2023 PFL 3 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Round 1

The final PFL card for this first leg of the 2023 regular season
will take place in a split card where the PFL lists not one but two
main events. The evening’s hostilities commence on the ESPN
airwaves for five fights, before shifting over to ESPN+ for the
postlims for another seven matches. The opening encounter will see
2022 playoff qualifier Umalatov (12-0, 3-0 PFL) try to make good in
his third year with the league. He takes on the unsuccessful
finalist in last year’s season, Taylor (10-3, 3-2 PFL), who
famously punched out Rory MacDonald in the first round back in
August. This welterweight contest will draw officiating from
referee Jacob Montalvo, and it begins without either man offering a
glove touch. Taylor sprints out of his corner, but stops before he
walks into an overhand right from the Russian. The two are
tentative to engage early on, with neither willing to commit to any
strike of note. Taylor tosses up a head kick that glances off the
guard, and
Umalatov responds with a blistering overhand right for a counter.
“The Postman” is suddenly on baby deer legs, as he wobbles back to
the cage wall barely still on his feet, and Umalatov gives chase
with malice in his eyes. As Taylor keeps himself upright with the
fence behind him, “Prince Magomed” unleashes a vicious left hand
and a right that drills Taylor behind the ear. Taylor crumples to
the mat, face-first, and Montalvo dives in between them to wave off
the match. Although Taylor leaps back to his feet and
briefly protests the stoppage, he might not realize the flash
knockdown he suffered or that his head collided with the mat
moments ago. That is one heck of a way to start off this card and
the welterweight bracket, as Umalatov has just earned himself a
crisp six points for his knockout in about 90 seconds.

The Official Result

Magomed Umalatov def. Dilano Taylor R1 1:31 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

Next up is another 170-pound matchup, when 2022 Challenger Series
pickup Leal (17-4, 3-1 PFL) aims for successful 2023 season at the
expense of former UFC fighter and PFL newcomer Zawada (18-7, 0-0
PFL). The strikers meet in the center of the cage but do not touch
‘em up as referee Kerry Hatley watches on, and instead Leal
introduces himself with a sweeping calf kick. Leal strikes again,
forcing an early stance switch. “Sagat” strikes back, blitzing
forward with a few punches to back the Brazilian off, but few land
of note. Leal digs another kick to the low calf, and Zawada frowns
and returns the favor. Leal slowly works his way forward, and he
connects with a straight right and a left hook to follow. Zawada
backs him off after taking a flush body shot by firing off a swift
left, and Leal is not amused. Zawada gets a right hand over the
top, and they trade quick punches. Zawada circles on the outside of
the cage, and Leal loads up on a powerful body kick. Zawada comes
forward with two punches, and Leal stays composed and accurate with
a straight left. “The Lion” surges into action with a counter
overhand right,
catching the German square on the jaw and sending him backpedaling.
Leal knows he has his man in the danger zone, and he rushes towards
Zawada and releases a pair of punches that hurt Zawada badly. With
nowhere for Zawada to go, Leal detonates a bomb of a right hand
right on Zawada’s chin. Like a puppet whose strings had been cut,
Zawada falls lifelessly to the canvas, and Hatley
needs to see no more to halt the action. The welterweight division
is certainly off to a hot start this year, with two fights both
ending by first-round knockout thus far. Leal picks up six points
for his knockout that clocked in before the midpoint of Round 1,
although he trails Umalatov, since the Russian got things done
quicker in the last bout.

The Official Result

Carlos Leal Miranda def. David Zawada R1 2:25 via TKO
(Punches)

Round 1

After some unfortunate cancelations and fight switching, there is
one heavyweight contest on this event otherwise composed of
lightweights and welterweights. The big men that enter the cage
will combine for just 462 pounds, making this on the lighter end of
the scale. 2019 finalist Goltsov (29-7, 7-2 PFL) hunts for the $1
million check in his fourth attempt to climb the PFL ladder, and
standing in his way is former welterweight Ferreira (14-10, 1-2
PFL). The latter is stepping up on short notice, having never
competed this heavy (216 pounds) as a pro. The lone heavyweight
affair tonight will receive oversight from referee Mark Smith, who
clocks them in right before they touch gloves. Goltsov takes the
center of the cage and moves forward, and he ignores a low kick on
the way in. Ferreira darts forward with a few punches, and Goltsov
swats them away and takes another leg kick. Ferreira aims a kick to
the body, and Goltsov responds with a front kick to the midsection
with his toes extended. Goltsov punches his way into a clinch, and
when Ferreira escapes him, he fires off a body kick. Ferreira stuns
his man with a left hand, and the Russian wades forward and grabs a
body lock to trip Ferreira to the mat. Goltsov moves into half
guard and fights off a potential Ezekiel choke setup, and he starts
pounding on the Brazilian with ferocious strikes. Goltsov does not
simply attack recklessly, and instead holds his arm up and hammers
it down without forming a pattern.
The openings grow wider every time “The Russian Bogatyr” blasts
Ferreira in the face, and Ferreira turns to his side in big trouble
after taking the methodically brutal beating. Goltsov does not need
more than few pulverizing punches before Ferreira goes out and
snaps back into consciousness as Smith waves off this
beatdown. Goltsov’s quick finish of Ferreira not only
claims him six points on the heavyweight bracket, but it places him
in the top spot as it occurred eight seconds faster than Bruno
Cappelozza’s 2:15 wipeout of Matheus Scheffel last week.

The Official Result

Denis Goltsov def. Cezar Ferreira R1 2:07 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

The co-main event of this initial card will be the season opener
for the lightweight division, as ex-boxing standout Collard (21-10,
1 NC; 3-2 PFL) battles 20-year-old PFL debutant Nishikawa (21-3-6,
0-0 PFL). While “Cassius Clay” entered the boxing ring 18 times
from 2017 to 2021 – plus eight MMA fights – the Japanese fighter
was also ultra-active, with 21 MMA bouts in that same time span. A
fist bump from the two starts off the action, and referee Chris
Tognoni is keeping a watchful eye on what happens next. Nishikawa
whips a quick leg kick down low early, and Collard responds with a
short combination and a front kick. Nishikawa kicks Collard’s legs
out when Collard advances, and Collard jumps back up and takes
another heavy kick. Collard drives his foe back to the wall with a
powerful right hand, and the youngster shakes it out and gets back
in his rhythm of attacking the ex-boxer’s lead wheel. Nishikawa
tries to dip back as Collard throws hands, and “Cassius Clay” gets
off some solid body shots. Collard ducks down to throw a punch to
the body, and Nishikawa throws an inside low kick that bounces off
Collard’s cup. Collard, at the same time, has a left hand pound
into the midsection, and it is Nishikawa who signals he took an
illegal blow. Tognoni allows them to recover for the good part of a
minute, and they resume and get right back to it. Collard is
relentless with body work, and he rarely punches in single bursts
and instead strings multiple combinations together. Collard
considers a level change as he bangs it out, and Nishikawa sets it
his leg down and takes two punches on the chin. Collar is not
letting the younger man get in his rhythm, ripping the body at
every opportunity. Nishikawa works on his foe’s lead leg, and a
left hand over the top rips open a cut on the corner of the
American’s right eye. Collard uses quick movement and high volume
to keep the 20-year-old guessing, and he hammers Nishikawa to the
body and head indiscriminately. Nishikawa shells up and tries to
counter with knees, and he has a kick caught. Collard slams his
fist on the jaw and liver, and he releases a kick to the same spot.
Nishikawa is backed up against the cage, taking shots, and Collard
sweeps the leg and lets him to stand to punch him again and again.
Nishikawa fires off a body kick, and Collard grabs it and closes in
to target the body several more times. Nishikawa stings his
opponent with a clean left hand, and Collard slings a few punches
above the beltline to frustrate Nishikawa. The round ends as
Nishikawa pushes forward.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Collard
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Collard
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Collard

Round 2

The lightweights bump fists before re-engaging, and Collard is the
initial aggressor with a few pawing leg kicks. Collard reaches a
right around the guard and straight left, and he pushes out a front
kick to follow. Nishikawa loads up on a head kick, and Collard
blocks it and lets Nishikawa fall off-balance to move into top
position. After some ground-and-pound, the American elects to stand
back up, and Nishikawa promptly follows him. On his feet, Nishikawa
takes a few more punches to the body but he does score a couple leg
kicks and one to the ribcage. Collard steps in with a knee and a
few punches, and he grabs an outstretched leg and slugs Nishikawa
in the face with his left. Nishikawa falls to his back, but he
climbs back up as it was more about balance than damage. Collard
bullies him against the wire with body punches and a few up top,
and Nishikawa retaliates with chopping leg kicks. Nishikawa
retreats, and he complains that Collard grabbed his glove. When
Tognoni acknowledges it, Collard keeps plowing forward, and he digs
a left to the body and then a left to the head. Collard chains a
salvo of punches together, including an uppercut that snaps the
head back and a four-piece of punches to the side. Nishikawa gets
in a few more kicks to the lead leg, and Collard appears
compromised from the kicks as he staggers back and shakes his left
leg out. Collard tries to take the fight down, and Nishikawa fights
it off and backs away to let Collard walk him down. Nishikawa
connects with a few more slapping kicks, and Collard falls to his
knees and slowly stands back up and changes stances. The incredibly
tough Nishikawa keeps battering the front leg of his opponent, and
when Collard fights out of southpaw, Nishikawa attacks that too.
Collard tries to crowd his man, and he remains active with body
shots, but Nishikawa kicks him down once more. The round ends as
Collard works his way back up again.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Collard
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nishikawa
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Collard

Round 3

Hands collide for the two lightweights to start off the final
frame, and Nishikawa is eager to pick up where he left off with
unending leg kicks. Collard takes one, turns around and walks away,
and Nishikawa does not chase him as he is somewhat confused by it.
Collard returns to engage, and Nishikawa meets him with one on each
leg, and Collard winces in pain but lashes out. Collard throws
caution to the wind, slinging punches in bunches, and Nishikawa
counters with a takedown attempt. Collard sprawls and pushes the
Japanese fighter against the wall, where he does not clinch and
instead pocket boxes him with ample body work. Nishikawa gets just
enough space to land additional leg kicks, and he shoots for a
takedown. Collard staves it off and pushes Nishikawa over to his
back, but Nishikawa is ready as he traps Collard with a triangle
choke. Collard slides out of it and the subsequent armbar setup,
and he pushes his right arm on Nishikawa’s throat and is warned to
not squeeze the trachea. Collard postures up in the guard to rain
down punches, and when he slows, Nishikawa latches on with another
triangle choke. Nishikawa switches his leg lock to the other side
on the triangle, and Collard stands up to stack him up and break
out of it. Collard pounds on the 20-year-old, eventually standing
up and delivering stand-to-ground punches. When Nishikawa explodes
to his feet, Collard threatens with a front choke. Before it
materializes, he instead latches on to a guillotine choke and pulls
guard. Nishikawa escapes it and falls to his back, and he sets up
another triangle choke. Collard stands up in the guard and fights
it off, and he lowers himself to belt Nishikawa in the face with a
few more punches. Nishikawa lands a foot sweep to trip Collard to
his seat, and they both work upright again. Collard connects with a
few punches, and when Nishikawa slams his shin into Collard’s lead
leg, Collard shoots in for a double-leg takedown. The entry pushes
Nishikawa back to the fencing, where Collard fires off a knee that
glances off the cup and inner thigh to draw another pause. With 30
seconds left in the fight, Nishikawa falls to his knees in pain,
and Tognoni recognizes this and allows him all the time he needs to
get back his wind. The fighters resume after the break, and Collard
whips out a head kick out of nowhere. Nishikawa blocks it and kicks
Collard so hard he nearly falls over. Collard gathers his thoughts,
hammers his opponent’s midsection with another salvo, and he backs
up to take a chopping leg kick. As Collard is staggered from the
umpteenth damaging kick, the final bell sounds, and this
three-round banger now resides in the hands of the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Collard (30-27 Collard)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Collard (29-28 Collard)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Collard (30-27 Collard)

The Official Result

Clay Collard def. Yamato Nishikawa via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

The first of two main events is now upon us, as last year’s
lightweight king Aubin-Mercier (17-5, 6-0 PFL) welcomes fellow UFC
expat Burgos (15-3, 0-0 PFL) to the PFL cage. A place among the top
15 at lightweight might loom for the victor, depending on how it
all plays out in the next 15 minutes or less. Referee Jacob
Montalvo will serve as the cage commander for this final ESPN bout
tonight, and there is ample respect as the two clap hands. Burgos
leads the dance with a calf kick, and he strikes on the outside as
they hand-fight. Aubin-Mercier flicks out a jab, and Burgos
responds with a heavy overhand right. Aubin-Mercier presses forward
to block a big punch and keep his jab going, and he checks a low
kick. Burgos darts in to throw a haymaker, only to get slipped by
the 2022 champ. Aubin-Mercier drives three leg kicks home as Burgos
pressures him, and Burgos swipes out with a pair of hooks.
Aubin-Mercier slams his shin on Burgos’ shin with a loud clacking
sound, and they both need a moment to reset. The Canadian slips a
kick to the ribcage under the guard, and Burgos ducks a looping
right had as he comes forward. Burgos kicks high as it glances off
the guard, and he steps in with a fierce left hand that connects on
the temple. They continue to hand-fight, with Aubin-Mercier
physically grabbing his hand, and he catches Burgos with an
uppercut that dislodges his mouthpiece. Burgos goes to pick it up
without issue, and he gets off an uppercut of his own. Burgos
tactically attacks both sides of Aubin-Mercier’s leg and shrugs off
a right hand. Absorbing a flush body kick, Burgos sits down on a
right hand counter. Burgos chains a few punches together into a leg
kick, and Aubin-Mercier calmly works behind his jab. Burgos meets
one such jab with a surprisingly effective kick, and Aubin-Mercier
scores a straight right hand on the chest. They trade leg kicks,
and Burgos loads up on a few power punches with his ready right
hand. Aubin-Mercier sinks in one more kick to the body as Burgos
wades forward, and he gets on his bike and evades the brunt of the
offense coming at him. Burgos does get off a solid right hand, and
they trade single strikes one after the other. The striking match
of Round 1 ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier

Round 2

Gloves are tentatively touched, and Burgos would rather throw
hands. He does just that, with a swiping left hand over the guard.
Chants for “USA” rain down in support of Burgos as he tags the
Canadian, but Aubin-Mercier stands his ground and sticks out
several effective jabs. Burgos counters one with an overhand right,
and he strings a few punches together on the inside to get around
the guard. Aubin-Mercier tries for a kick to the ribs up close, and
Burgos stops it from landing flush and belts Aubin-Mercier in the
face with a left. “The Canadian Gangster” responds with a similar
blow, and the two take turns punishing one another in rapid
succession. Burgos pops his man with a right, and he gets stung
from a check right hook when coming in. Burgos digs a punch to the
body and hops back to defend against a takedown. Aubin-Mercier
attempts a double, and he switches to a single-leg and aims to lift
Burgos’ right leg off the ground. Burgos smacks him on the side of
the head a few times, and Aubin-Mercier lifts his leg up and sweeps
him but cannot keep him down. Burgos deftly gets back to his feet,
and Aubin-Mercier grabs him from behind and imposes his weight to
suck some of the energy out of the PFL newcomer. Aubin-Mercier
jumps on the back and sets up a body triangle, and he attempts to
wriggle his trapped left arm free. Burgos keeps his left arm tight
to his side to not let Aubin-Mercier choke him, and he fights off
the lock around his waist and turns to his back against the cage.
Aubin-Mercier times a sweep to dump Burgos on the mat, and Burgos
looks to wall-walk as soon as he hits the floor. Burgos gets to a
knee and upright, and Aubin-Mercier jams him up as seconds tick off
the clock. Aubin-Mercier breaks, and he backpedals until the round
concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier

Round 3

The last round kicks off with Burgos rushing to the center of the
cage, and Aubin-Mercier flashing out jabs immediately. Burgos
appears to have a fire lit under his belly, as he is throwing with
bad intentions and catching the Canadian. Aubin-Mercier gets popped
and shoots in for a single, and he pushes “Hurricane Shane” from
one side of the cage back to the fencing. Although Burgos gets
dragged down briefly, he jumps back up. Aubin-Mercier drags him to
a knee again, and he knees Burgos in the posterior a few times
until Burgos stands. Aubin-Mercier pursues a single, and he
completes it to set the PFL debutant down. Burgos, with
Aubin-Mercier’s arms clasped around his waist, tries to stand, but
Aubin-Mercier is making his life miserable with the pressure and
grappling. Burgos stands up once more, and he motions to Montalvo
that Aubin-Mercier is just stalling. Burgos grabs the fence as he
pulls himself up, and Aubin-Mercier transforms himself into a
Canadian backpack by leaping on Burgos. Burgos leans himself
against the fence to not let Aubin-Mercier have the leverage to go
for anything, and he again shrugs to Montalvo about relative
inaction. The crowd is similarly disappointed in the grappling, and
Aubin-Mercier answers those by wrapping his arm briefly around the
chest of his opponent for a rear-naked choke try. Burgos is well
aware of it and does not let it come close to materializing, but is
otherwise nullified and yelling aloud to separate them.
Aubin-Mercier loses the body triangle and gloms onto his foe, and
Burgos gains enough space to hammer the body with a few knees. A
furious Burgos unloads with everything he has, and a right hand or
a knee busts open a cut on the corner of Aubin-Mercier’s eye.
Burgos throws strikes, stinging Aubin-Mercier, but Aubin-Mercier
grabs hold of him and clinches up until the final bell rings. It
might not have been what Burgos wanted, but it was an effective
display for the 2022 PFL champ at stifling a tough, fresh
adversary. Given the completion of the main event, this would
generally be where we mention the next event and issue a signoff.
However, there are still seven more fights on the docket, so strap
in, fight fans. There ain’t no gettin’ offa this train we on.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier (30-27
Aubin-Mercier)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier (30-27
Aubin-Mercier)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier (30-27
Aubin-Mercier)

The Official Result

Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Shane Burgos via Unanimous Decision
(30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

Before the ESPN+ portion of the fight card can begin, for the
postliminary coverage of PFL 3: 2023 Regular Season, the PFL
squeezes in one more fight on the ESPN broadcast. In one corner is
former two-time champ Schulte (23-5-1, 12-3-1 PFL), who did not
reach the playoffs in either of the last two iterations of PFL
seasons. He squares off with UFC vet Ray (25-11, 2-2 PFL), whose
two victories over Anthony Pettis last year were bookended by
unsuccessful matchups with Alex Martinez and future champ
Aubin-Mercier. The lightweights bump fists as referee Kerry Hatley
watches on, and Schulte starts off fearlessly. The Brazilian lands
a few punches as he strides forward, backing Ray up to the wall and
getting off a leg kick in the process. Ray backs him away with a
one-two, and Schulte slams a few more leg kicks home. Ray dives
down low for a single, and Schulte shuts it down without batting an
eye. Schulte lunges with two looping hooks, and he walks through a
Ray right hand to push him against the fencing. Ray aims to drop a
knee on the chin, and Schulte backs off and resets. Ray takes two
to land one, and Schulte continues to pound on the lead wheel. Ray
gets caught with a right hand as he bounces off the fence, and he
ducks down to catch a leg kick but cannot reach it before Schulte
recoils it. Schulte ignores the offense flying at his face so that
he can land his own, and he keeps busy with calf kicks. Ray
connects with a clean body kick, and he gets countered with an
overhand right and tripped to his back. Schulte lands in the guard
that closes around his waist, and Ray locks him down and begins to
set up a rubber guard with his right leg. Schulte laughs this off
and passes to half guard, where he slows things down significantly
and begins to grind. A few punches from Schulte cut the right side
of Ray’s right eye, and blood trickles down his face and collects
beneath his head on the mat. Schulte slowly, methodically lands
ground punches, and Ray keeps both of his legs trapping Schulte to
prevent any further guard passes. Ray again attempts to curl his
right leg up and around the shoulder, but he pulls it back when the
round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Schulte
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Schulte
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Schulte

Round 2

The lightweights clap hands to open up the second frame, and Ray
gets off a single kick to the body before Schulte darts in for a
takedown. Using Ray’s raised leg, the Brazilian succeeds in
snatching up a single. Ray scrambles, and in the process, Schulte
takes his back and gets one hook in. Ray turns over and falls to
his back, and Schulte advances into the half guard to hold him down
again. A few short punches are all it takes for Schulte to open the
cut up again, and blood pools from the seemingly small cut. Ray
moves, but ultimately cannot get Schulte off of him, so he settles
back down and closes his guard laying on his back. Schulte steps
over to half again like a hot knife through butter, and he
frustrates Ray with ground-and-pound. Schulte shuts down an escape
attempt from the Scotsman, embracing the grind with no fear until
an arm-triangle choke presents itself. Schulte advances to full
mount when the submission comes up, only for Ray to kick off and
escape back to his full guard. Seconds later, Schulte once more is
back in half guard, and Ray looks for a butterfly sweep but only
has one leg to push off so he bails on it. Ray slithers his legs
back around the body to recover guard, and he even flirts with a
guillotine choke so that he can sit up. Schulte does not bite, and
remains comfortably in top position with occasional punches until
the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Schulte
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Schulte
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Schulte

Round 3

Respect is shown as the two clap hands to start off the final
frame, and they both get off one single punch to follow. Ray chips
at the lead leg, and he takes one back immediately. Ray settles for
a body kick, and he pulls it back faster than Schulte can do
something about it. “Braveheart” goes to the well with another such
kick, and this time, Schulte is prepared to catch it and dump Ray
down to his seat. Ray tries to set up a shoulder lock off his back
before Schulte can move into top position like before, but the
Brazilian sees it coming from a mile away and works his way to pass
to half guard. Ray eventually pushes off the hip to gain a little
space, and he even smacks Schulte in the face with a hammerfist.
Schulte wrestles with heavy top pressure, shutting down any
potential submission setups and staying calm with his chest
squeezing on Ray’s chest. Schulte takes mount for a matter of
seconds, and Ray bucks him off and even threatens with a leglock.
Schulte turns all the way around, lowering himself back down, and
he tries to pass again. Ray hooks his right leg around the shoulder
for an omoplata, but he does not have the leverage or wherewithal
to pull it off. Try as he might, Ray cannot sweep his heavy
opponent, who lays on him as seconds tick off the clock. Schulte
gets off four punches from above at the sound of the 10-second
clapper, and he rides out the grueling contest on top. Barring an
extreme miscarriage of justice, Schulte has snagged three points in
the lightweight standings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Schulte (30-27 Schulte)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Schulte (30-27 Schulte)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Schulte (30-27 Schulte)

The Official Result

Natan Schulte def. Steven Ray via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,
30-27)

Round 1

To now kick off the ESPN+ section of this evening’s matchups, fans
are treated to a non-tournament welterweight scrap. Juusola (13-9,
1-0 PFL) may not have earned a tourney contract for his victory in
January at the Challenger Series, but he did get a spot on this
billing against action fighter Jenkins (16-9, 1-0 PFL). This
all-Minnesota clash will proceed under the authority of referee
Mark Smith, and one of these two competitors will likely suffer
their 10th professional defeat when the dust settles. Before then,
they tap fists, and the fight is on. Juusola strikes first with a
leg kick, but Jenkins is quick to respond with a head kick and one
down low as well. Juusola gets off a sharp jab early, and Jenkins
swarms him with two punches. Jenkins digs a kick to the body and
lands a right hand to the same side with a thud. Jenkins tries and
fails with two flying knee attempts, and Juusola begins to do with
his jab. Juusola walks into a body kick, but he does fire off a few
leg kicks and a jab that marks up Jenkins’ nose. They kick at the
same time, and Jenkins loads up on three low kicks and a right
hand. Juusola stings his man with another right, and Jenkins backs
up to the fence and shells up, but he circles away before the
follow-up onslaught comes together. Juusola steps in with a knee to
the body, and two punches shake Jenkins up again. “The Human
Highlight Reel” gathers himself and attacks with a flying knee, but
Juusola sees it coming, lets him have it with a few punches, and
knocks Jenkins back to the fencing again. Jenkins is hurt badly
from a combination, and a head kick from Juusola adds insult to
injury. Jenkins wobbles, and he recovers to strike the body several
times. Juusola slows himself down and connects with jabs, and he
follows them with right hands and uppercuts. Jenkins spins with a
back fist as Juusola is on him, and he gets off a head kick on the
left side and a right hand to the body. Juusola pushes the pace,
throwing a few punches to force Jenkins to fight off his back foot,
and Jenkins answers with a reverse crescent kick that surprises his
opponent. They trade leather until they both move to the center of
the cage and slow down, where they alternate with leg kicks.
Jenkins sneaks up a head kick, and Juusola greets him with a
vicious right hand. Juusola pours it on with a ferocious salvo of
punches, and he ends the round with three powerful knees on the
chin. Jenkins falls to the wall at the bell, and his left eye is
swelling fast. Smith is keeping a close on Jenkins, who seems to
have survived to reach the second round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Juusola
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Juusola
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-8 Juusola

Round 2

Jenkins’ legs have returned to him to start off the second round,
and he is the initial aggressor as well. Swinging with right hands
to the body, leg kicks and solid punch combinations, Jenkins gets
Juusola’s attention early. Jenkins gets off kicks to body legs and
even mixes up head kicks, but it is a right had that shocks
Juusola. “Juice” grits his teeth and belts Jenkins in the face with
a right hand, and he rocks Jenkins with a combination. Jenkins
responds with a desperation takedown, and Juusola stuffs it and
throws his arms around the neck for a brabo choke. Jenkins escapes,
at least in part to the blood flowing from his face, and he
scrambles to get to a knee against the wall and eventually up.
Jenkins leads off with two punches and a leg kick, and Juusola
freezes him with a jab. Juusola’s pace begins to slow, and Jenkins
walks him down and knees him in the face. Juusola blinks it out and
retreats, with Jenkins following him throwing hands. Juusola flails
wildly in response, and Jenkins cracks him with a right hand to put
“Juice” on rubber legs. They collide with punches and kicks, and
this leads to Jenkins tying him up and kneeing him in the body.
Jenkins takes three punches flush on the jaw, and his hands are
down as he swings back with a right hand. Juusola practically falls
over after getting stung with the overhand right, and Jenkins
pushes him up to the wall and spins with a back fist. When Jenkins
pursues a flying knee, Juusola ducks down to take him down. The
takedown fails, but Jenkins is the one fired up when they stand.
Jenkins blasts a spent Juusola with a barrage of punches and a
knee, and Juusola is barely on his feet. Jenkins measures up a head
kick that glances off the shoulder, and Juusola strikes back with a
few body shots. A failed takedown from Juusola leads to him nailing
Jenkins with a three-punch combination, and the momentum of this
fight is all over the place. Juusola absorbs a knee, shoots in for
a takedown, gets stuffed, and ends the round with the two tied
up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins

Round 3

Both fighters are battered, bloodied and bruised after 10 minutes
of combat, but they are ready for Round 3. It’s anyone’s guess
whose gas tank is stronger, and Juusola makes sure to work on it
right after touching gloves, With two body kicks, Juusola looks to
slow Jenkins down, and Jenkins answers by snapping his head back
with a one-two. Jenkins pushes off and jumps with a knee, but the
knee misses the mark by a wide margin. Juusola stays composed with
a pair of punches down the pipe, and Jenkins replies with a
spinning back fist that partially gest through. Jenkins chops at
the lead leg a few times, and he stands Juusola up with a right
hand. Not to be outdone, Juusola rocks his foe with a right hook,
and the two are standing right in front of one another and banging.
Juusola lands four vicious punches, and Jenkins is almost out on
his feet as he ambles forward. Jenkins kicks, but the foot does not
get high enough and connects with the cup to draw a pause from the
exhausted by eager fighters. Jenkins slips a punch, rips the body
with a right, and gets a clean right hand. This big right hand
happens twice more, and he fires a head kick over the top that
shakes Juusola to his core. Juusola somehow keeps his wits about
him to throw back, possibly on autopilot, and he lands with a
punch. Jenkins is so excited as he throws everything and the
kitchen sink, that includes a standing elbow up close, and Smith
issues him a hard warning and pauses the round at exactly 2:30.
Smith lets Juusola recover, and the two get back to it with
reckless aggression. Jenkins throws three low kicks and one to the
head, and a flying knee that follows is inaccurate. Jenkins pushes
out with his fingers outstretched, and one jams into Juusola’s eye
to force another stoppage. Smith recognizes it was inadvertent and
Juusola takes the time he needs to clear his vision. Smith tells
Jenkins to keep things clean, and they get back to it. Jenkins is
amped up, with four punches landing before Juusola gets one off.
Jenkins chops at him with low kicks, and he is warned for
outstretched fingers as Juusola comes at him swinging. Jenkins
backs him away with short punches, and Juusola flings several back.
Jenkins lowers his hands to swing with everything he has, and
Juusola takes them on the chin and bulldozes Jenkins over to his
back. Juusola lands in a half guard, and Jenkins turns to the side
to escape but ends up getting flattened out taking left hands to
the ribs. Juusola punishes the same spot with punches while
trapping Jenkins’ right arm, and Juusola ends the fight as Jenkins
move to his knees with a series of left hands. The round ends, and
scorecards could be wild for this equally wild contest.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Juusola (29-27 Juusola)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Juusola (29-27 Juusola)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins (28-28)

The Official Result

Zach Juusola def. Brandon Jenkins via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-27)

Round 1

On episode 5 of the Challenger Series, Miranda (14-3, 1-0 PFL)
faceplanted Caron Frei to earn a contract despite missing weight.
With a 79% stoppage rate in tow and no losses by decision in his
career, he will toe the line against Egyptian import Amir (12-3-1,
0-0 PFL). The two lightweights will put one another to the test,
and referee Chris Tognoni is prepped and ready for the action to
come. A calm touch of gloves opens things up, and neither fighter
commits to any strike for the first 30 seconds of the match. Amir
half-heartedly tosses out a left, and Miranda ducks in with an
overhand right. Amir punches and shoots in low for a takedown
effort, but Miranda is well out of the way and makes him pay with a
slapping leg kick. Amir fires off a left and a right, Miranda slows
things down as he walks forward, threatening with kicks that miss.
Amir is one-and-done with a lunging right hand, and Miranda catches
the calf with a quick strike. Miranda walks him down but does not
release anything, and Amir backs him away with a jump knee. Miranda
swings with a huge right hand, and Amir shoots in and smashes his
forehead into the hip and rocks himself. Miranda lets him stand up
and swings big right hands, and he fights off another takedown try.
Miranda knocks “The Butcher” clean off his feet with a left and a
right, and Amir shakily stands back up and defeatedly shoots for a
takedown. Miranda walks out of the way, and he advances to throw
bombs. Amir is in big trouble as he goes for another failed
takedown, and he gets blasted by a left hand. Amir circles on the
outside as Miranda does not bear down on him, and Amir appears to
recover as he darts out with an overhand left. Miranda gets off a
solid kick that draws a physical reaction out of his opponent, and
a right hand on the temple sets Amir down again. The Egyptian
fighter desperately goes after a takedown, and Miranda stops it and
pummels him with a barrage of punches until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Miranda
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Miranda
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Miranda

Round 2

The fighters greet in the center of the cage to tap fists to start
off the round, and one errant kick from Amir allows Miranda to
counter him with a blistering right hand. Amir staggers, takes a
few funny steps, and gathers himself before falling over. Amir
cannot even try for another takedown before Miranda belts him in
the face to sent him stumbling and tripping to the mat. Amir
pursues any kind of takedown he can find, and Miranda lets him do
it to wear himself out so he can stand back and measure him with
strikes. Miranda lashes out with a combination of punches to knock
Amir’s head around, and Amir’s offense is relegated to single
inaccurate punches or telegraphed takedown tries. Miranda sprawls
on one such takedown when Amir shoots from a mile away, and he
makes Amir pay with a few body shots and a right hand over the top.
Amir dives into a takedown, and Miranda steps out of it without a
care in the world. Miranda dips a punch to aim one to the ribs, and
he stuns Amir again with a power right hand. Amir tries to turn a
potential knockdown into a takedown, and Miranda is a brick wall.
Miranda times a leaping Amir with an accurate left, and Amir drops
to his knees but is not close enough to come close to a takedown.
Amir lands his shin on the inner thigh of his opponent, and Miranda
gets fired up and charges like a bull. Amir survives the blows and
tries to take the fight down, and Miranda tags him and puts Amir on
ice skates once more. Amir doggedly pursues a single, and Miranda
is not having it, as he wrenches his legs out. Amir lands two
punches and gets nailed with a few more, and Miranda raises his
arms to ask Tognoni what he has to do to finish this fight. Amir
pops back up, but his legs are still not beneath him as he gets
rocked in practically every exchange. Amir eats a right hand and
wobbles back to bounce off the cage wall, and he gets in one single
uppercut before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Miranda
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Miranda
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Miranda

Round 3

Perhaps to the surprise of some, the third round has been reached,
and some 10-8 scores could very well have been issued after the
one-sided action thus far. Amir starts off the round aggressively,
and one single jab comes out before Miranda busts him in the face.
Amir flails with his arms up, and Miranda times a left hand to
knock him clean off his feet. Amir tries to change position or move
for his own takedown as he appears to have hits wits about him, and
Miranda stands up and gest his foe to stand. Amir lands a solid leg
kick to make Miranda grimace, and he backs off when the Brazilian
swings for the bleachers. Amir’s lunging strikes hit nothing but
air, and Miranda looks to make him pay every time that happens.
“Robusto” checks a leg kick and nails Amir with one of his own, and
Amir falls over and still manages to land a right hand. Flopping
all over the cage, with little to no balance and an undetermined
number of official knockdowns suffered, Amir is still quick enough
to stand after going down. Amir times a takedown when Miranda
blitzes him, and he finally manages to get the Brazilian down for a
second. Miranda sits up against the cage wall, and Amir is
singularly focused on keeping Miranda down at all costs. Amir
unveils practically no additional offense of his own when he gets
on top, and he threatens to take the back when Miranda looks to
stand up. Miranda still works his way to his feet, and Amir clasps
his hands around the waist and secures a mat return with Miranda
landing on his face. Amir slithers to attempt another back take,
and he gets both hooks in while Miranda is on a knee and sitting
up. Miranda pulls off both hooks, and he gets up and is leaned over
while Amir holds on from behind. Amir cannot keep him, and Miranda
releases haymakers and a flying knee to shake Amir up once more.
Amir swings even as he falls to a knee, and Miranda tags him again
before the final bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Miranda (30-27 Miranda)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Miranda (30-27 Miranda)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Miranda (30-27 Miranda)

The Official Result

Bruno Miranda def. Ahmed Amir via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,
30-27)

Round 1

This international welterweight collision will see a rarity for two
competitors on the major stage: neither has competed outside of
their native country of Australia and Mexico, respectively. The
Adelaide native Mitchell (13-4, 0-0 PFL) will be taking an away
game, while Lopez (15-0, 0-0 PFL) out of Mexico City is the
geographically closer man of the two. The match begins as referee
Jacob Montalvo checks them in, and they opt to touch ‘em up before
throwing down. They both start off with jabs, and Lopez rushes
forward swinging his left hand and clinching up. Mitchell stands
him up before a level change occurs, and Lopez knees him in the
chest. Lopez lands a knee to the thigh and drops down to snatch up
the same leg for a single, and he takes Mitchell for a ride. The
Aussie defends with a kimura off his back, and this fails miserably
as Lopez slides over on top of him into half guard. Lopez opens up
with a few punches, and when Mitchell turns to a knee to try to
stand, Lopez illegally smashes his knee into Mitchell’s face.
Mitchell still very clearly grounded with his right knee down,
Montalvo sees this and pauses the fight for the foul. Montalvo
deducts one point for the flagrant foul, and he resets the position
to start them off standing. Lopez offers an apologetic glove touch,
and Mitchell is incensed, who loads up on a fierce right hand that
rocks the unbeaten fighter. Lopez ducks down to go for a double,
and he secures his grips and drops “AAA” to the floor. Mitchell
stands up, and he gives up his back on the way up. Lopez snatches
up an unorthodox standing rear-naked choke turned arm-triangle
choke, and Mitchell struggles and wriggles his neck out. With a
successful reversal, Mitchell thwarts a Lopez takedown try and puts
Lopez on his face. Not wanting to play on the mat, Mitchell lets
him back up, and Lopez thanks him with a left hook. Mitchell
answers with a right hand, and he makes Lopez smile by landing a
second. Lopez gets tagged again with a right, and he tries to throw
back but is not nearly as effective. Lopez leads with his head, and
they may clash heads as he ducks down. This allows Lopez to slug
his man in the face, and he gets clipped right back. Lopez is stung
from a straight right, and he level changes and drives Mitchell
down to the canvas. Mitchell calmly works his way back up to his
seat, and Lopez tries to trip him down again. Mitchell works his
way up, and they trade punches right to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Mitchell
Brian Knapp scores the round: 9-9
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 9-9

Round 2

Hands are clapped to start off Round 2, and they trade immediate
punches. Lopez loops out left hooks, and Mitchell sits down on the
counter straight right. This exchange happens three times in a row,
until Lopez realizes he should stop throwing the naked strike.
Instead, he changes his mind and takes Mitchell down with relative
ease, with Mitchell swinging too hard at him. Mitchell remains
seated with his back on the post, as Lopez does little from on top
besides control. Mitchell threatens with an unexpected guillotine
choke, and he uses it to flip Lopez to his back. Mitchell turns to
his side and goes after a scarf hold headlock, and he squeezes it
while Lopez pushes off his face and smacks him with short
hammerfists. Mitchell leans down to keep the heavy shoulder and
chest pressure to stifle Lopez, and he abandons it to stand back
up. Lopez follows him and ends up taking Mitchell from behind,
until he drops down for a double. Mitchell defends with his right
arm under the neck, but there is nothing there as Lopez chains into
a single. Lopez lifts Mitchell up, who in turn tries a kimura sweep
to allow them both to roll and stand back up. Lopez remains pinned
to his opponent, leaning on him and landing a single knee on the
beard. Lopez knees the thigh a few times, and he makes Mitchell’s
life miserable by hunting for another takedown. Mitchell gets his
legs stripped out beneath him, and Lopez lands on top of him. Lopez
lands in a fairly decent position, seated on top of both of his
foe’s legs while landing punches. Lopez traps him to the mat and
gets off a few more short shots until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lopez
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lopez
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Lopez

Round 3

There is a double clap of hands and an eventual hug to start off
the final round. The two fighters are not eager to throw at one
another, as they cautiously engage with single strikes. Mitchell
pushes out a jab, and Lopez digs a left to the body. The unbeaten
fighter punches his way to a takedown, which he hits calmly and
methodically. Mitchell stands, and Lopez keeps his hands around
Mitchell’s waist to knee him in the backside a few times. Lopez
manages to drag his man to his knees, and cannot keep him there for
long. He changes levels all the way down to attempt a single, and
he lifts the Aussie’s left leg up but does not ground him. Mitchell
looks to fight his way out, and Lopez deposits him to the ground.
Lopez hooks his legs around both of his opponent’s to leave him
stuck with no way up, until Mitchell slides them back out and gets
to his knees. Lopez looks to take the back, and Mitchell turns him
around during a failed choke attempt with 90 seconds remaining in
the fight. “AAA” sits in half guard until Lopez scrambles back to
his feet, and he is quick to attempt a single again. Mitchell keeps
a two-on-one wrist grip to try to throw Lopez to his back, but this
time, he does not have the juice to do anything but fall over.
Lopez moves to side control and starts to set up a crucifix
position, and he drops a few punches and shoulder strikes until
settling down for an arm-triangle choke. Lopez lets Mitchell turn
to his side and bell so he can slug him in the chops, and the slow
fight concludes. The Mexican fighter should still retain his
undefeated record after this smothering effort, but the result of a
victory or even scorecard hinges on the first round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lopez (28-28)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lopez (29-27 Lopez)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Lopez (29-27 Lopez)

The Official Result

Nayib Lopez Miranda def. Shane Mitchell via Unanimous Decision
(29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

Round 1

Keeping things trucking, 2021 champ Manfio (16-4, 5-1 PFL) would
like nothing more than to reach the top of the mountain again. To
start the climb, he must push past fired up Paraguayan Martinez
(10-3, 1 NC; 3-3 PFL), who has gone to decision in all six of his
PFL appearances to date. Neither man has ever been finished, so
referee Kerry Hatley may be in this one for the long haul. The
155ers clap hands, and away they go. Manfio meanders forward to
keep Martinez skirting around the outer edge of the cage, but he
does not engage for a whole minute. The first strike is eventually
a body kick from Manfio, and Martinez grabs it and takes Manfio
from one side of the cage to the other to jam him up against the
wall. Martinez sneaks in a knee, and Manfio answers with one that
is much harder and a right hand on the break. Manfio times a
counter right when Martinez tosses out a low kick, so Martinez
attempts a side kick. Manfio connects with a solid right as
Martinez chambers a high kick, and he drills the Paraguay native
with a pair of punches. Another one-two comes from Manfio, who
intercepts Martinez’ kicks repeatedly and catches him when Martinez
tries a head kick again. Manfio steps through a leg kick to split
the guard with a right hand, and he walks Martinez down slowly but
surely. Martinez reaches him with a body kick while off-balance,
and he keeps circling on the outside while Manfio chases. Manfio
loads up on a right hand, and Martinez absorbs part of it and runs
away. Manfio goes after him, and Martinez plants two heavy calf
kicks on the sweet spot. Manfio lands a combination of punches when
Martinez chops at his lead leg again, and he jumps forward with a
left. Martinez leans down and fires off a hook kick, and Manfio
ducks it and backs Martinez up against the wall with a short burst
of punches. Martinez flicks a kick up high and off the guard, and
Manfio follows his man around. Manfio reaches him with a right as
Martinez tries to loop up a kick, and he walks through a side kick
and towards his opponent until the bell sounds. The crowd showers
the fighters with boos.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Manfio
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Manfio
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Manfio

Round 2

The round begins right where the two left off, and Manfio crowds
Martinez but the latter escapes. Martinez changes things up with a
charging takedown, and Manfio fights it off and breaks off. Manfio
counters a leg kick with two hooks, and he does this same thing
again when Martinez attacks the lead leg. Manfio chases and
Martinez backpedals, and Manfio corners him momentarily to land a
few punches, but not before Martinez gest one to the calf. Manfio
catches a body kick and trips Martinez down to the floor, and
Martinez closes his guard in a hurry. Manfio opens up with
occasional ground-and-pound, and Martinez looks for a triangle
choke setup from his back. Manfio abandons ship to stand back up
when this happens, and he lets Martinez stand and belts him in the
face with three punches. Martinez rebounds off the cage wall, and
is met once again with two punches and a knee. Another body kick
from Martinez leads to Manfio catching it, sweeping him and dumping
him to the floor, just like a minute ago. Martinez tries to push
off the fence, and he is quicker to set up a triangle, but this
opens him up for a few more punches. Manfio looks to take the back,
and he grabs the fence as Martinez stands back up. Martinez rolls
in the guard instead of separating, and Manfio takes his back
gladly and gets one hook in. Threatening with a face crank, Manfio
holds onto his opponent, all while Martinez looks for an escape
route. The Tristar-trained Martinez manages to get away, and when
he does, it is Manfio who is hacking at him with calf kicks.
Martinez tries to let go with few of his own, and Manfio steps in
with a knee and a left hand. Martinez blasts the calf a couple more
times, and Manfio grits his teeth and shakes his leg out a few
times. Martinez goes after a head kick in the waning seconds, and
like before, Manfio grabs it and dumps him to the mat. The round
ends when Manfio lands on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Manfio
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Manfio
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Manfio

Round 3

The lightweights touch forearms to get started, as Manfio has
rushed out a little too hot. Manfio races towards his adversary and
drives a knee on the chin, and Martinez eats it without batting an
eye. Martinez lands a push kick to the body and one to the calf,
and Manfio steels himself and swings hard. Martinez takes a right
hand, retaliates with a head kick, and his leg is caught. This
time, Manfio cannot ground him, so Manfio attempts a double as well
and that is stopped too. Martinez tries to keep Manfio trapped
against the cage when he spins him around, but Manfio breaks out
and plods forward. Martinez keeps moving, keeps chopping, keeps
dodging, all while Manfio chases him like a Brazilian Terminator.
Manfio weathers a kick to keep lumbering forward, and Martinez
crashes forward and gets tripped and planted on the mat. They both
jump back up before settling for ground time, and the same pattern
as before rears its head. Manfio walks Martinez down, Martinez
circles, and the two do laps around the cage. Manfio swings with
heavy punches, and only a few find their mark, while Martinez’ best
success is the sporadic low kick. Manfio works his way into a
tie-up, where he gloms on the Tristar fighter until Martinez
frantically breaks away. Manfio cracks his man with a right hand,
and Martinez wears it well and keeps moving. Manfio chains a few
punches together and attempts a knee, and Martinez dodges the
latter strike. Martinez lands a kick to the head, one to the body
and one to the calf, but none of them have any mustard on them.
Manfio pressures, Martinez backs away, and Martinez swings a wheel
kick that misses by a wide margin. For every lightweight match on
the card, the fighters have gone the distance, so there will be a
five-way tie with three points for all the victors at 155 pounds
tonight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Manfio (30-27 Manfio)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Manfio (30-27 Manfio)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Manfio (30-27 Manfio)

The Official Result

Raush Manfio def. Alex Martinez via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 30-27)

Round 1

The dominant force that is Magomedkerimov (30-6, 13-1 PFL) has been
relatively dormant the past few years, thanks to visa issues,
injury and an unexpected defeat to rival Ray Cooper III. He
receives a choice matchup in Egli (14-4, 0-0 PFL), who is 2-2 in
his last four outings and will be making his company debut. Referee
Chris Tognoni will do the honors of overseeing this welterweight
pairing, and the competitors decide to touch gloves before getting
down to business. Egli leads off with a busy jab, looking for his
range. Magomedkerimov swings wrecking balls of fists with a right
and a left, and Egli takes them and rebounds off the cage wall in a
hurry. Magomedkerimov is seemingly interested in breaking this
consecutive decision streak the event has treated fans, as he busts
Egli in the face with vicious overhand rights. Magomedkerimov does
not respect the power coming back at him one iota, as he is
singularly focused in destroying his opponent with haymakers. Egli
tries to shell up, but a few get through, and they hurt him badly.
Egli tries to retreat, and he gets caught with an uppercut.

As Egli circles away to get his bearings, Magomedkerimov punches
his way into launching a head kick that wraps around Egli’s raised
guard and cracks him behind the ear. Egli does not realize he is
done until his legs give out beneath him, and he falls to the mat
with nothing left to offer. Magomedkerimov recognizes that his work
is done tonight, and he walks off instead of trying to pound the
defeated man out. Egli might not be unconscious, but
Tognoni has seen more than enough and he calls the fight. A swift
knockout in the co-main event ends a historic streak of seven
straight three-rounders that all went the distance for PFL, as
Magomedkerimov mercifully lays claim to six points by starting his
season off in style.

The Official Result

Magomed Magomedkerimov def. Ben Egli R1 1:03 via TKO (Head
Kick)

Round 1

There is perhaps no better proof of hard work paying off than Sy
(13-6-2, 1 NC; 7-4-2, 1 NC PFL) coming into the 2022 season and
winning all four matches to take home the title. Sy is one of the
only mainstays to compete in all four seasons, and the fourth time
was the charm. If he hopes to sit on the throne again this year,
his first obstacle will be well-rounded Jordanian Al-Silawi (18-4,
1-2 PFL). Drawing the final charge of the evening for this second
main event is Mark Smith, and the welterweight matchup kicks off
with a glove touch. Sy tests the waters with an early calf kick,
and Al-Silawi charges with two punches. Sy is well out of reach to
absorb them, and he looks to get his rangy frame in motion with
long kicks and jabs. Sy gets backed off by another surge from the
Jordanian fighter, who takes a few inside leg kicks without
bothering to check them. Sy slams his shin off the raised guard of
his opponent, and he sticks out three jabs when he backs off.
Al-Silawi absorbs a full-on body kick, and Sy slips and moves on
the outside to chamber and fire another head kick. Sy aims an
inside leg kick as Al-Silawi bears down on him, and he rips another
kick to the body. Sy spins away, and a kick from Al-Silawi bounces
off the cup. After a brief pause, they resume and Sy reaches out
and pokes Al-Silawi in the eye. There is another break in the
action, and Al-Silawi clears his vision and gets back to it. Sy
keeps chipping at his man with kicks, and Al-Silawi whiffs on a
head kick when Sy leans all the way back. Sy scores a body kick and
backs off, but still takes a kick on the inside of his knee. Sy
prods with another kick to prompt Al-Silawi into action, and he
sets up a counter and just misses with a check right hook. Sy
batters the already welting lead leg of his opponent with another
audible kick, and Al-Silawi grabs down low when a second kick aims
to the spot in rapid succession. Sy tugs on the fence to keep
himself upright, and he is warned for it but still miraculously
keeps his balance when not fouling. Sy turns his man around against
the wire, and a few short knees from either man come up to little
effect. Smith asks them to work when nothing happens in the tie-up,
and Al-Silawi tries to throw his foe down and falls to his back. Sy
claims mount and drills his opponent a few times with punches,
until Al-Silawi grabs a leglock to keep him honest. Sy stands up,
and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sy

Round 2

Fists get bumped to open up the second round, and Sy paws out jabs
as he prepared for a lunging Al-Silawi. As expected, Al-Silawi
leaps forward, and Sy bounds back and kicks him in the ribs. Sy
lands a low kick that lands with a thump rather than a slap, and
Al-Silawi stands there and looks at him as Smith tells them to
fight. Sy aims a kick to the body, and Al-Silawi reaches a right
hand out and pulls it back as he runs into the knee.

Al-Silawi’s face contorts into pain as he realizes the damage done
by the landed knee on his liver, and he backs off. Sy sees this and
sports a devilish grin, knowing his opponent is in danger. Sy
sprints at the compromised Al-Silawi, smiling from ear to ear, and
he lights up Al-Silawi’s already damaged midsection with a few
fiery fists. With the body shots opening up strikes to the head, Sy
releases two punches that stun “The Jordanian Lion,” who is then
tamed by a right to the body that folds him like a lawn
chair. The Swedish fighter rains down a few more heavy
punches to seal the deal, and Smith jumps in between them to call a
halt to the main event. The victorious Sy strides off to celebrate,
having recorded his first finish since May 2019. With five points
in tow, Sy is in fourth place at welterweight thus far, and he
concludes this inconsistent evening with a clobbering knockout. The
PFL will go on hiatus for a couple months, picking up business
again in June for the second stage of the regular season. We will
be here for it, and we hope you are too.

The Official Result

Sadibou Sy def. Jarrah Al-Silawi R2 1:14 via TKO (Knee to the Body
and Punches)