Preview: PFL 3 2024

Welterweights

Goiti Yamauchi (28-6, 0-0 PFL) vs. Neiman Gracie (12-4, 0-0 PFL)

ODDS: Yamauchi (-225), Gracie (+185)

Yamauchi built himself into one of Bellator’s best behind a devastating grapple game that has led him to 21 career submissions. The 31-year-old enters the tournament still young and spry, but he is coming off a gruesome leg injury from his last fight against Michael Page. Yamauchi has not fought in over a year since rupturing his patella tendon, but he is a force to be feared when healthy. Yamauchi kicked off his pro run after a stellar amateur career and won 14 of his first 15 fights. Yamauchi moved up to the big leagues after signing with Bellator in 2013. He has never lost two fights consecutively, but more well-rounded foes have routinely stopped his momentum. Bubba Jenkins once ended his three-fight winning streak. Michael Chander ended another one two years later. Throughout the setbacks, Yamauchi has moved up in weight and still found ways to win. After starting his career at featherweight, he kicked off his welterweight run with three straight finishes before injuring his leg 26 seconds into his fight against Page. Meanwhile, Gracie’s name symbolizes legendary jiu-jitsu. The great-grandson of Carlos Gracie, he won a bronze medal at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation No-Gi Championships before transitioning to MMA in 2013. Gracie never developed into a feared striker. Instead, he destroyed opponents on the mat. He owns the most subs amongst Bellator welterweights (six) despite not having had a submission win since 2020.

These two are already familiar with one another. Yamauchi knocked Gracie out in the second round in the Bellator 284 main event and made it look easy. Gracie has always wanted to prove that he is more than a jiu-jitsu specialist, but his willingness to trade with Yamauchi early cost him dearly. After being dropped, Gracie abandoned his boxing altogether and welcomed Yamauchi into his guard. The vet was too smart for that and forced Gracie back to his feet before finishing him in spectacular fashion. Even with Gracie’s world-class grappling skills, the gap between his jiu-jitsu and striking has provided opponents with the room to beat him. If Yamauchi keeps the fight standing again, he will likely finish him a second time.

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Umalatov vs. Koreshkov
Loughnane vs. Carvalho
Musaev vs. Storley
Braga vs. Gonzales
Yamauchi vs. Gracie
Kamaka vs. Jenkins
The Prelims