Highlights From A Huge Yr within the PFL
The PFL have picked their prime 5 fights of 2024. The self-styled “co-leader” of the worldwide blended martial arts scene wrapped up their calendar yr earlier this month as they topped six new PFL Europe champions in Lyon, France.
2024 has not been with out it’s challenges for the promotion. They’ve confronted criticism surrounding their dealing with of some high-profile Bellator champions since their buy of the Bellator model at first of the yr.
Regardless of the difficulties of merging the 2 rosters and the uncertainty surrounding the way forward for the Bellator model, there have been some memorable moments contained in the PFL smartcage all through the previous twelve months, and so they have compiled 5 of their favourite bouts in a compilation video on their YouTube channel.
5) Impa Kasanganay vs Jakob Nedoh, PFL 5, June twenty first
The winner of the 2023 PFL World mild heavyweight match, Impa Kasanganay, obtained his yr off to a successful begin in April when he knocked out Alex Polizzi within the opening spherical, which means a victory over the 2023 PFL Europe champion Jakob Nedoh could be sufficient to clinch a spot within the playoffs.
The pair met in the midst of the smartcage and traded heavy blows, with Nedoh dropping Kasanganay early. “Tshilobo” rallied nevertheless, and after subjecting Nedoh to a relentless flurry of strikes late within the second spherical, the Slovenian was deemed unfit to proceed. Kasanganay would go on to beat Josh Silveira within the playoffs earlier than developing brief within the finals towards Dovlet Yagshimuradov in November.
4) A.J. McKee vs Paul Hughes, Battle Of The Giants, October nineteenth
The opening essential card bout on the PFL’s solely pay-per-view occasion of 2024 featured a relative newcomer to the promotion. Eire’s Paul Hughes, a former Cage Warriors champion, had not too long ago debuted below the Bellator banner, selecting up a victory over Bobby King.
Many speculated within the lead as much as the gala occasion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that former Bellator featherweight champion A.J. McKee would seemingly be a problem that “Massive Information” was not but able to deal with.
What transpired as soon as the struggle obtained below means shocked the MMA world. The younger Irishman simply stifled McKee’s famend grappling expertise and dropped the American with a large proper hand on the finish of spherical one. He continued to land heavy pictures all through the remaining two rounds all whereas shutting down any makes an attempt McKee made to take the struggle to the ground.
Hughes turned solely the second fighter to beat McKee and has been rewarded with a essential occasion matchup towards Bellator light-weight champion Usman Nurmagomedov on January’s Highway To Dubai occasion.
3) Patricky Pitbull vs Bruno Miranda, PFL 5, June twenty first
Former Bellator light-weight champion Patricky Pitbull entered the 2024 PFL world match however he is perhaps wishing he hadn’t bothered. Successive defeats to Clay Collard and Bruno Miranda noticed the 38-year-old eradicated earlier than the playoff stage, however the struggle towards Miranda will definitely go down as some of the thrilling of his lengthy profession.
The pair went toe-to-toe for all the fifteen minutes, and finally it was the conditioning of Miranda that proved the distinction as he walked away with a break up resolution victory. Pitbull struggled by means of the third spherical with the elevation in Salt Lake Metropolis seemingly enjoying it’s half, and each fighters missed out on the playoffs.
2) Larissa Pacheco vs Cris Cyborg, Battle Of The Giants, October nineteenth
An all-Brazilian affair befell within the co-main occasion slot in Saudi Arabia because the 2022 and 2023 PFL world champion Larissa Pacheco confronted Bellator champion and all-time nice Cris Cyborg for the PFL featherweight superfight belt.
Cyborg, in her thirtieth skilled MMA look, appeared as menacing as ever within the opening spherical as she cracked Pacheco laborious with a head kick. She additionally displayed her well-roundedness by taking Pacheco to the canvas on two events and raining down some heavy floor and pound.
Pacheco battled gamely and did have her moments, however former UFC champion Cyborg edged her out on the decide’s scorecards and added to her spectacular array of world titles.
1) Lewis McGrillen-Evans vs. Dean Garnett, PFL Europe 3, September twenty eighth
An all-time traditional between Lewis McGrillen-Evans and Dean Garnett stole the present on the PFL Europe playoffs in Glasgow, Scotland in September. McGrillen-Evans dished out a lot of explosive overhand lefts in the course of the opening spherical and regardless of Garnett trying executed for at occasions, the veteran survived and nearly submitted his younger opponent earlier than the spherical ended.
Spherical two introduced some controversy as McGrillen-Evans was docked some extent for an unlawful strike, and the pair exchanged knockdowns because the spherical continued in the identical frantic vein as the primary had ended. Garnett’s left hook repeatedly discovered a house, whereas McGrillen-Evan’s left hand continued to look devastating.
The purpose deduction finally didn’t matter, as McGrillen-Evans dropped Garnett one final time within the third spherical with an exquisite pull-counter. Each fighters obtained raprturous applause from the Scottish crowd for enjoying their half in a struggle that can certainly go down as probably the greatest of all time.
