OFFICIAL: Updated 2023 #PFLPlayoffs San Antonio Card
Movlid Khaybulaev is out. @CWadeMMA steps in and will now face @Gabrielbragab.
[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.