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Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, played host to the

Professional Fighters League on Saturday night, as the
promotion concluded its Summer Series with an entertaining
card.

In the
PFL Tampa main event, the legendary Cris
Cyborg potentially competed for the final time when she faced
longtime UFC bantamweight contender Ketlen
Vieira. Because Vieira missed weight, only Cyborg was eligible
to win the PFL women’s featherweight title.

Ketlen Vieira gives Cris Cyborg a major test in the PFL title
fight

The fight delivered in impressive fashion. Cyborg spent much of the
opening 10 minutes circling and picking her shots, while Vieira
answered with short right hands. The final three rounds were less
straightforward.

Cyborg secured takedowns in the third and fifth rounds as Vieira
became an increasing threat. Cyborg’s control of the range had
disappeared by the fourth, when Vieira cut her and finished the
round on top. When the fifth round began, commentator Dan Hardy
suggested Vieira might be ahead. However, Cyborg did enough to
claim three rounds and earn a unanimous decision in what was
perhaps the most competitive fight of her career.

The co-main event featured former PFL titleholder Gadzhi
Rabadanov welcoming Tracy
Reeder to the promotion. The Russian made quick work of his
American opponent. Rabadanov used his jab to close the distance,
gained top position and landed punches until referee Bryan Miner
stopped the fight late in the first round.

An outstanding women’s flyweight matchup saw Sabrinna
de Sousa defeat former UFC title challenger Taila
Santos in a bout that could determine the division’s next No. 1
contender. Dakota
Ditcheva is injured, while Liz
Carmouche is scheduled to face Jena Bishop
for the title later this year.

De Sousa impressed from the opening bell. The multiple-time amateur
world champion attacked her fellow Brazilian with a trio of right
hands early and established the pressure-heavy approach she
maintained throughout the fight. Santos’ rally early in the third
round represented de Sousa’s only significant setback. There was
little doubt about the winner when the scores were announced, as de
Sousa vaulted herself toward the top of the division.



The main-card opener featured kick-heavy light heavyweights
Luke
Trainer and Roland
Dunlap. Both men traded damaging strikes in the first round and
were staggered by jabs late in the frame. Dunlap started well in
the second round before Trainer landed an Anderson
Silva-style front kick to the face that knocked him
unconscious.

Cris Cyborg’s
final MMA bout headlines PFL Tampa: Tune in on Saturday, Aug. 22 at
9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The standout matchup for longtime PFL followers was the
preliminary-card headliner between 2025 PFL World Tournament
champion Marcirley
Alves and PFL Africa champion Nkosi
Ndebele. Ndebele started quickly, using his jab and kicks to
dominate the first round. Alves responded in the second with
aggressive body kicks — one of which caught Ndebele’s arm and
appeared to cause significant damage — and powerful counterstrikes.
Ndebele’s size and control ultimately prevailed, as he rebounded to
take a close third round and earn a unanimous decision.

European prospect Gino van
Steenis also earned a victory, while Javid
Basharat survived a significant first-round knockdown to take a
decision over Movsar
Ibragimov. Dakota Bush
prevailed by a controversial decision, and sizable underdog
Natan
Schulte walked down and dominated Makkasharip
Zaynukov in the night’s biggest upset.

Daniel
Marcos earned a victory after opponent Magomed
“Tiger” Magomedov suffered a dislocated shoulder. Magomedov’s
cornerman, Islam
Makhachev, threw in the towel early in the third round.

The opening bout saw top Irish prospect Eoin
Sheridan finish James Vake
in devastating fashion. The accomplished kickboxer landed a series
of knees to the body before connecting with a knee to the head that
dislodged Vake’s mouthpiece and rendered him unconscious.

IMAK ADMIN

By IMAK ADMIN

Internationaler Kampfkunst und Kampfsport Kleinanzeiger