OFFICIAL: Updated 2023
#PFLPlayoffs San Antonio CardMovlid Khaybulaev is out. @CWadeMMA
steps in and will now face @Gabrielbragab.Advertisement
[Fri, August 4th |#PFLPlayoffs
| 🎟️ https://t.co/FD4ZBDPl3o] pic.twitter.com/ibwdkISqVU
— PFL (@PFLMMA)
July 19, 2023
Movlid
Khaybulaev’s 2023 Professional Fighters League campaign has
reached a premature end.
The organization announced on Wednesday that Khaybulaev is out of
his featherweight semifinal matchup against Gabriel
Braga. As a result, Chris Wade
will get a spot in the postseason and square off against Braga on
Aug. 4.
A reason for Khaybulaev’s exit was not given. A PFL champion in
2021, Khaybulaev rolled through the 2023 regular season with
victories over Ryoji Kudo
and Tyler
Diamond. The 32-year-old Dagestani is unbeaten in 23
professional outings and has won seven straight bouts since a no
contest against Daniel
Pineda in 2019.
Wade has made the PFL playoffs on four different occasions, notably
falling to Khaybulaev in the 2021 final. He dropped a unanimous
decision to Bubba
Jenkins in the PFL season opener before submitting Kudo in his
second appearance at PFL 4.
Braga, meanwhile, is enjoying a successful first PFL campaign.
After besting Ago Huskic
on the Challenger Series in March, the Brazilian took a split
verdict over Jesus
Pinedo on a day’s notice at PFL 1. He followed that effort with
a first-round stoppage of UFC veteran Marlon
Moraes at PFL 4 to punch his ticket to the postseason.
PFL 7 takes place at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio,
Texas, and features the featherweight and light heavyweight
semifinals. The main card airs on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.