PFL 2 2022 Regular Season Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Alejandro Flores Garcia (146) vs. Saba Bolaghi (145.4)

Round 1

Last week in PFL, lightweights and light heavyweights took the stage to start off the 2022 season. This week, fight fans will be treated to 10 matchups – all tournament-eligible this time – in the featherweight and heavyweight categories. We begin the night at 145 pounds, in a classic battle of Mexico vs. Germany as Monterrey native Flores (19-3, 1-0 PFL) faces off against Frankfurt’s own Bolaghi (14-2-1, 0-0 PFL). The referee for the first match of the evening is Keith Peterson, and he starts the night off right by kicking nonsense out of the arena. The two men touch gloves, and Flores sticks out several jabs in the early going. None of them find their mark, but a leg kick from the Mexican does connect flush. He goes to that same leg again, and Bolaghi just looks at him while not offering any offense of his own. “El Gallito” targets a few more low kicks and stomps to the lead knee, while making Bolaghi counter and hit nothing but air. The newcomer crashes forward in the search of a clinch, and he grabs hold of his foe to stop the methodical leg kicks from working his lead calf. A few short clinch strikes from Bolaghi land on the midsection, and he jumps in the air to smack Flores in the face with a shoulder strike. Instead of Bolaghi trying to take the fight down, Flores powerfully lifts his man off the ground and slams him to the mat. Bolaghi scrambles back to his feet. After a few tit-for-tat strikes, Flores pushes off and connects with a slapping low kick. Flores then pushes off with his lead hand, and a finger swipes into Bolaghi’s eye to force a brief stoppage. Peterson calls in the doctor, and has a word with the poking fighter to alert him of the foul. Bolaghi needs under a minute to clear his vision, but he still does not have his depth perception measured up when he resumes, as a swinging punch goes wide. Flores keeps him at the end of his kicks, with a high kick that glances off the guard. Bolaghi pressures forward, but Flores skirts around the outside and intercepts Bolaghi coming in with a jump knee. As Bolaghi tries to make him pay, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Flores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Flores
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Flores

Round 2

Flores takes the center of the cage to lead off the second frame, and he attacks the lead leg with a stomping kick. Flores goes high with a kick that gets blocked, and they jump for knees at the same time and bang into each other mid-air. When they land, it is Flores who scores a one-two, and Bolaghi walks him down and slugs him in the face with a left hand. Flores wears it well and escapes to gain some space, returning to his preferred wide berth where he can score kicks without worrying about counters. “El Gallito” sweeps the leg, and strides forward with a four-punch combination. Bolaghi takes them on the chin and fires back, forcing Flores to back off and reset. Bolaghi walks his man down but cannot corner him, and instead eats an uppercut coming in. Flores catches a kick, ducks a punch and bounces off the fence to ricochet far enough away from an oncoming takedown try. Both men time single punches, and Flores jumps up to fire off a switch kick to the body. Bolaghi looks to counter with a leaping hook, and Flores is out of the way after landing to not be too concerned. Going over the top with a right hand, Bolaghi connects well enough as Flores tries to roll with it. Flores targets the body with one single shot, and he scoots back as Bolaghi attempts to mark him up. Flores clips his foe with a right hook, and he peppers Bolaghi with long punches. The punches from Flores allow him to keep Bolaghi at arm’s reach, although a blitzing Bolaghi lands a single shot across the bow while Flores is on his way out. Flores rips the body with a left, and he slips and tags his opponent with a punch. Bolaghi changes levels in a hurry, and Flores is quick to reverse him and plant the German on his backside. Bolaghi fights off the position to work back to his feet, and Flores meets him on the way up with a left hook. Bolaghi takes a clean body kick, and he snaps the head back with his own jab, but it is one-and-done while Flores is striking at a far higher clip. A few punches from Flores lead Bolaghi into a combination of counters, and Bolaghi ducks down to hit a takedown with seconds to spare. Bolaghi concludes the round in this top position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Flores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Bolaghi
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Bolaghi

Round 3

The round opens like the first two, with Flores coming forward brimming with confidence. He nails Bolaghi with a right hand, and Bolaghi has to shake it off and come back with a solid right of his own. Flores sticks out his jab and chips away at the outstretched leg of his opponent with kicks. “El Gallito” springs into action, charging ahead with a lengthy combination that gets Bolaghi’s attention while slipping back to avoid any counter that soars at his dome. Bolaghi continues his counter-offensive, racing forward to grab hold of a body lock and toss Flores to the mat. Flores does not surrender this ground position for more than a few seconds before powering back to his feet, and when upright, he wings a high kick that is barely blocked in time. Bolaghi tries and fails to deliver a shovel uppercut on the jaw, and Flores flicks out a jab and follows it with an effective right hook. Bolaghi is throwing heat at senses he might be down on the scorecards or at least having the fight hanging in the balance, and Flores is able to see these telegraphed blows and slide out of the way. Flores dings him with a jab, and another, and he is finding his home. Smelling a little blood, the Mexican fighter crashes forward with a flying knee that blasts Bolaghi right in the face. While Bolaghi is rocked, Flores chains together punches to the head and body to knock Bolaghi back to the wall. After taking a little more punishment, Bolaghi ducks down for a takedown, and Flores stuffs him and sets up an anaconda choke before Bolaghi can even get hold of a leg. Bolaghi fights off the neck grip and surges into a single-leg takedown effort, only for Flores to deftly scramble and stay on his feet. Bolaghi tries to get another takedown, but there is nothing to it as Flores knees him in the chest. The fight ends, and a few loud chants for “Gallito” rain down in the building. The winner will take home three points, and claim the top spot on the featherweight leaderboard…for now.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Flores (30-27 Flores)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Flores (29-28 Flores)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Flores (29-28 Flores)

The Official Result

Alejandro Flores Garcia def. Saba Bolaghi via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Sheymon Moraes (145.2) vs. Boston Salmon (145.4)

Round 1

In this next featherweight contest, one of the more experienced men under the PFL ranks in ex-WSOF title challenger Moraes (13-5, 5-2 PFL) fights for the eighth time in the organization, when he battles it out with Challenger Series 4 contract winner Salmon (8-3, 1-0 PFL). Fists and feet are soon to fly for the pair of 31-year-olds, who draw oversight from ripped referee Gary Copeland. There is no touch of gloves to open the contest, and instead Salmon starts off with a jab. The 145ers keep a safe range of non-engagement, and Salmon whiffs on a left to the body. Salmon charges recklessly, throws a high kick, and dives forward with a few punches that make him fall crashing into the wall. Moraes sees these strikes coming and ducks around to take Salmon’s back, where he begins to batter the rear thigh of his foe. Salmon keeps himself from getting taken down as Moraes has his hands clasped around his waist, but he cannot stop these annoying knees to the backside. The Brazilian keeps on smacking Salmon in the posterior with these knees until Salmon explodes out of position and get jammed into the wire with his back to hit now. When Salmon nearly gets away, Moraes drags him back to the wall and then wrenches him down to the mat. Moraes settles in his foe’s guard, and Salmon swims back to the fencing before sitting up and standing. When both are back upright, this grinding position from Moraes continues until he bucks and rips Salmon down to the canvas. Salmon, on his knees, finds his neck in a strange position, until he bursts up to his feet. As Moraes tries to re-impose his will, Salmon shoves him away to gain a little space. The Brazilian does not mind, as he delivers a kick to the body and a pair of punches while Salmon stands before him. A high kick from Moraes falls short, and Salmon looks for a counter knee that does not find its home on the chest. Moraes walks his man down and chops down his lead leg before punching into a clinch. This clinch is where the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moraes

Round 2

The second frame opens with Salmon again pushing out jabs, only this time he is met by a pair of powerful punches from the Brazilian. Salmon fires back a resounding body kick, but he is one-and-done with it as Moraes is the busier man on the feet. The Hawaiian swings with a high kick that misses, and he falls to his knees when inaccurate. Moraes cracks Salmon with a right hand, and he gives chase with a head kick that is narrowly blocked. Moraes strategically walks Salmon down, throwing enough to get his attention but not dangerously to put himself in the trajectory of a big counter. Salmon steps through with a left hand, and Moraes meets him with a one-two up the middle. “Boom Boom” explodes a left hook on his foe’s chin, and he is slinging bombs as he finally appears to have found his range. A right from Salmon clips Moraes, who smartly reacts by clinching up and tying Salmon up to get his wits back about him. Moraes spams several knees to the body that begin to have an appreciable effect, and Salmon times one that irritates Moraes back. A few more come from the Brazilian, who drops Salmon down to a knee. Moraes continue to rip them to the torso until Salmon muscles his way back upright again, and Moraes is on him like glue. Moraes digs punches to the body when not throwing knees, and a body kick makes Salmon double over when they get a little space. Salmon swings for the bleachers, hoping to land that one shot that will sting Moraes, but the shots graze the target and do not back Moraes off. Moraes carries on with effective body work, and he chops down the lead leg every so often. Salmon walks straight into a right hand, and Salmon is stunned but not out of it as he lifts up a knee to greet Moraes coming forward. Moraes jumps with a spinning kick, and Salmon smiles at him to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moraes

Round 3

The final round commences with Moraes coming out with a full head of steam, and a one-two just misses the mark early. A body kick from the Brazilian is much more accurate, and Salmon grunts after absorbing it and swings back but hits nothing but air as Moraes is out of the way. Moraes redoubles his effort with another pounding body kick, and Salmon jabs long to the midsection in response. They trade single straight strikes, and Salmon knocks his man back with a left hand. As Moraes attacks, he gets clipped and loses balance, dropping to a knee. Moraes gets himself back up and dusts himself off before Salmon can do anything, and Moraes walks him down fearlessly. As Salmon swings, Moraes changes levels and plants Salmon on his back. Moraes is quick to take half guard, and he hunts for full mount while also threatening with an arm-triangle choke on his way. When not looking to pass guard, Moraes maintains a heavy shoulder pressure that keeps Salmon stuck in this position. Moraes steps over to the other side, and Salmon gets his leg back so that the Brazilian does not claim mount. Moraes does not mind, as he begins to slam down left hands that go undefended. Salmon scrambles wildly, and Moraes grabs onto a two-on-one wrist lock before bailing on it when Salmon has the upper hand and fights to his feet. Salmon, when freed, winds up on punches and gets Moraes’ attention with a duo of powerful shots. Moraes ties him back up and slams his knee into Salmon’s midsection again and again, until Salmon pushes him away. Fighting his way upstream, Salmon darts forward with a left hand, and Moraes grabs him like a bear and shoves him into the wall to make lunch out of Salmon’s body. Moraes trips Salmon down to the ground, and he successfully thwarts the scramble to the end the bout on top. That solid 15 minutes of work should give Moraes the three points for the likely upcoming win.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moraes (30-27 Moraes)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Moraes (30-27 Moraes)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moraes (30-27 Moraes)

The Official Result

Sheymon Moraes def. Boston Salmon via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Adam Keresh (239.6) vs. Klidson Abreu (249.2)

Round 1

Big men take the center of the cage now, in the first of five heavyweight slugfests on tap for this second installment of PFL’s regular season. The unbeaten Keresh (5-0, 1-0 PFL), signed off of CS 6 this year, will try to keep his 100% knockout rate intact against ex-light heavyweight submission specialist Abreu (15-5, 1 NC; 0-1 PFL). This rumble that may not last long will draw officiating from referee Jacob Montalvo, who is ready for what comes next after the gloves are touched. Keresh is quick to start walking his foe down, and he has his hands low and wings, of all strikes, a back fist. Abreu looks at him quizzically. Keresh aims a pair of stomp kicks to the knee as well, and those too miss the mark. Abreu goes up high with a kick, and he hits the ground and bounces back upright before Keresh can do anything with it. The undefeated fighter shows that he is about to throw an elbow – elbow strikes are banned in PFL tourney competition – and he does not throw it. The first punch of the fight finally lands, and it is from the Brazilian. Abreu kicks low, and Keresh comes up high with a roundhouse kick that blows Abreu’s hair back but does not strike him. Keresh attempts another flashy kick that misses, and Abreu jumps forward with a right hand that gets blocked. The accuracy thus far is in the tank at the midpoint of the round, and Keresh then goes after another standing back fist. Keresh scores a trio of kicks to the knee, and he spins with a back fist. As Abreu ducks it, he shoots in for a takedown and shoves Keresh all the way across the cage. The unbeaten fighter grabs hold of the fence several times to stop it, and Montalvo finally admonishes him for the fouls. In doing so, Keresh lets go, and falls to his back with “White Bear” on top of him. Abreu easily advances to half guard, and he begins to set up a crucifix from that side. Abreu lets go to stand up, and he attacks with standing-to-ground punches. As he strikes, Keresh links his fingers in the fence again to stand up. Abreu does not let him off the hook, and secures a crucifix as his left hands slam into Keresh’s forehead. Abreu takes full mount with seconds to spare, but nothing else comes of it before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Abreu
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Abreu
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Abreu

Round 2

There is a half-hearted glove touch to start off the second round, one that might just be instead that two jabs met in the middle. Keresh bounces around, but he stops and looks frustrated when Abreu does not bite on any feints or fakes. Abreu instead kicks the leg, and he slides back as Keresh aims a high kick at him. Keresh jabs, and connects with two stomping kicks to the knee that would do serious damage if it hyperextended. Abreu strides forward with an overhand right, and although he clips Keresh on the temple, the Israeli fighter circles around and takes his back. A pair of unorthodox strikes in a serious foot stomp and a jumping shoulder strike come from Keresh before Abreu pushes off. When Keresh fakes to set up an elbow again, Abreu kicks his lead leg and stumbles him. Keresh connects with a body kick, and he comes forward only to be met with a right hand. A very high kick from the undefeated fighter clatters off the guard, and Keresh cannot find his mark with any of those particular strikes. Abreu punches forward, landing at the end of a right hand, but not latching on to his man to do anything with it. Keresh again has a head kick blocked, but the stomping kicks to the knee and even feet connect. The last strike in that barrage was a foot stomp from distance – and not up close – making it an extremely unusual blow. Keresh whiffs on a back fist, and he times Abreu coming in to push him against the wall. Keresh misses with a stomp, but he does smack Abreu with a shoulder. Keresh uses the fence to hold Abreu there, and Montalvo finally calls him on it and takes him aside, giving him one final warning to not grab it again and restarting the fight at distance. Abreu charges forward in search of a single, and the Challenger Series signee remains on his feet and gets some space. Keresh spins with a back fist, and a body kick from Abreu appears to hurt him. When Keresh leans over from the strike, Abreu charges to take him down. Time expires before he can land it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Abreu
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Abreu
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Abreu

Round 3

Keresh winds up with a looping left hand to start off the final round, and he bails on more conventional strikes after that to swing a back fist from each paw. “White Bear” lunges forward to clinch, and he rips an uppercut to the midsection when up close. Keresh muscles him around, and Montalvo is paying very close attention to make sure Keresh is not hanging onto the wire. Abreu turns his foe around in the process, and he trips Keresh down and lands in half guard. The Brazilian unloads a few left hands, and Abreu complains that Keresh is fouling him in some capacity. After a brief moment of confusion, Abreu postures up and lowers him back down with short punches to the head and body, and he looks for an arm-triangle choke and settles for stepping over to side control. Abreu aims to hook up his crucifix again, and abandons it to step over but gets his legs snared and dragged back to half guard. Once more, Abreu complains that Keresh is doing something illegal, and when Montalvo does not answer, Abreu hops over all the way to full mount. Abreu grabs hold of a single arm to set up a reverse triangle with an armbar, and Keresh slides out the back door but cannot get off his back. Abreu hops back over to him, and he climbs back to half guard with ease. Abreu’s complaints continue, and the broadcast team translates his words to that Abreu is saying Keresh is trying to bite him. Abreu sits up a little to drop down punches, and they bloody up the nose of the unbeaten fighter. Abreu postures up in half guard and starts to slug away with hammerfists, and Montalvo is looking closely at the action when the 10-second clapper sounds. Abreu cannot pound him out, and the final horn blares to almost certainly award the Brazilian three points for the win – and also handing Keresh his first career defeat.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Abreu (30-27 Abreu)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Abreu (30-26 Abreu)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Abreu (30-27 Abreu)

The Official Result

Klidson Abreu def. Adam Keresh via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Bubba Jenkins (146) vs. Kyle Bochniak (144.4)

Round 1

A pair of featherweights with an equal number of wins by decision on their resumes – seven apiece – will throw down in search of points to reach the next stage of the tourney. 2021 semifinalist Jenkins (16-5, 2-1 PFL) will welcome UFC vet Bochniak (11-5, 0-0 PFL) to the promotion, and referee Keith Peterson draws the charge and will not stand for nonsense like the last fight. There is a sign of respect as the fighters touch gloves, and Bochniak strikes first with a kick to the calf. Jenkins throws back with a left hand, and his own kick pounds square into Bochniak’s cup. The Massachusetts native only needs a couple seconds to cough out the pain before he is ready to continue, and when he starts, he flicks out several jabs. Jenkins does the same, with a couple jabs and a left hand that knocks Bochniak back. Bochniak gathers himself and kicks low, and Jenkins replies in kind. They trade these kicks to the calves, and Bochniak goes to check one as he recoils his shin. A one-two from Bochniak leads to a takedown entry for Jenkins, who successfully plants the former UFC fighter on his back. Bochniak scrambles back to his knees, grabs the fence to pull himself up, and has his hand immediately swatted by Peterson. Jenkins thanks Peterson for calling him on this by hitting a picture-perfect suplex, dropping Bochniak right on his head. “Crash” scrambles without much concern, climbing his way back to the wall and looking to walk his way up to his feet along the fence. Bochniak gains some space and pushes off, and Jenkins stomps forward with a right hook. Jenkins admires his work, and he strings together a one-two that knocks Bochniak clean off his feet. Instead of following his man down, he signals for Bochniak to come get him with the “come and get some” hand gesture made popular from “The Matrix.” Jenkins is feeling himself, and he lands a few more punches and a head kick as Bochniak is stuck guessing and taking shots. The kick drops Bochniak, who ambles back up to his feet, and Jenkins plants his right hand on the chin of his opponent. Bochniak wobbles but does not topple over, so Jenkins helps him along by tackling him down with a double-leg takedown. The round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins

Round 2

Between rounds, Jenkins’ corner fusses at their fighter for “playing around with” Bochniak, and telling him that he should have hunted for the finish instead of toying around. Nevertheless, the fight reaches Round 2 after a pair of knockdowns from Jenkins, and he leads off this period with a loud low kick. Bochniak replies with a high kick, and Jenkins is energized and rushes in with a few punches. The bodies slap together like slaps of meat, and Bochniak bounces back to gather himself. As he does, Jenkins charges like a bull, and he sucks Bochniak’s legs out beneath him and plants him backside-first on the mat. Bochniak scrambles back up, and Jenkins knees him in the groin. Peterson calls it and lets Bochniak recover for as long as Bochniak wants – this is not very long, as Bochniak is fired up and ready to make Jenkins pay. They trade strikes when resuming combat, and Jenkins sweeps the leg with a kick. Bochniak comes up short with a few punches, and Jenkins swipes a left hand to the liver. Bochniak does not waver as Jenkins splits the guard with a jab, and he throws caution to the wind but misses the mark in most of his shots when Jenkins picks at him from afar. Jenkins settles down, and he ignores a low kick so that he can fire off a kick to the head, one to the body, and another to the head. Bochniak takes the body shot flush and bends over, but he catches his breath and fights behind his jab. Jenkins does the same, and his is more effective and disrupts Bochniak better. Bochniak blocks a head kick and introduces the ball of his foot to Jenkins’ sternum, and Jenkins practically ignores it so that he can swing back. Bochniak puts a couple punches together as Jenkins walks him down, and the front kick for Bochniak is finding its home as he keeps aiming it. Jenkins slips a punch and delivers a solid left hook. Overflowing with confidence, Jenkins winds up on a ferocious right hook, and it smashes into Bochniak’s face and separates the Massachusetts native from his balance. Bochniak displays a serious chin, as he pops back up and drills Jenkins with a left hand after taking a flush knee to the belly. The round ends, and Bochniak has been downed but is not out of this fight yet.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins

Round 3

Bochniak’s corner tells him to give it all he has to win this fight, while Jenkins is signaling to the crowd to cheer for him. The final frame begins intensely, as they meet in the middle and trade hands. Jenkins backs off so that he can do his work from the outside with body kicks and low kicks, and the occasional piston-like jab. Bochniak loads up on a right hook, and a pair of punches follows it as he is giving chase to the Kings MMA product. When Bochniak attacks, Jenkins catches him on the way in with a right hand and changes levels in pursuit of a takedown. Bochniak does not get tripped down to the floor, so Jenkins settles for working the thigh with a handful of knees. Jenkins lifts Bochniak up in the air and tosses him down, where he comfortable finds himself in Bochniak’s full guard. Off his back, Bochniak looks for butterfly hooks to sweep or post off the hips, and he suddenly throws his legs up and searches for a triangle choke. Jenkins sees this coming and pushes the legs to the side, where he then lowers himself and bowls Bochniak over. A wild scrambles allows Bochniak to fight back to his feet, and a few strikes from Bochniak in the ensuing exchange completely blow up Jenkins’ right eye. The swelling has come out of nowhere and has almost totally shut Jenkins’ eye, but he is still willing to trade. Sensing he might have an advantage, Bochniak throws caution to the wind and wings punches. Jenkins remains composed with jabs as Bochniak gives chase, and Peterson is very aware of the damage to Jenkins’ face and is watching it like a hawk. Jenkins sits down on a left hand as Bochniak walks him down, and he clubs him with two punches that knock Bochniak back but not down. A furious brawl ends the fight, and with one eye closed, Jenkins walks away and lifts his hand in the air. If his feeling is correct, he will snake three points to start off the season on the leaderboard.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins (30-27 Jenkins)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins (30-27 Jenkins)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Bochniak (29-28 Jenkins)

The Official Result

Bubba Jenkins def. Kyle Bochniak via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Ante Delija (247.2) vs. Matheus Scheffel (251.6)

Round 1

Referee Gary Copeland may not be needed for very long for this upcoming heavyweight contest, when Mirko “Cro Cop” protégé Delija (19-5, 3-2 PFL) slugs it out with Brazilian knockout artist Scheffel (15-7, 0-0 PFL). Only nine decisions in their combined 34 wins means that someone could find themselves staring at the lights before too long. The 2021 heavyweight finalist Delija and his organizational newcomer opponent touch gloves before getting after it, and they are tentative to engage in the early going. Possibly out of concern of an oncoming takedown from the Croatian, Scheffel is not willing to throw much of note. As Delija plods forward, he changes levels for a single, and he drags the newcomer to the floor with relative ease. Scheffel climbs back to his feet, and he backs off to string together a few punches that land on the chin. In the blink of an eye, Scheffel swings a high kick that pounds on the guard, and Delija stands tall and sneaks in a left hand that knocks “Buffa” off of his feet. The flash knockdown does not appear to have put Scheffel away, and he snaps back to as Delija jumps on top of him and busts him in the chops with punches. When Delija hunts for a single to pull the Brazilian fighter away from the fence, Scheffel muscles his way back up using the wall as his ally. “Walking Trouble” retains heavy chest pressure and shrugs off several knees up the middle. The round comes to a close when in this clinch position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Delija
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Delija
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Delija

Round 2

The second round commences with Scheffel bouncing up and down on his feet, apparently re-energized after the deflating round. Delija blocks a couple jabs that come his way, and he hops back when Scheffel bears down on him. Delija guards his body from a kick soaring at it, absorbing it on his arms, and loosing a missile of a right hand that sends the Brazilian crumbling down to the floor. Scheffel’s head bounces off the cage floor when he hits the ground, and the sheer impact appears to have woken him back up. Copeland dives in to intervene, but does so in a non-committal fashion that allows Delija a little bonus time to rain down some ground-and-pound hammerfists. The confusing mess of a stoppage-nonstoppage ends when Copeland pulls Delija away and waves the fight off, despite the protests from the awakened Scheffel who is wide-eyed and seemingly protecting himself from subsequent blows. Scheffel puts his hands up when he sees Copeland standing over him and Delija nowhere in sight, but the damage is done and the fight is over. Five fights in and the PFL has its first finish of the night, with Delija picking up five points for his knockout of Scheffel early into the second round.

The Official Result

Ante Delija def. Matheus Scheffel R2 0:59 via TKO (Punches)

Denis Goltsov (247.4) vs. Cody Goodale (253.2)

Round 1

The heaviest fight of the night comes in the main card opener, when proud Russian Goltsov (27-7, 5-2 PFL), fighting out of the Sambo Piter camp in St. Petersburg, Russia, with the nickname of “The Russian Bogatyr,” represents his home country of Russia. He will take on unexpected late replacement Goodale (8-5, 0-0 PFL), and surprised Australian fans of Sam Kei will find themselves let down seeing that “The Moose” has taken the Aussie’s spot tonight. Combining for 500.6 pounds, these two are the only pairing that eclipse the 500-pound mark across the five heavyweight contests tonight. The Russian and the Californian will draw officiating from referee Jacob Montalvo, and they touch gloves despite international tensions – but PFL has skirted this by marking Goltsov as an “International” fighter with a non-national flag. They touch gloves, and both men are tentative to throw early. Goltsov strikes first with a resounding leg kick, and a jab snaps the head back. Goodale already appears a little compromised from the kick and punch, as he has a hitch in his step and is a little wobbled. When Goodale targets the body, Goltsov backs off and reaches out with a high kick that just brushes past the hair. Goodale gets intercepted with a sharp jab, and the Russian crowds him and pushes him to the wall. Goltsov then rips the replacement fighter off his feet, and he begins to mount offense while in the half guard. An elbow or two might have gotten through as he strikes from above, but he elects to throw punches to keep them legal. Try as he might, Goodale cannot kick “The Russian Bogatyr” off of him, and Goltsov gloms onto him while unleashing strikes that draw blood and generating some quick swelling. Goltsov sneaks in an uppercut as he continues to throw shots, and he gets warned for landing an elbow strike as well as one to the back of the head. Despite these questionable blows, Goltsov thumps down a few more to the back of the head for good measure. Goltsov continues his bombardment of punches, landing practically at will with at least one more to the back of the head, until Montalvo has seen more than enough, saving the bloodied and battered Goodale from any further damage. That’s six points for the Russian, who currently holds the top spot in the heavyweight playoff picture with his first-round drubbing.

The Official Result

Denis Goltsov def. Cody Goodale R1 3:20 via TKO (Punches)

Renan Ferreira (260.4) vs. Jamelle Jones (237.2)

Round 1

At 6-foot-8, towering Brazilian Ferreira (8-2, 1 NC; 2-0, 1 NC PFL) stands above all other heavyweights tonight, while weighing in more than any other participant as well, including his heavy-handed opponent Jones (12-7, 1-1 PFL). Both large gentlemen celebrate high knockout rates, and referee Keith Peterson may have his hands full before too long but will tolerate exactly zero nonsense. The gloves are not touched, and Jones paws out multiple times in hopes of finding his range on a man eight inches longer. Ferreira sticks out the ball of his foot with a front kick, and it just grazes the chin. When Jones crashes forward, “Problema” catches him cleanly with a knee that sends Jones crashing down to the mat in major trouble and possibly out. Whether a flash knockout or just a big shot, Peterson lets it play out. Ferreira leaps on top, pressing Jones to the mat face-first, and starts blasting him with brutal right hands. The strikes on the side of the head mount ultra-fast, as Jones goes out once and for all, with his body falling limp after ten increasingly destructive shots. When pulled away, Ferreira runs off to celebrate and hits a perfect back flip, having smashed his own PFL heavyweight record for the fastest finish in divisional history. The six points are rightfully his, and “Problema” re-announces himself as a problem for the rest of the weight class with that hellacious knockout.

The Official Result

Renan Ferreira def. Jamelle Jones R1 0:25 via KO (Front Kick and Punches)

Brendan Loughnane (146) vs. Ryoji Kudo (145.4)

Round 1

Even with five appearances thus far under the PFL banner, Loughnane (21-4, 4-1 PFL) may still not be able to shake loose the snub he received from UFC head Dana White during the third season of Dana White’s Contender Series. Did you know that Loughnane once fought in the UFC? Look it up. In this PFL fight, however, he will square off with company debutant Kudo (10-2-1, 0-0 PFL), who fights out of Tokyo. The third man inside the cage will be referee Gary Copeland, and the featherweights do not touch ‘em up before getting after it. Kudo swipes out with a few punches early, and a kick that follows bounces off the chest of the Brit. Kudo is loose, letting go with low kicks, and Loughnane meets him in the middle and throws them back. Loughnane slowly walks forward, methodically cutting off the cage while not falling into any traps, and he ignores leg kicks that slap off his knee sleeves. Kudo jumps forward suddenly with a few punches and a low kick, which catches the Brit off-guard. Kudo attacks, and Loughnane turns tail and runs away to reset instead of backing off towards the wall. The Japanese fighter lets go with a low kick, and fires off a left and a right hand that knocks Loughnane down to the mat. Sensing his opening, Kudo blitzes forward and hammers a downed Loughnane with several follow-up punches until Loughnane closes up his guard. Kudo stands back to let his man up to his feet, and he pushes away a front kick that soars at him. Kudo chips away at the calf as Loughnane rushes towards him, and he swings wildly with punches. Loughnane once more turns away and drops his hands, and Kudo just misses capitalizes on it. A big spinning back kick from Loughnane connects square to the chest, and Kudo gathers his thoughts and tags Loughnane on the chin with an overhand right that shakes Loughnane up. Loughnane looks to counter a leg kick with a straight right hand, and it splits the guard but does not fluster Kudo. A low kick from the Brit does slam into the calf, and Kudo gives him one back. Loughnane spins again with a kick, and his foot glides off the torso as Kudo slides out of the way and comes out to attack. Loughnane keeps him at bay, and dances out of the way when Kudo races towards him with swiping punches. The round ends with a failed spin kick from Loughnane.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kudo
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kudo
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Kudo

Round 2

Kudo is aggressive to start off the second round, with a swarm of punches and a head kick to punctuate it. Kudo throws punches, and Loughnane runs in a complete circle to get away, with the exchange looking like two children playing tag in a playground as Loughnane has his hands by his waist when retreating. Kudo keeps swinging, and Loughnane is defending and avoiding them well enough, but not enough to come out unscathed. Kudo backs away, and Loughnane pursues a takedown. When the takedown fails, Kudo catches him with a right hand, and clubs him with a pair of punches that stands Loughnane straight up. Every time Loughnane appears to escape, he lets his hands fall to his waist, exposing his chin to further damage. The Brit changes levels for a takedown, and he is stuffed with ease and shoved back to the middle of the cage. Loughnane scores a single leg kick, and he backs off unguarded as his corner screams at him to put his hands up. Kudo pursues a takedown, and the sprawl from Loughnane leaves his jaw open to taking a flush uppercut. Kudo absorbs a solid leg kick on his rear leg, and he backs off as Loughnane spins with a back kick. When Kudo gives chase, Loughnane looks silly by skipping away with his hands down and chin up. The Japanese fighter finds himself fending off a takedown when advancing, and Loughnane pushes him to the wall and cannot get him any further. Kudo clips him with a right hand as Loughnane backpedals, and Loughnane doubles down on a takedown try after resetting to snare a double. While able to ground Kudo for a moment, it does not take the newcomer long to spring back to his feet. The featherweights trade knees, and Kudo gets caught with a strike that knocks him off-balance to his knees right before the bell. While it appears to have been more of a slip than a knockdown, Kudo nevertheless acknowledges it. The fighters touch gloves after the exchange concludes the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kudo
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kudo
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Kudo

Round 3

The final round commences with power punches from both men, as Loughnane loads up on strikes and draws a single out of his opponent. Loughnane replies in kind with a double, and Kudo stays upright as Loughnane spins around to take his back. Bullying Kudo to the wall, Loughnane gets Kudo down, and hits a mat return when Kudo scrambles back up immediately. Loughnane lets go and circles away, and Kudo sprints after him while swinging his fists. The strikes do not land, and Loughnane’s corner bellows that Loughnane needs to keep his hands up. Loughnane pursues a takedown, and again grounds Kudo for a second or two. Kudo will not accept position on the ground, even when swept to the mat, as he climbs back to his feet time and time again. Kudo rips several knees to the body with his back to the wire, and Loughnane trades them with him until backing away. Kudo leaps forward with big shots, and an uppercut snaps the head back as Loughnane is moving laterally on the outside. As the two come together with Kudo ducking down while Loughnane changes levels, their heads slam together, and a significant cut opens above Kudo’s eye. It is a massive gash, and the kind that appears to be fight-ending as blood is pouring down into Kudo’s eye. Somewhere in the world, Marvin Eastman instinctively touches his scar tissue as if he were Harry Potter. Copeland halts the match, and calls in the doctor to assess the damage of the unintentional blow. It does not take long for the doctor to recognize that there will be no stopping the blood flow to allow Kudo to continue fighting, and he calls off the match. Due to the accidental clash of heads, the fight will go to the scorecards for a technical decision, with judges handing in their tallies for the time that elapsed in the final round. The winner will still earn three points, and all four featherweight contests so far tonight have ended in the hands of the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane (29-28 Kudo)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane (29-28 Kudo)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane (29-28 Kudo)

The Official Result

Brendan Loughnane def. Ryoji Kudo R3 3:00 via Technical Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Lance Palmer (145.8) vs. Chris Wade (146)

Round 1

A pair of fighters that have been around since single-numbered WSOF events will square off in the co-main event. This matchup between Palmer (22-5, 15-5 PFL) and Wade (20-7, 8-5 PFL) is one worthy of the finals, as Palmer has captured two million-dollar checks in his run while Wade has reached the playoffs in all three PFL tourney seasons. This seemingly high-stakes tilt will receive oversight from referee Jacob Montalvo, and these longtime company vets gladly touch gloves. Wade opens as the initial aggressor, threatening with strikes but not committing to anything of note for the first 35 seconds. Wade finally swipes out with a left paw, but it slaps off the target more than actually connecting with it. Wade kicks high and then pushes off with his hand, and fingers rake across Palmer’s eyeball. Palmer clears his eye as Montalvo gives him ample time, and when they start up again, Wade strikes first with a pounding leg kick. Palmer comes up short with a counter overhand right, and Wade kicks the body with a side kick. Palmer times a right hand that knocks Wade off-balance, and “The Long Island Killer” gathers himself and drills Palmer with a right of his own. Palmer scores a low kick, and a jab knocks him back to the wall. Wade stalks his man down and fires off a high kick, one that drills into Palmer’s forehead and does not seem to affect him. Wade score a few leg kicks on his way forward, and he picks at his shorter foe with a long left hand and another low kick. Wade continues to pressure the former champ back, splitting the guard with a front kick and ducking back as Palmer sets up a superman punch. Palmer sits down with a left hook, and Wade eats it like a submarine sandwich and keeps right on moving forward. Palmer chops down the lead leg when Wade advances, and Wade walks right into a body kick. Wade slings a head kick, and when it is blocked, he spins through to just miss with a wheel kick. Wade has a jab countered with a leg kick, and he brings up a kick high that glances off the shoulder. Wade connects with a front kick and a side kick right before the bell to wrap up this close opening period.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wade
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wade
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Palmer

Round 2

Unlike the last round, it only takes Wade three seconds to throw a strike. Wade scores with a kick, and he pushes Palmer back to the wall when Palmer tries to change levels. When Wade leans his man to the cage, he gets off multiple knees on the inside. Palmer fights his way out and cracks Wade with a left hook, but Wade is tough and walks through it to plant several jabs on Palmer’s forehead. Wade leaves a low kick out too long, and Palmer catches it and counters with a left over the top that puts Wade on his seat. Wade powers back up again and chases Palmer down, only to get tagged coming forward. Palmer attacks the lead leg, and he swats away a front kick aimed at his face. Palmer gets off a leg kick as he backpedals, with Wade advancing but not capitalizing on his straight-ahead movement. Palmer swings a home run left hand, and Wade backs off as Palmer lets it linger for a moment, before resetting and looking for another. Wade comes forward to jab up Palmer’s face, tripping Palmer up for a moment while reddening the face of “The Party.” Wade has a straight right hand come across the bow, and a head kick that follows does not wrap over the guard but instead lands on Palmer’s armpit. Palmer leaps ahead with a superman punch, and the very end of it brushes into Wade’s face. Wade is constantly making his foe fight off his back foot, and he just misses with a swinging head kick as Palmer is light on his feet. This is also a close round, one that comes to an end with Palmer spinning with a back fist that is at least a foot short of his intended target.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wade
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wade
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Wade

Round 3

Round 3 kicks off with Wade leading the dance with an overhand left, and it could be anyone’s fight at this point. Wade works Palmer’s lead leg over with kicks from both of his shins, and he pushes out a one-two that Palmer is able to skirt away from and attempt to counter. Instead, Wade meets his counter with an awkward hook kick, one that is just solid enough for Palmer to back off. Palmer then gathers his thoughts, absorbs a jab or two, and rushes in with lunging punches. Wade dips out of the way and jabs out, following one with a straight right and a leg kick that buckles Palmer’s knee momentarily. Palmer gathers his thoughts and shoots in for a double, where he falls straight into guillotine choke danger as Wade actively defends. The choke is tight enough to get Palmer to scramble and ultimately bail on the try, even as Wade partially lands on his seat. They both get back to their feet, and Wade flicks out jabs as he retains the center of the cage. Palmer wings power punches, ones that largely miss the mark, and Wade takes advantage of this by connecting with a pair of body kicks. Palmer backpedals continuously, and Wade rips the body with a kick and then pops Palmer on the nose with the ball of his foot. Wade remains busy enough from a safe distance with his kicks, prompting Palmer to throw one single low kick. The boo birds begin to rain down as these two are tentative to engage, and they pause their booing when Wade spins with a wheel kick and partially connects with it. Palmer reels and comes back at him, but he cannot gain space as Wade kicks at his knee three times in successive efforts. Wade leans back as a Palmer punch soars past his jawline, and he makes Palmer bend over when getting off a knee. They trade leg kicks, and Palmer leaps forward with a left hand that knocks Wade back. After the big blow, Wade backs off to the fence, and the fight mercifully ends. The victor takes home three points, and five men will find themselves tied for first place as every one of the triumphant 145-pound fighters tonight prevailed by decision.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wade (30-27 Wade)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wade (30-27 Wade)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Wade (29-28 Wade)

The Official Result

Chris Wade def. Lance Palmer via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Bruno Henrique Cappelozza (235) vs. Stuart Austin (245.8)

Round 1

It’s time for the main event, and it comes at heavyweight between two men that do not like to leave their fights in the hands of the judges. The 2021 tourney champ Cappelozza (14-5, 4-0 PFL) will aim to start his second run for a giant check, and he will first draw Britain’s “He-Man” Austin (15-7, 0-1 PFL). The final battle of the evening will be accompanied by nonsense-allergic referee Keith Peterson, who may have his night over early given these two fighters’ histories. The big men do not bump fists, as Cappelozza has his war face in and is ready to sling leather. He gets off a leg kick, and he is jittery on his way forward as he delivers another to the same spot. The Brit gives him one back, and Cappelozza swings a huge right hand that lands behind the ear. Austin leans over, possibly for a takedown or perhaps because of the power of the blow, and he finds himself getting mashed into the wire. The Brazilian hunts for a single, and he bails on it when Austin hops around with his balance still about him. Cappelozza manages to spin Austin around and drag him to the floor, but “He-Man” explodes back up and pushes away to get some space. Austin whiffs on an overhand right, and he walks into a left hook as he searches for a takedown of his own. Cappelozza sprawls and lands jackhammering punches on the side of the head, until he manages to bully Austin down to his knee up against the wire. Cappelozza gets off one uppercut before Austin pops back upright, and he jams Austin against the chain links but cannot hold him there. Austin chambers a right hand counter as Cappelozza walks him down, but he does not loose it as Cappelozza clubs him upside the head. The strike, on the side of his head, knocks Austin off-balance and allows Cappelozza to deposit him to the canvas. The Brazilian steps over to half guard, and he maintains a suffocating top position with his shoulder pressed firmly down on Austin’s neck. Cappelozza passes over to three-quarter mount, and advances to full mount as he rains down punches. Clubbing right hands crash into the side of Austin’s head again and again as Austin turtles up, and the Brazilian unloads knowing that a stoppage is right around the corner. As the unanswered punches continue to connect with no sign of slowing, Peterson intervenes to rescue Austin from any more relentless ground-and-pound. The 2021 champ celebrates with his team and anyone willing to listen, as he has now picked up six points to take second place in the heavyweight division – behind just Renan Ferreira, who looks on from the crowd, interested in a future matchup with his countryman. With this long fight card in the books, next week brings PFL's marquee division of welterweight along with the commencement of the women’s lightweight tourney, which will see Kayla Harrison in the top billing that Friday. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

The Official Result

Bruno Henrique Cappelozza def. Stuart Austin R1 4:24 via TKO (Punches)