-1 0
11 Muhammed Dereese 0-1 0
12 Jared Rosholt 0-1 0
13 Ben Edwards 0-0 0

Bout 1: Jordan Johnson (10-1) (0-1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (1-1) (1-0) (Light Heavyweight)

The evening started on ESPN 2 with four preliminary bouts. The first fight of the evening was a light heavyweight bout between Jordan Johnson and Sigi Pesaleli. While Johnson had more career experience, Pesaleli has a win this season while Jordan doesn’t. In the first minute, Johnson landed an overhand right then got a takedown. He was in top position for a minute or so on the ground before they got back up. Johnson got another takedown with over a minute left in the first. The round concluded in this position. Johnson got in top position yet again early in the second round. After Johnson got yet another takedown, the fight was paused so that Johnson could get some tape cut off his glove. They resumed on the ground and stayed on the ground until the round ended. The third round was the most decisive one for Johnson, taking it to the ground immediately and landing strikes periodically from top position. The fight was a textbook example of “lay and pray,” which awards you the least amount of points in the PFL system. The fight went all three rounds, with Jordan Johnson winning via unanimous decision and earning three points (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Johnson 10 10 10 30
Pesaleli 9 9 9 27

Bout 2: Alex Nicholson (13-8) (0-1) vs. Zeke Tuinei-Wily (3-2) (0-1) (Heavyweight)

Heading up to the heavyweight division, the next fight was between two fighters who have yet to win this season. Nicholson doesn’t have a perfect record by any means, but he has all of his wins via stoppage. After a few minutes of stand-up striking, Nicholson landed a right cross which dropped Teinei-Wily. Tuinei-Wily retreated before then, getting hit with a kick to the mid-section.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Nicholson
Tuinei-Wily

Bout 3: Bozigit Ataev (21-3) (1-0) vs. Emiliano Sordi (18-8) (1-0) (Light Heavyweight)

The next light heavyweight bout was the first fight of the evening where two 2019 season 1-0 record fighters faced off. Unlike some people in the league, these two fighters have very extensive records. In the first minute of a fight, Sordi was hit in the eye. Sordi took out Ataev with punches mid-way through the first round. Ataev didn’t really get clipped with anything clean on the feet, but once he was wobbled and fell, punches on the ground made it a decisive finish. Emiliano Sordi earned six points, making it 11 points in total as his regular season comes to a close.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Ataev
Sordi

Bout 4: Kevin Tiller (11-2) (1-0) vs. Denis Goltsov (23-5) (1-0) (Heavyweight)

The next fight was two heavyweights who, like in the last fight, have yet to lose this season. Even though he only has one inch of an arm reach advantage, Goltsov had a five inch height advantage in this bout. Goltsov had his powerful jab showcased from the start. Tiller’s mouthpiece fell out in the first minute. Tiller was completely eating punches and was a living, breathing punching bag by the time the second minute had ended. His mouthguard fell out two more times. Goltsov got a takedown after being clinched up against the cage for a few moments. Tiller’s mouthguard fell out yet again. Goltsov’s flurry was slowed down on the ground. Tiller started the second round with two leg kicks. Tiller landed a takedown, but Goltsov quickly flipped over into top position. The referee eventually stood up both fighters due to inactivity, and then took a point off of Tiller due to losing his mouthguard so many times. Tiller got another takedown, and like last time, immediately lost the dominant position. Goltsov put in a ezekiel choke, which made Tiller tap out. Denis Goltsov earned five points for his second round stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Tiller 8
Goltsov 10

Bout 5: Francimar Barroso (23-7-1) (1-0) vs. Ben Edwards (3-0) (0-0) (Heavyweight)

The final preliminary fight was Francimar Barroso versus Ben Edwards. Edwards, unlike most people on this show, was making his PFL debut. In the first minute of the fight, Edwards was landing good punches. Barroso, who has a BJJ background, scored a takedown. They stayed on the ground for a few minutes with Barroso on offense the whole time. They went back down with a minute left in the first round. At the start of the second round, Barroso was coming forward with strikes. He caught a kick and turned it into a takedown. Barroso tried for a head and arm choke but couldn’t finish the fight with it. Apart from a couple seconds as the round ended, Barroso was in the dominant position on the ground for the rest of the round. Edwards was cut open by an accidental headbutt as Barroso scored a takedown. The fight was paused as the referee wanted to take a look at Edwards’ cut. Edwards took top position on the ground as the final round concluded. He threw some shots as the fight clock ran out. Francimar Barroso earned three points with a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Totalq
Barroso 10 10 10 30
Edwards 9 9 9 27

Bout 6: Umar Nurmagomedov (10-0) vs. Sidemar Honorio (13-6) (Bantamweight Showcase)

Switching to ESPN+, PFL 6 continued with a showcase bout between bantamweights Umar Nurmagomedov and Sidemar Honorio. This fight was not a part of the 2019 season. A large difference between these two fighters was a 16 year age difference, with Nurmagomedov being the younger of the two (23). Nurmagomedov did a head kick, and then Honorio pulled guard, letting Nurmagomedov take top position on the ground. Not much happened on the ground, with the fight going back to the feet eventually. Nurmagomedov had some good striking before the fight went to the ground once again. Nurmagomedov’s striking was showcased well in the second round. His counter-striking had great reads of Honorio’s moves. Nurmagomedov landed a takedown in the third round, but the referee stood them up due to inactivity eventually. The fight went the distance with Umar Nurmagomedov getting a unanimous decision victory, with a clean sweep on the cards (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27). 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Nurmagomedov 10 10 10 30
Honorio 9 9 9 27

Bout 7: Valdrin Istrefi (13-3) (0-1) vs. Muhammed DeReese (7-1) (0-1) (Heavyweight)

Kicking off the PFL season fights on the main card, heavyweights Valdrin Istrefi and Muhammed DeReese fought. Both fighters have yet to see a victory in the PFL 2019 season. The first two minutes of the fight was stand-up. With Istrefi being the more dominant fighter. DeReese was kicked in the groin, causing a pause in the fight. When they resumed Istrefi was dropped by punches, and then finished on the ground. Istrefi came in aggressive after the break and it cost him. DeReese survives in the 2019 PFL season, earning six points from this fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Istrefi
DeReese

Bout 8: Maxim Grishin (29-7-1) (1-0) vs. Mikhail Mokhnatkin (11-4-2) (0-1) (Light Heavyweight)

In the first light heavyweight main card fight, Maxin Grishin fought Mikhail Moknatkin. Not a lot happened, until Grishin came forward with a right cross punch which knocked out Mokhnatkin. The referee was able to storm in before Grishin was able to get any real insurance shots in.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Grishin
Mokhnatkin

Bout 9: Ali Isaev (5-0) (1-0) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (13-10) (0-1) (Heavyweight)]

Undefeated fighter Ali Isaev fought Carl Seumanutafa in the next bout. Isaev was a -2400 favourite heading into this fight. Isaev scored a single leg takedown in the first round. Seumanutafa tried for a guillotine from the bottom. Isaev popped out of the position and started to wail punches at Seumanutafa. He tried for a head and arm choke, and landed some punches in the position as well. Isaev let go of the hold, in side position now. The rounded concluded in this position. In the second round, Isaev got in top position again. They were stood up by the referee, although Isaev didn’t like that. The final round was a slow one from both fighters, who were definately tired. The fight relied on the judges to find a winner, with Ali Isaev being favoured unanimously (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Isaev 10 10 10 30
Seumanutafa 9 9 9 27

Bout 10: Rashid Yusupov (11-1) (1-0) vs. Viktor Nemkov (29-7) (1-0) (Light Heavyweight)

In the second last light heavyweight fight of the evening, Rashid Yusupov fought Viktor Nemkov. This was a rematch between the two fighters, as they faced off in 2016 in M-1 with Yusupov coming out victorious. Nemkov landed a takedown early in the fight, but they went back to the feet shortly after. They had quite evenly matched striking throughout the round. The second round was close as well, with Nemkov scoring another takedown as the round was closing. Halfway through the final round, Yusupov dropped Nemkov with punches. Nemkov was able to recover quickly and stay in the fight. Yusupov took top position on the ground. The fight ended in this position. The judges had a split decision, with two of the three judges giving the fight to Viktor Nemkov (29-28 Nemkov, 29-28 Yusupov & 29-28 Nemkov). This fight made the feud between these two fighters 1-1.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Yusupov 9 9 10 28
Nemkov 10 10 9 29

Bout 11: Vinny Magalhaes (18-11) (0-1) vs. Rakin Cleveland (19-12-1) (0-1) (Light Heavyweight)

In the final light heavyweight bout of the evening, Vinny Magalhaes fought Rakin Cleveland. Both fighters have yet to win this season. The crowd seemed to disappear significantly after the last fight. It was past midnight New Jersey time at this point, and keep in mind, it’s a Thursday night. Magalhaes landed a takedown in the first minute. He put in an armbar which made Cleveland tap out quickly. Magalhaes got six points, and advanced to the PFL playoffs.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Magalhaes
Cleveland

Bout 12: Satoshi Ishii (22-8-1) (1-0)  vs. Jared Rosholt (17-7) (0-1) (Heavyweight)

Finally, in the main event of the evening and the final fight of the PFL Regular Season, Satoshi Ishii fought Jared Rosholt. Ishii already has three wins, while Rosholt’s playoff chances hang in the balance. The first round was slow paced and methodical, with Rosholt out-striking Ishii. When the corner for Rosholt was shown during the second round, the only person in-shot had their phone out, glancing up periodically. Rosholt laneded another takedown as the fight was concluding. The fight went all three rounds with the judges choosing Jared Rosholt (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Ishii 9 9 10
Rosholt 10 10 9

PFL will take a break before they start their playoffs in October. The three shows in the month will all take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The light heavyweights and heavyweights, who were showcased tonight, will have their playoff fights on Halloween.

Here’s how the standings for both divisons looked after tonight. Worth noting, only the top eight advance to the playoffs.

Light Heavyweight:

Place Fighter 2019 PFL Record Points
1 Emiliano Sordi 2-0 11
2 Maxim Grishin 2-0 9
3 Vinny Magalhaes 1-1 6
4 Bozigit Ataev 1-1 6
5 Viktor Nemkov 2-0 3
6 Rashid Yusupov 1-1 3
7 Jordan Johnson 1-1 3
8 Sigi Pesaleli 1-1 3
9 Dan Spohn 1-1 3
10 Rakim Cleveland 0-2 0
11 Mikhail Mokhnatkin 0-2 0
12 Ronny Markes 0-2 0

Heavyweight:

Place Fighter 2019 PFL Record Points
1 Denis Goltsov 2-0 11
2 Muhammed DeReese 1-1 6
3 Alex Nicholson 1-1 6
4 Kelvin Tiller 1-1 6
5 Ali Isaev 2-0 6
7 Jared Rosholt 1-1 3
8 Satoshi Ishii 1-1 3
9 Ante Delija 1-0 3
10 Carl Seumanutafa 0-2 0
11 Zeke Tuinei-Wily 0-2 0
12 Valdrin Istrefi 0-2 0
13 Ben Edwards 0-1 0

The quarter finals of the playoffs will look like this:

Light Heavyweight:

Emiliano Sordi (2-0) (#1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (1-1) (#8)

Maxim Grishin (2-0) (#2) vs. Jordan Johnson (1-1) (#7)

Vinny Magalhaes (1-1) (#3) vs. Rashid Yusupov (1-1) (#6)

Bozigit Ataev (1-1) (#4) vs. Viktor Nemkov (2-0) (#5)

Heavyweight:

Denis Goltsov (2-0) (#1) vs. Satoshi Ishii (1-1) (#8)

Muhammed DeReese (1-1) (#2) vs. Jared Rosholt (1-1) (#7)

Alex Nicholson (1-1) (#3) vs. Francimar Barroso (2-0) (#6)

Kelvin Tiller (1-1) (#4) vs. Ali Isaev (2-0) (#5)