Steven
Ray had no time for those hoping for an Anthony
Pettis renaissance.
Tactical takedowns, positional advances and suffocating control
carried Ray to a unanimous decision over the former
Ultimate Fighting Championship and
World Extreme Cagefighting titleholder, as their
Professional Fighters League lightweight semifinal headlined
PFL 7 on Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Scores
were 29-28, 29-28 and 29-28.
Advertisement
Pettis (25-14, 1-4 PFL)—who had submitted to a modified twister
from the Scotsman in June—once again struggled and ultimately
failed to maintain a manageable distance. Ray set the tone with a
strong first round, where he executed a takedown, passed to side
control and threatened with a north-south choke. Pettis survived
but conceded another takedown in the middle stanza, at which point
his counterpart transitioned to the back and cemented his position
with a body triangle. Ray slowed down across the final five minutes
and allowed the
Roufusport star some spurts of effective offense, but by then,
the die was cast.
Ray will next appear as one half of the 2022 PFL lightweight final,
where a $1 million showdown with Olivier
Aubin-Mercier awaits in November. Aubin-Mercier moved forward
in the 155-pound tournament with a virtually flawless performance,
as the
Tristar Gym product rolled to a lopsided unanimous decision
over Alex
Martinez in their three-round lightweight semifinal. Scores
were 30-27, 30-26 and 30-26.
Martinez (10-3, 3-3 PFL) went nowhere. After a fairly competitive
first five minutes, Aubin-Mercier found another gear and never
looked back. He floored Martinez with left hands in the second and
third rounds, assumed top position and transitioned to the back,
adding another level of security with a tight body triangle. From
there, Aubin-Mercier ran his counterpart through a seemingly
endless gauntlet of cranks, chokes and half nelsons, all while
valuable time ticked off the clock.
The loss snapped Martinez’s two-fight winning streak.
Meanwhile, Omari
Akhmedov leaned on experience, guile and well-rounded skills,
as he was awarded a unanimous decision over
American Top Team stablemate Joshua
Silveira in their three-round light heavyweight semifinal. All
three cageside judges scored it for Akhmedov (24-7-1, 3-1 PFL), who
has pieced together a three-fight winning streak.
A short-notice substation for Antonio
Carlos Jr., Silveira (9-1, 1-1 PFL) never established a
consistent rhythm. He executed takedowns in the first and third
rounds, but the former two-division
Legacy Fighting Alliance titleholder was otherwise ineffective.
Akhmedov cut off his advances with counter right hands, low kicks
and combination punching to the head and body.
Akhmedov will face Rob
Wilkinson in the 2022 light heavyweight final in November, with
a $1 million prize on the line. Wilkinson advanced in the 205-pound
draw and did so in spectacular fashion, as he cut down Delan Monte
with punches and a follow-up knee strike in the first round of
their light heavyweight semifinal. Monte (9-3, 1-2 PFL) checked out
1:37 into Round 1.
The 30-year-old Wilkinson (16-2, 3-0 PFL) kept his composure under
considerable duress. Monte stunned the former Hex Fight Series
champion with overhand rights on more than one occasion, but his
decision to fight fire with fire proved costly.
Wilkinson let powerful hooks fly from both hands and connected with
a crushing knee up the middle that sent the Brazilian to the canvas
and prompted the stoppage.
Wilkinson has rattled off five consecutive victories.
In other action, Itso
Babulaidze (2-0, 1-0 PFL) put away Mahmoud
Sebie Fawzy (3-2, 0-1 PFL)
with punches 1:30 into the first round of their welterweight
tilt; and Marthin
Hamlet (10-4, 4-3 PFL) took a split decision—29-28, 28-29,
29-28—from Cory
Hendricks (9-5, 2-2 PFL) in a three-round light heavyweight
qualifier, reserving his spot on the 2023 PFL roster; Brahyan
Zurcher (4-0, 2-0 PFL) cruised to a unanimous verdict over
Ricardo
Jimenez (0-1-1, 0-1 PFL) in a three-round featherweight
encounter, drawing 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26 marks from the cageside
judiciary; Elvin
Espinoza (7-0, 2-0 PFL) walked away with a unanimous
decision—30-27, 29-28, 29-28—over Corey
Jackson (5-2, 0-1 PFL) in a three-round lightweight clash;
Marcelo
Nunes (0-1, 2-0 PFL) dismissed Dylan
Potter (10-6, 0-1 PFL)
with an arm-triangle choke 1:47 into the first round of their
heavyweight qualifier, securing his position on the 2023 PFL
roster; and Alexei
Pergande (2-0, 2-0 PFL) eked out a split verdict—29-28, 28-29,
29-28—against Elvis
Lebron Quiles (0-1, 0-1 PFL) in a three-round lightweight
pairing.