PFL 8 2022 Playoffs Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Heavyweight Showcase:
Ronny Markes (245) vs. Szymon Bajor (236)

Round 1

After a layover in New York City last week, the PFL has reached The Land of Castles, also known as the nation of Wales. This Cardiff card comes to stateside fans early, and like last week, postlims are in store for audiences worldwide. Before we get through any of that, the PFL is depositing several showcase matchups for next season’s tourney as well as its Challenger Series, depending on results and the level of experience for those involved. This night starts off with a pair of large veterans, one familiar with the WSOF and PFL ranks and the other a newbie of sorts. Markes (22-9, 3-2 PFL) makes his return after a few years away from the company, and he draws KSW and Rizin vet Bajor (23-9, 0-0 PFL) in a battle that most likely will not reach the final bell. Referee Marc Goddard is prepared for that near-eventuality, and he gears up while the two big men touch gloves. Markes leads off with a lead kick that lands with emphasis, and he drills another to the same spot before shooting in for a takedown. Bajor is a brick wall to stop the first attempt, but the second entry from a body lock results in Markes scooping his Polish opponent off his feet and dropping him down on the mat. Markes shifts to half guard to keep Bajor pinned down, and he starts slugging Bajor in the face with right hands. The strikes from the Brazilian are not individually damaging, but the kind that allow him to distract Bajor long enough to advance position and move to take the back. Bajor scrambles at the exact moment Markes strikes, but this allows Markes to claim his back and get a hook in. Bajor recovers to a knee up against the wall, forcing Markes to abandon the hooks, and he absorbs several knees to the thigh as he works his way up. Markes secures a quick mat return by yanking Bajor down from behind, and he secures both hooks and starts pounding. Bajor gets flattened out momentarily but keeps moving, and he squirms well enough to slide out the back door and flip Markes over. Bajor snags half guard now, and he looks to make Markes pay with more powerful ground-and-pound. Markes acquits himself well with head movement off his back, but the body shots connect one after the other from the Polish heavyweight. Bajor’s left hands drop down one after the other on Markes’ undefended chin, and Markes attempts to defend with a kimura off his back for some kind of sweep attempt. The sweep never comes, as Bajor ends the round on top punching his man in the face.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bajor
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-10
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Bajor

Round 2

The big men touch ‘em up to start the second round, and Bajor is the immediate aggressor as he pushes forward. Markes stays on his bike and scores a few more low kicks like the previous round, but Bajor marches through them, scores a right hand over the top and trips Markes out to take him down. Bajor lands in half guard, ready to pick up where he left off in the end of the last frame, and he fights off a sweep attempt from the Brazilian to score strikes from above. They are methodical and effective if not devastating, and there is no need for Goddard to think about stepping in or standing them up given the work rate of the PFL newcomer. Markes turns to his side to block his face from the oncoming fire or try to recover his guard, and those efforts fall short as Bajor postures up to bust him in the chops. Bajor’s breakdown of Markes continues as he works right hands to the body, left to the head, and Goddard asks them for more work. Bajor answers with several loud body shots, and Markes grunts from the blows and sits up. Bajor shoves him back over, but he does end up standing up when Markes kicks him off. Bajor climbs back into the guard without issue, and Goddard intervenes to stand them up just as Bajor lowers himself back down. Bajor ignores a leg kick to wing a one-two, and he powers forward into the clinch and jams the Brazilian into the wire. Markes pushes back, and he leaps in the air with a flying knee. Channeling his inner Fedor Emelianenko, Bajor intercepts Markes mid-air with an overhand right, sending Markes crashing down to the mat as the back of Markes' head clatters off the mat. Markes is not out, but stunned, and he lays there as Bajor strides into his guard to ride out the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bajor
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Bajor
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Bajor

Round 3

The first strikes of the final stanza are leg kicks from the Brazilian, and when he tries to throw leather, Bajor meets him in the middle and blasts him in the jaw with a right hand. In an ensuing scramble, the two heavyweights fall to the mat. Markes is the quicker of the two, circling around to take the back, and he wraps his arms around the neck for an arm-triangle choke. Bajor powerfully turns Markes over to get top position, but Markes is not having it. Markes bursts back up, and he shoves Bajor back to gain some separation. The Brazilian tries to lure his foe into a firefight, and they briefly trade hands, but it is Bajor who wants to change levels. As if to make a point, Bajor surges forward and lifts Markes off the ground to slam him to the canvas. Markes, once more, does not settle for remaining on his back for long, walking his way up the fence to his feet. Bajor clings to his foe while in the clinch, and he connects with an uppercut before Markes forces them to break apart. Markes whiffs on power punches, and a sharp jab snaps his head back as he plods forward. Markes bullies Bajor up to the wire, where he trips Bajor down and puts the Polish man on his seat. Bajor will not stay in this position for long either, sensing the scorecards could be all over the map, and he wants to leave a lasting impression as he jumps back to his feet. Markes hangs on tight, and he manages to take Bajor’s back standing and tries to drag him down from behind. This results in Bajor falling on top of Markes in an awkward situation, until Markes abandons the attempt and gets back up. Markes stays glommed on to Bajor until the final bell ends this grueling heavyweight contest.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Markes (29-28 Bajor)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Markes (29-29)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Markes (29-28 Bajor)

The Official Result

Szymon Bajor def. Ronny Markes via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-27)

Welterweight Showcase:
Chris Mixan (170) vs. Christian Stigenberg (170)

Round 1

Moving things right along, a pair of welterweights with matching records toe the line when ex-bare knuckle MMA competitor and Challenger Series episode 2 victor Mixan (3-1, 1-0 PFL) battles towering Swede Stigenberg (3-1, 0-0 PFL). There is a minor discrepancy in the displayed record of Mixan, who took a bare-knuckle MMA match in 2021 and lost, hence he is not undefeated as claimed. To the victor belongs a phone call to return for some sort of PFL fight next year. The two 170ers touch gloves under the watchful eye of referee Gary Copeland, and there is a lot of range-finding in the early going. Stigenberg tries to use his superior reach to find his target, but it is Mixan who gets in on him first with a swiping left hand and a right to the body. Mixan smoothly dodges the jabs that come his way, but he cannot avoid a straight shot to the body. Mixan gives him one back on the chin, and they measure one another with single strikes. Stigenberg pounds the inner calf with several kicks in rapid succession, forcing Mixan to backpedal as he cannot block or evade the strikes. Mixan slips a jab and gets popped with a one-two, but he gets Stigenberg back with an overhand right. Stigenberg finds his home with another one-two, and Mixan turns his shoulder and looks away, which allows Stigenberg to bust him in the chops with two more follow-up punches. Mixan stays busy with jabs from his preferred safe range, and Stigenberg crowds him and keeps kicking the leg on both sides. Stigenberg catches his man with a pawing left, and a right shakes Mixan up momentarily. The kicks from the Swede are having an appreciable effect, and he sticks his jab in his opponent’s face to distract him. Mixan goes after a four-punch salvo, and Stigenberg slides out of the way of all but one. Mixan strings several punches together to end the round on a high note, putting a close on what had otherwise been more of a sparring match.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Stigenberg
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Stigenberg
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Stigenberg

Round 2

The second round opens up with a glove touch, and they pick up where they left off with range fighting. Mixan puts a little more mustard on his early punches, hoping to get some respect, and Stigenberg is elusive and does not take anything flush. Stigenberg flashes the jab repeatedly, using it to not just punch Mixan in the face but obscure his vision and set up looping right hands. Stigenberg backs Mixan up to the wire and tries exactly this, and Mixan maintains a high guard to block the shelling. Mixan appears befuddled from the jab this round, as Stigenberg utilizes his range at an advantage to beat the Ukraine-representing fighter to the punch. Stigenberg’s jabs do not always land either, with accuracy at a premium halfway through the round, but his big right hand is the difference maker thus far. The Swede chips away with leg kicks when Mixan attacks him, and Mixan cannot quite reach his man with much of his own offense. The lead leg of Mixan is showing some wear from the repeated kicks and stomps to it, and he tries to fight through it by swarming Stigenberg. Stigenberg gets pushed back from a few leaping strikes, but he quickly circles out to resume his own calm, picking and poking approach. Mixan goes up high with a kick, and it bounces off the chin but does not appear to have any other effect. Noticing it lands, however, Mixan chains a few punches together into another head kick, and Stigenberg is wise to it and leans back. Mixan starts working with 20 seconds left in the round, but he gets nullified by the potshots of Stigenberg until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Stigenberg
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Stigenberg
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Stigenberg

Round 3

Fists are bumped to check in the last round, and Mixan throws wide while Stigenberg is sharper and shuts him down with a combination. Mixan mixes things up with low kicks, and he pushes out jabs to the head and body. Stigenberg flicks his jab out constantly, and it allows him to lean away and dodge the winging punches from an increasingly desperate Mixan. Stigenberg beats on the lead leg with both of his own legs, further disrupting the momentum of his opponent. Mixan chains together a combination, and Stigenberg is there to punch him in the face and break up a combo. They land strikes at the same time, but they are no worse the wear for it as their pace rarely shifts. A high kick from the other leg comes from the American by way of Ukraine, and when this fails, he spins with a back kick that lands on the torso. Mixan starts ripping kicks to the body as Stigenberg remains jab-focused, and Mixan doubles his effort with body shots. Mixan chambers and fires a kick to the body, and Stigenberg visibly reacts to it and escapes out the side to not take any further damage. Mixan lets him off the hook, possibly because of dwindling cardio or due to damage in his legs, and he saves his energy for bursts. Mixan suddenly looses a head kick, slamming his foot into the Swede’s face and sending him tumbling to the mat. Stigenberg appears surprised as he climbs back to his feet, and Mixan gives chase only for him to get grabbed and turned to the fencing. Stigenberg fights out of the clinch and looks for a high knee on the break, but Mixan is having nothing of it and he comes out with a big right hand. Mixan whiffs on a spinning back fist, and he lets go with a body kick and a few more punches to end the round likely in his favor…but was it enough?

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mixan (29-28 Stigenberg)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mixan (29-28 Stigenberg)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Mixan (29-28 Stigenberg)

The Official Result

Chris Mixan def. Christian Stigenberg via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Light Heavyweight Showcase:
Mick Stanton (204) vs. Marcin Wojcik (205)

Round 1

In hopes of earning a place next season, or at the very least among the ranks of the subsequent installment of the Challenger Series, light heavyweights from Europe throw down in the cage. Longtime Cage Warriors competitor Stanton (9-6, 0-0 PFL) will shift promotions for the first time since 2017, and he will come to blows with a man known as “The Giant” Wojcik (15-8, 0-0 PFL), who dabbled once in CW but spent more time as a KSW competitor. Only one will come out victorious, and referee Rich Mitchell will know first. The gloves are touched, and Stanton engages first with a looping punch before suddenly moving to take the fight down. The Polish fighter stuffs the first try, only to get set down on the second attempt. Wojcik defends with a guillotine choke off his back, forcing Stanton to pull his neck out and fight his way back up. The two stand up in the clinch, and Wojcik just misses a knee on the break. After a brief attempt to brawl it out, Stanton again attempts to take the fight down, diving so far that he lands on his own face. The ankle is still picked, and Wojcik falls over with his back hitting the fence. Stanton tries to take advantage of this odd situation and even gets a hook in around the back, but Wojcik explodes back upright. Stanton leaps forward for another takedown effort, but this face-down approach backfires as Wojcik pushes his head down and circles around to bowl Stanton over. As they both buck and scramble, Wojcik meanders his way into full mount, much to the dismay of the Brit. Wojcik drops down a few hammers before Stanton turns over. Try as he might, Stanton looks to turn one way or another, and Wojcik flattens him out and starts pounding on him. Mitchell tells Stanton to fight back, and Stanton obliges by turning to his side to get to a more advantageous position. As he does, “The Giant” wraps his arm around the throat, and Stanton has suddenly entered the danger zone. Wojcik secures the forearm beneath the chin for the rear-naked choke, and he uses his right leg to pull Stanton’s arm down to stop the hand-fighting. With the grip crushing down on the windpipe and carotid artery, Stanton has no choice but to surrender, as he would likely go out in seconds given Wojcik’s strength. We have our first finish of the night, and Wojcik has scored stoppages in each of his last seven victories dating back to 2016.

The Official Result

Marcin Wojcik def. Mick Stanton R1 4:04 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Lightweight Showcase:
Josh O’Connor (154) vs. Emran Sakhizada (155)

Round 1

The final match scheduled specifically for the prelims – the swing bout notwithstanding – is a classic battle between Wales and Afghanistan, and also the first appearance of a Welsh fighter tonight. The youngster from Swansea O'Connor (1-0, 0-0 PFL) will represent his home country against Sakhizaada (2-1, 0-0 PFL), who has strung together three MMA fights from 2013 to 2019, with all three ending in Round 1. The lightweights do decide to touch gloves, and referee Gary Copeland is prepared for whatever comes next. The crowd is popping for their home country fighter, and he is amped up as he bounds around the cage. Sakhizaada catches him with one single low kick as O’Connor looks for a body kick, and after a feeling-out process, Sakhizaada catches a kick and attempts a takedown. O’Connor drops to his knees and bounces back up, scrambling before hitting the mat and managing to put Sakhizaada down instead. They jockey for position, with Sakhizaada hitting a beautiful throw that ends up with O’Connor briefly on top, and they both get back up. Sakhizaada attempts to toss his foe again, and this backfires, as the Welshman takes his back and slithers one hook around the waist. Sakhizaada hangs on to the wrist to look to turn about, and he shuts down any offense that can come. O’Connor rolls to follow Sakhizaada, but this results in them both shifting back to their feet. They trade knees while clinched up, and Sakhizaada pushes off and looks to get his hands going. Several blows from the Afghanistan native miss the mark, and O’Connor pierces the guard with a few jabs much to the delight of the partisan crowd. Sakhizaada scores a one-two and a right hand that wobbles O’Connor, but O’Connor gathers himself and circles away. Sakhizaada fakes a flying knee and looks for any other strikes when coming down, but O’Connor is out of the way and playing the matador to his foe’s bull. Sakhizaada wings a high kick that clatters off the shoulder, and he gets jabbed for his effort. O’Connor gets off multiple jabs as he constantly remains moving, and he ducks a booming right hand to move around and grip hold of Sakhizaada from behind. The close round ends in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 O’Connor
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 O’Connor
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 O’Connor

Round 2

The lightweights march out of their corners to engage, and Sakhizaada is the initial aggressor with looping strikes that largely miss the mark. Sakhizaada does however get off several effective leg kicks without O’Connor answering, until O’Connor explodes with a left hand that stops the leg kick barrage. O’Connor crashes forward and gets kneed on the way in, and he backs off to reset. O’Connor looks to take the fight down after getting kicked in the pectoral, and he gets stuffed but manages to push Sakhizaada up against the wall. The Welshman trips Sakhizaada out and blasts him in the face with several right hands, but Sakhizaada bursts back up. O’Connor looks to ground his man again, hunting for trips, and Sakhizaada ends up hunting for his own counter trip only to fall to his back. O’Connor lands in the guard and starts dropping down ground-and-pound, and Sakhizaada quickly looks for a way up and he sits up to return to a knee. When he gets to a knee, O’Connor climbs around to take his back, but this is short-lived after a wild scramble from both men. Sakhizaada moves to his knees and falls into a front choke setup, but he snaps his neck free and stands. O’Connor gets his breath, leaps at his foe with a knee, and Sakhizaada cannot answer. Sakhizaada starts getting loose, hands low, as his gas tank appears to be drained from nearly 10 minutes of a fast pace. Sakhizaada gets off a heavy leg kick, O’Connor marks him up with several jabs, and the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 O’Connor
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 O’Connor
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 O’Connor

Round 3

Sakhizaada strikes first to start off the final round, and O’Connor gives him a taste of his own medicine with several thudding leg kicks. The fighter from Afghanistan crowds his foe and looks for a takedown, but O’Connor shoves him away and busts him in the face with a jab and a high kick. Sakhizaada gathers his thoughts and chips back with a low kick, all while trying to corner his Wales-based opponent. O’Connor’s calf kicks have an immediate impact, slowing the movement of Sakhizaada, and indecipherable chants in favor of O’Connor rain down in the building. Sakhizaada telegraphs a takedown try, and O’Connor pushes him back with ease and busts him in the chops with a one-two. The youngster from Wales surges forward and hits his own takedown, depositing Sakhizaada on the mat briefly. Sakhizaada shifts to his knee, and O’Connor works all the way around to take his back. O’Connor pulls his adversary away from the wire and flattens him out, where he begins smashing Sakhizaada on the side of the head with his fists. Sakhizaada tries to improve his position, but in the process, surrenders his neck to a speedy rear-naked choke. O’Connor thanks him for doing this by setting up the choke, and he throttles Sakhizaada with all his might. Sakhizaada does not go out on his shield, and taps out, as the already-energized crowd explodes with their local fighter getting the finish. The building is electric for this 1-0 fighter pulling off the stoppage over a foreign opponent, ending the prelims with a bang.

The Official Result

Josh O’Connor def. Emran Sakhizaada R3 2:56 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

PFL Europe Qualifiers:
Featherweight: Nathan Kelly (146) vs. Ben Ellis (145)

Round 1

The main card opens not with a semifinal matchup, but instead with a showcase and “PFL Europe qualifier” between two fighters from the area. Kelly (5-2, 0-0 PFL) will serve as one of the most unwelcome men in the building tonight, out of SBG Ireland, as he will be facing Wales’ own Ellis (4-1, 0-0 PFL) at 145 pounds. Since dropping his first two, Kelly has rattled off five straight wins, while Ellis’ entire career to this point took place under the Cage Warriors banner. Both men have something to prove, and they have no interest in touching gloves. Referee Marc Goddard watches from afar, and Kelly starts the fight by charging wildly with a long string of punches that hurt the Welshman early. Inexplicably, the Irishman stops punching and settles to clinch up, with Ellis stung and reeling, and he holds on to seemingly allow Ellis to get back in the fight. After nearly a minute tied up, they split apart, and Kelly again rings Ellis’ bell with punches. Ellis tries to clinch up this time, and Kelly pushes him back and marks him up with punch combinations. There is never just one single strike coming from the SBG Ireland fighter, and they come in bunches and bust Ellis up. Ellis pursues a takedown after getting rocked with a combo, and Kelly staves this off and hops on to take his back as they roll across the cage. Kelly locks down the rear-naked choke, and Ellis fights off the grip but is still in big trouble. Kelly resets his grip and locks it down once more, and this time, Ellis has no way out. Ellis eventually taps out as his throat is getting crushed, and the crowd is silenced in an instant. This was one-way traffic for Kelly, who blew through the local fighter in the first round and earned a place in the PFL Europe series next year.

The Official Result

Nathan Kelly def. Ben Ellis R1 2:45 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

2022 Welterweight Semifinal:
Sadibou Sy (171) vs. Carlos Leal Miranda(171)

Round 1

For both Sy (11-6-2, 1 NC; 5-4-2, 1 NC PFL) and Leal (17-3, 3-0 PFL), everything turned up roses this year. Sy reached the playoffs with upset wins over Nikolay Aleksakhin and Rory MacDonald, while two-time Challenger Series winner Leal slid in by topping Ray Cooper III and getting three more points for a walkover when Aleksakhin pulled out. Within three rounds, the unlikely success story of one of these two welterweights will come to a close, while the other will be one victory away from a $1 million prize. Referee Gary Copeland knows this could go the long haul, so he is prepared in the event they need all 15 minutes to make things official. The sportsmen do not touch ‘em up, and instead Leal is the initial aggressor with leg kicks as he crowds his opponent. Sy stays composed as he backs off, responding with a single low kick and measuring his jab. Leal plods forward, leading with an elbow – this would be illegal under PFL rules – and crashing in to jam Sy against the fencing. The Brazilian backs off and resets, and he paws away a front kick that zips at his midsections. Leal absorbs a second to the that spot, and he rips a low kick and tags Sy with an overhand left. Sy keeps on his bike, picking at the advancing Leal with long punches, but Leal bears down on him and tags him with a left that makes Sy bend over. Sy intercepts his man with reaching jabs, while mixing in the occasional leg kick, but he cannot keep Leal at bay enough to stop the winging strikes. Sy whips a high kick up that partially wraps around the guard, and his jab is beginning to do some damage on Leal’s face. A cut has opened beneath the left eye of Leal, who does not register this and continues moving forward. Leal strides forward through a jab to blast Sy with a left hook, and Sy remains composed and continues pecking at the busted-up cheek with more jabs. Sy chains a jab into a body kick, and Leal considers a spin strike but stops this so that he can open up with a right hook. Leal answers with his own kick to the ribs, and Sy is on his back foot but effectively striking with jabs and distance-keeping front kicks. Leal hits a superman punch to close the distance, and Sy shakes him off to get out of a brief clinch. The round ends with a tense staring contest.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Sy

Round 2

The second frame opens with Leal charging, and he pops Sy with an overhand left early. This allows him to then grip hold of Sy, while not letting Sy get off his sharp jab repeatedly. Lean drops down for a double-leg takedown, but Sy stands him up while clinched up. Leal hangs on in the tie-up, pressing his weight against his opponent and slipping in the occasional knee. Sy manages to get some space, and he immediately starts up his jabbing game, and Leal wants nothing to do with that as he pushes in with winging punches that distract Sy enough to let Leal grab him. Leal attempts a takedown, but when that fails, he turns around to grab Sy from behind. Leal looks for foot sweeps and trips, but Sy is able to keep his feet beneath him and tag his opponent with sharp strikes in a brief exchange. Leal shakes it off and gloms on to the man known as “The Swedish Denzel Washington.” Leal’s punches are much more arcing than his opponent's, and he drills a right hand in the temple that buckles Sy’s knees for a moment. Sy bounces off the wall, and he looks to push Leal back with piercing jabs and straight punches to follow. Leal is the constant aggressor, throwing booming hooks or jamming Sy up against the wire. Leal suddenly drops down in pursuit of a snatch single, and Sy hops away and moves from one side of the cage to the other. The Brazilian doggedly gives chase, and he gets busted up once more on his way in. The sniper that is Sy connects with several sharp punches, and he slips the looping strikes to make Leal pay. Sy runs off and puts his hands in the air seconds before the round ends, and Leal cannot catch him in time to matter before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Leal
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Leal
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Leal

Round 3

The Brazilian contingent in the crowd is exceptionally loud, chanting Leal’s name and drowning out most of the other sound picked up on the microphones placed around the arena. This energizes Leal, who blitzes forward to open the final round and pressure Sy all the way through. Sy slides away and plants body kicks on both sides, and he uses his jabs to break up the hooking blows that come his way. Leal telegraphs his punches as he swings for the bleachers, while Sy is able to peck at him and start the blood flow around the cheek again. Leal nevertheless rushes through the blows to clinch Sy up, and as they are close together, Leal rips a knee up the middle that clacks off the cup and makes Sy collapse to the mat in pain. Sy falls to his back as Copeland calls time to let him recover, and Sy tries to shake his legs and do whatever he can to recover. Sy works his way back to his feet after taking more time, and he motions that he is ready to continue. Copeland deducts one point for the foul – the first foul assessed this fight but one that cost Leal a point – and the fight resumes. Leal is incensed after the point deduction, and he is even more reckless than before. Throwing punches from downtown, and clearly in desperation mode, Leal swarms his opponent and throws heavy leather. The mere forward momentum from Leal results in a clinch, and the two trade knees up close before splitting up. Leal gets cracked as he pushes the pace, but he still bears down on the Swede to go after a takedown. Leal wings wildly and Sy is able to beat him to the punch with jabs, and Sy shifts back when Leal goes for a spinning kick up high. Sy responds with the same strike, and he motions that his landed better. Sy fakes another spin, and Leal charges at him for some kind of takedown. Sy stays mobile, skirting around the edge with a few more jabs, and this fight comes to an end. It will be very interesting to see if PFL has to bust out its draw provisions with the point deduction.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Sy (29-27 Sy)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Sy (29-27 Sy)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 9-9 (28-28)

The Official Result

Sadibou Sy def. Carlos Leal via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

2022 Heavyweight Semifinal:
Matheus Scheffel (259) vs. Juan Adams (265)

Round 1

“Expect the unexpected” is the theme for this first heavyweight semifinal, as neither of these two made it into the playoffs originally. Due to injuries and visa issues, Scheffel (16-8, 1-1 PFL) will get his chance to fight for the giant check after disposing of 2021 champ in his last time out. That same night, Adams (10-4, 1-0 PFL) pounded out Sam Kei, pocketed five points but did not do enough to get the call. As luck would have it for “The Kraken,” he was already in Wales preparing to be an alternate, and he gains that spot thanks in part to his 100% finish rate. Referee Rich Mitchell is good to go for this heavyweight smash-em-up derby, and the large men combining for 524 pounds of meat bump fists before the smashing commences. Adams plods forward, and he punches his way into a double-leg takedown try. The American cannot land it, so he bails on the attempt after getting kneed in the chest. Adams responds in kind when going back to the clinch, and Scheffel explodes out to break the tie-up. Scheffel pushes out a quick jab as Adams advances towards him, but it does not deter Adams from another takedown attempt. Adams looks for a single, even going so far as to pick Scheffel’s right leg in the air, and he gets popped with several left hands in the process. “The Kraken” completes the takedown by dragging Scheffel down, and he exerts his full body weight on his opponent. Scheffel works his way upright again and busts Adams in the chops, staggering the large American, but not putting him down. Adams works his way to the clinch, and he trips Scheffel’s legs out and sets him down. “Buffa” powers back up, and Adams plods forward and appears to be fatigued after wrestling for the good part of a round. Adams backpedals as Scheffel finds his range, and he tags Adams repeatedly with combinations while Adams can only reply with low kicks. The round ends as Adams takes a few steps back from taking a couple punches clean on the dome.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Scheffel
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Scheffel
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Scheffel

Round 2

The second round opens slowly, with Scheffel cautious of possible takedowns while Adams had his bell rung at the tail end. Scheffel marks his man up with jabs, doing so enough to bust up the nose of his foe. Adams powers forward into a double, but Scheffel sees it coming, skirts out of the way and rips the body with a left hand. Scheffel is the far fresher of the two, and he targets the body with impunity. Adams works his way forward in an effort to take the fight down and stop the facial damage from growing, and he lifts Scheffel up in the air and deposits him gingerly to the canvas. When Scheffel looks to get up, Adams pulls the rear leg out from beneath his opponent to dump him back down. Scheffel does not take damage when he is grounded, and he slowly climbs back to his feet. Scheffel sucks wind as well, but he continues working on Adams from range until Adams crashes the pocket to take him down. Scheffel gets bullied back to the wall and has his right leg stripped out once more, and he pops back up with seconds to spare. Two winging punches blast Adams on the jaw right before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Scheffel
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Scheffel
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Scheffel

Round 3

The big men touch fists respectfully to start the last round, and Adams tosses out a single low kick to begin. Scheffel puts punches in bunches together, knocking Adams’ head back with every single strike that connects with his face. The hair of Adams wobbles back and forth as Scheffel pummels him, and Adams responds with a low kick that slides up to the groin. Scheffel does not want to stop, and he instead glares at Adams and then Mitchell until Mitchell uncomfortably restarts the action. Scheffel digs a left to the body, and Adams responds with a looping left hand that completely gets ignored. Scheffel reaches out with his fists, and Adams absorbs one and complains of an eye poke. Mitchell looks on but does not intervene, and Scheffel loads up on bombs and shakes Adams to his core. Adams is tough, and Mitchell keeps a close eye on the American, and he manages to muster up a few punches and a leg kick. Scheffel’s pace has fallen off, as he resorts to jabs, but those jabs target a fast-closing right eye of “The Kraken.” Scheffel stays in Adams’ face, not at all concerned about a takedown try, as he lands flush with practically everything he throws. One such left hand from Scheffel forces a stumble out of Adams, who did not see it coming and is hanging on for dear life. The lefts can’t miss for Scheffel, and Mitchell tells Adams to fight back. When Adams backs off after taking part of a left hook on the chin, Mitchell suddenly steps in to call an end to the fight, and he must have seen something the cameras could not catch. The fight is over, and Adams looks around confused but is too spent and damaged to offer any form of protest. Scheffel is now the first finalist at heavyweight, taking out a tough but ultimately outmatched opponent on exceptionally short notice.

The Official Result

Matheus Scheffel def. Juan Adams R3 3:45 via TKO (Punches)

2022 Heavyweight Semifinal:
Ante Delija (242) vs. Renan Ferreira (257)

Round 1

The second semifinal in the heavyweight bracket comes between 2021 finalist Delija (21-5, 5-2 PFL) and the Brazilian skyscraper Ferreira (9-3, 1 NC; 3-1, 1 NC PFL), with the latter posting a finish rate of 89% and the power to make another happen at any time. The fight destined for violent ends will receive oversight from referee Marc Goddard, and it begins with a glove touch. Delija strikes first with a sneaky right hand, and he ducks haymakers that blow his hair back. Delija takes the smart move of dropping in for a double-leg takedown, and he pushes the sizable Brazilian back to the fence in the process. One of the few glancing blows landed thus far from Ferreira has opened a cut on the hairline of his opponent, and Delija leaks blood as he presses his weight on “Problema.” The Croatian drives through the hips all the way to lift Ferreira off the ground and slam him down. When Ferreira hits the mat, he throws his legs up for a triangle choke almost on instinct, and Delija pushes past it with ease and looks to find a home in the guard. Ferreira utilizes effective butterfly hooks to push off the hips, until Delija sits up and busts him in the chops. Ferreira is busy off his back to shove his man off of him, and he succeeds momentarily before “Walking Trouble” lowers himself back in the guard. Delija squeezes Ferreira’s back against the wire while keeping him grounded, and he drops down several hammerfists and dodges a punch from below in the process. Ferreira keeps a two-on-one grip on Delija’s right wrist to stifle much of the offense, but Delija wriggles his arm free and starts dropping down ground-and-pound. The punches from Delija force Ferreira to turn from side to side, and they are starting to do some serious damage and draw reactions out of his opponent. Ferreira soon finds that he has to shell up and guard his head from the onslaught, and Delija is sitting on him battering him with unanswered blows. There is no stop to the punches, so Goddard has no choice but to step in and call a halt to the match. This is a monumental win for the Croatian, who goes over to celebrate with teammate Peter Aerts and countryman Mirko Filipovic, and then breaks down in tears as he claims a spot in the finals.

The Official Result

Ante Delija def. Renan Ferreira R1 4:31 via TKO (Punches)

2022 Welterweight Semifinal:
Rory MacDonald (171) vs. Dilano Taylor (169)

Round 1

It pays to be prepared. Taylor (9-2, 2-1 PFL) steps into this headliner, and two wins away from a million bucks, as he was ready to compete when Magomed Umalatov could not get a visa to enter the country. It may be a tough test, but “The Postman” is ready to deliver ex-Bellator champ MacDonald (23-9-1, 2-3 PFL) a loss. The main eventers will be joined by referee Marc Goddard in the cage, and these welterweights decide to touch gloves prior to initiating hostilities. It takes a matter of seconds for MacDonald to go after the grappling, but this does not work his favor when Taylor turns the Canadian over to his back. Taylor climbs into the guard, which is dangerous as MacDonald works offensive maneuvers off of it. “The Red King” pursues a triangle choke that turns to an omoplata setup, but the late replacement is wise to both and positions himself into half guard to shut down any further attempts from this angle. Taylor maintains position, landing a few punches, until MacDonald decides to simply sit up and get to his feet as if he were a welterweight Derrick Lewis. When upright again, Taylor implements his long striking game, popping out a few jabs and clipping MacDonald with a left hook. Taylor unloads a heavy leg kick, and MacDonald replies with a fake takedown effort that is nowhere close to coming together. The jabs of Taylor slash open a cut on MacDonald’s left eyebrow, and he continues to target that spot with more. MacDonald responds with an overhand right, and he follows by digging a right to the body. Follow-up shots are nowhere near the mark, as Taylor sticks and moves with mixed offense high and low. Out of nowhere, Taylor unleashes a venomous right hand that drills into MacDonald’s temple and separates him completely from his senses. “The Red King” crumples to the mat, clearly done for the day, and Taylor makes sure to hammer the nail with a bevy of standing-to-ground hammerfists that turn to jackhammering left hands until Goddard rescues MacDonald from any further punishment. What an upset for Taylor, making the most of this short-notice opportunity while becoming the first fighter in nearly four years to finish the durable Canadian. Taylor runs to celebrate and cheer with anyone he can find, while MacDonald takes his gloves off and departs the cage. While questions will certainly loom about the future of MacDonald, more imminent ones lie with Taylor, who bursts onto the PFL scene this year and will face Sadibou Sy for a golden belt and a check totaling one million dollars in a few months.

The Official Result

Dilano Taylor def. Rory MacDonald R1 3:59 via TKO (Punches)

PFL Europe Qualifiers:
Bantamweight: Moktar Benkaci (134) vs. Francesco Nuzzi (135)

Round 1

The tournament-based fights are over, and now local fans in the building and those hungry for action still tuning into the broadcast will get some bonus content in the form of postlims. This first postlim comes at 135 pounds, a division new to the organization. France’s Benkaci (20-7, 1 NC; 0-0 PFL) is nicknamed “Le Kabyle” for the people that live in the Kabylia region in northern Algeria. Nuzzi, of Italy, will carry a 9-1 record into his Professional Fighters League debut. Referee Rich Mitchell draws the charge for this 135-pound pairing, and a touch of gloves sets the stage for the action to come. Nuzzi leads the dance by booting Benkaci upside the head with his shin, and Benkaci takes it flush and returns fire with a kick to the midsection. Nuzzi darts away from the subsequent offense, and he slaps out a kick back at the Frenchman that lands with an audible slap. Benkaci looks for a few punches up top and a high kick, but Nuzzi is able to slide back and line up a left hand. Benkaci blocks a body kick and slips a one-two, and he leans forward to nail his foe with a straight right hand. Nuzzi gets snagged for a clinch, and he fights it off before Benkaci can set up any strikes. A big head kick from Nuzzi shakes up his man even though it gets blocked, and he follows suit with a firm right hand on the noggin. Benkaci’s counters are inaccurate, but he does connect with a left hand that opens a cut on the corner of Nuzzi’s eye. Nuzzi targets the body with a kick, and he steps in with a flush knee on the jaw. Benkaci takes it all cleanly and continues plodding forward fearlessly, even as he absorbs another kick to the ribcage. Benkaci shakes his head after taking a few punches cleanly, and Nuzzi throws a few more to draw a similar reaction – the damage is done, no matter what Benkaci may try to signal. As they jump with knees at the same time, one bounces into Nuzzi’s groin cup and causes an immediate pause in the action. After less than 60 seconds, Nuzzi is good to go, and Benkaci apologizes for the accidental foul. They start up fast enough, with big hooks at the same time. Benkaci gets the better of the exchanges, knocking Nuzzi back. Nuzzi misses with a spinning back kick and a back fist, but he misses with both and is driven back to thew all with effective strikes from the Frenchman. Nuzzi belts his foe in the face with his shin, and Benkaci tanks it and keeps right on coming forward. Benkaci looks for a clinch after punching his way forward, but Nuzzi will have nothing of it and circles away. Benkaci staggers his foe with a left hand and drops him to a knee, and Nuzzi turns tail and runs away when he gets cracked a second time. Benkaci catches Nuzzi on the way out and drops him with a chasing left, and the round ends while Benkaci is pounding on him.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Benkaci
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Benkaci
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Benkaci

Round 2

Between rounds, Mitchell warns Benkaci not to run away again. Benkaci nods, and the fight resumes in a firefight. Nuzzi clips Benkaci with a right hand as they trade leather, giving Benkaci some pause to simply wade into the fire. Benkaci measures with a slapping kick to the body, and Nuzzi fires back with four punches over the top. Nuzzi sits down on a high body kick, and he gets swiped with a left hand. Nuzzi intercepts an advancing Benkaci with a left, and Benkaci decides to back off and get another angle on the way in. Benkaci goes back to giving chase, and he shakes Nuzzi up with a left hand. Seeing he has done some serious damage, he loads up on three more punches that drop Nuzzi down to the mat. Benkaci leaps down on top to start busting up Nuzzi, but he cannot get the finish before Nuzzi somersaults around and pushes off the fence to stand up. Benkaci calmly advances like a Terminator, delivering some punishment as Nuzzi’s strikes no longer faze him. Benkaci looks to Mitchell after landing a nasty combination, and he opens up several more cuts on Nuzzi’s face. Nuzzi has grown a crimson mask from the beating absorbed thus far, and Benkaci adds to it with several more left hands. Nuzzi gathers himself, gets off the fencing and rips a kick to the body. Benkaci shrugs at him and blocks a spinning back fist, while shaking his head to discourage Nuzzi from any such inaccurate attempt. Benkaci pins several punches right on the same spot, and as he pushes off at the end of a combination, his finger jams straight into Nuzzi’s eye. The Italian drops to his knees and lets out a cry of pain, and Mitchell calls in the doctor immediately to check it out. Nuzzi informs the doctor that he cannot see, and the physician wisely calls an end to the fight – a fighter that cannot see is not going to be able to do so safely. With two of the three rounds not completed, the ruling will be a no contest, as the foul is assessed as an accidental and not intentional one. Benkaci is outraged at this result, as he thinks Nuzzi was not that compromised from the poke. The crowd showers the cage with boos as the official result is read, but nothing more can be done.

The Official Result

Mokhtar Benkaci vs. Francesco Nuzzi is Ruled a No Contest (Accidental Eye Poke) R2 4:10

PFL Europe Qualifiers:
Lightweight: Vojto Barborik (154) vs. Radu Maxim (155)

Round 1

This next postlim, coming in the lightweight class, comes between competitors are coming off losses. Barborik (13-2, 0-0 PFL) fell short in a five-round decision to fellow countryman Ivan Buchinger for the Oktagon title nearly a year ago, while Maxim (9-2, 0-0 PFL) has not set foot in cage as a pro since late 2018. The winner here should be destined for a slot on the PFL Europe circuit, but an impressive performance could do more for their burgeoning careers. This showcase will be officiated by referee Gary Copeland, and there is a swift but respectful glove touch to start things off. Maxim strikes first with a leg kick, and he quickly sprints forward in pursuit of a takedown. It lands, and he puts Barborik on the ground in a hurry. Barborik scrambles, nearly hitting a sweep, but Maxim is wise to it and fights it off. They keep moving in rapid ground exchanges, and Barborik succeeds in flipping Maxim over and climbs on top. Maxim does not settle in this position, and he explodes to shove the Slovakian fighter to his back. As he does, Barborik’s leg is posted on the ground in a funny position, and the resulting burst of movement cranks it in the wrong direction inadvertently. When Barborik falls to his back, he reaches to his right knee that clearly suffered an injury, and Copeland recognizes this and calls the fight off immediately. The doctors rush in to check on Barborik, who is in agony from the knee pain, and he is unable to stand again even when the official decision is announced. Maxim remains on his knees out of respect while Barborik is tended to, and he goes over to console his ailing adversary before getting his hand raised.

The Official Result

Radu Maxim def. Vojto Barborik R1 1:50 via TKO (Knee Injury)

PFL Europe Qualifiers:
Light Heavyweight: Will Fleury (205) vs. Anthony Salamone (203)

Round 1

The postlims conclude with what should be a fun clash at 205 pounds between two fighters with solid win streaks at their backs. SBG Ireland representative Fleury (10-3, 0-0 PFL) has won his last three, the last of which for the UAE Warriors title in March, while Salamone (7-0, 0-0 PFL) has not tasted defeat after seven outings thus far. Someone’s good fortune is about to come to an end in the next 15 minutes or less, and referee Marc Goddard will have the honor of watching it all fall apart for one fighter. They touch gloves, and Salamone tests the waters early with low calf kicks. Fleury is out of range when he lashes back with a few straight left hands, but a kick to the body connects cleanly. Salamone darts in to score a right hand, and as that comes up shy of the mark, he looses a kick to the body. Fleury leans back with a high kick try, and Salamone blocks it and continues slowly moving forward. They clinch up in the center of the cage, and the Frenchman works a few knees up the middle before being turned around. Fleury lets him go, and he attempts to deliver his shin to the dome. Fleury steps in with a straight left that knocks the unbeaten fighter back, looking to follow it up with other strikes, and Salamone grabs him and turns him about to stop the flurry from Fleury. The fighters reach at one another at range, and the Irishman connects with a left over the top. At the same time, Salamone pushes back with his fingers outstretched, and Goddard pauses the fight momentarily to admonish the French fighter for his foul. When they get back to it, the two men trade body kicks, and Fleury loops a left hand around the guard. There is a lull in the action, with the two resorting to single strikes to the body and head, and they potshot one another one after the other as if they were taking turns. Salamone points his fingers out again, and Goddard calls time and gives Salamone a hard warning for this – as it is a foul in the Unified Rules, not just the poke itself but even leading with the fingers outstretched. When they get back to it, Salamone circles on the outside and blocks a head kick, and the bell sounds to end the odd round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fleury
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Fleury
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Fleury

Round 2

The light heavyweights touch ‘em up to open up Round 2, and they back off to measure one another. Salamone steps through a jab to loop a right hand on the chin, and Fleury responds with his own left hook that connects to a similar spot. This fight has turned into a mirror match of sorts, with one tossing a body kick and the other doing the same, or a punch over the top, or a jab, and so on. Fleury breaks this pattern up with a second body kick, and he steps in with two punches and a high kick that are all blocked. Salamone digs a left hand under the guard to the liver, and Fleury ignores it so that he can release another head kick. The undefeated fighter keeps his high guard to defend it, so Fleury uses his left leg to kick the body and thigh. When Salamone attempts a kick response, he leaves it out too long, allowing Fleury to ding him with a straight left down the pipe. The volume is exceptionally low for the unbeaten Frenchman, who has few answers for the range and kick-heavy approach of Fleury. Fleury snaps the head back with a left hand, and he follows it with another that snakes around the guard and right on Salamone’s nose. The crowd grows restless due to the lack of action thus far, and Fleury pays it no mind and continues his slow but methodical attack. Fleury sneaks a head kick right over the guard, and he grins as he lands it and starts showboating and motioning Salamone to come at him. The commentary team of former fighters Sean O’Connell, Randy Couture and Kenny Florian are not impressed by the in-cage performances, noting that more action should be coming in lieu of showboating. Fleury gets off a couple more punches and kicks, Salamone answers with one or two, and the slow round wraps.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fleury
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Fleury
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Fleury

Round 3

Before the last round begins, Goddard goes over to tell Salamone how to hold his hands once more, and Salamone appears receptive and slightly apologetic. The last round kicks off with a lot of measuring and range-finding, and Fleury finds it first with a right jab and left to follow. The head kick from the Irishman comes shortly thereafter, and it skims the side of his foe’s head to little immediate effect. The pace wanes as they remain in safe kickboxing range, and Fleury keeps going with head kicks and laughing when they do get through. Fleury digs his shin into the liver, and he points at the spot he struck. Fleury flurries forward to distract Salamone so that he can pursue a takedown, and he dumps Salamone down to the mat. The undefeated fighter turns to a knee and gives his back up while trying to stand, so Fleury claims it with a hook around the back and uses his full body weight to keep his opponent pressed down. Every so often, Fleury drops down a single punch or hammerfist, with control his key goal. Goddard tells him to work, and Fleury obliges with a few more left hands. Fleury softens his man up with repeated punches, doing enough until Salamone sits up to stand. Fleury keeps him stuck in this posture, where he raps his fist on the side of Salamone’s noodle. The strikes are all on the ear or face, and Fleury starts talking. The words of Fleury are colorful and would be bleeped were this fight on television, and Goddard tells him he cannot say those words in the cage – offensive or derogatory language is another foul under the Unified Rules. Salamone scrambles with all his might to stand up, and he grabs the fence and his foe's glove several times to get back up. One such fence or glove grab draws a point deduction out of Goddard, who does not step in to separate them and instead calls it out and assesses it for the judges to see. Salamone gets punched in the face several times when trying to stand, and when he succeeds with moments to go, he absorbs multiple knees to the midsection. The tepid fight comes to an end after 15 full minutes elapse.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Fleury (30-26 Fleury)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-8 Fleury (30-26 Fleury)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-8 Fleury (30-26 Fleury)

The Official Result

Will Fleury def. Anthony Salamone via Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-25)

Light Heavyweight Swing Bout:
Lee Chadwick (205) vs. Przemyslaw Mysiala (205)

Round 1

This swing bout – one that now finds its way all the way at the end of the postliminary card – is a light heavyweight showcase rumble between two men above the age of 36 and a wealth of experience for each. The world-traveling Mysiala (24-11-1, 0-0 PFL), known for stints in KSW, Bellator and “The Ultimate Fighter” will square off with Liverpool’s Chadwick (27-16-1, 0-0 PFL), who spent time with organizations like Bellator and ACB in the past as well. In their 51 combined wins, they have only needed the judges for the final call eight times, so referee Rich Mitchell may be needed if the scorers are not. A touch of gloves between these grizzled sportsmen opens the fight, and Chadwick comes out sporting two knee braces and a long jab to reach out. Mysiala wings a left hand that blows the hair back, and he charges forward into a takedown entry. The two light heavyweights do a little dance as they fight for or against a takedown, and Mysiala manages to muscle the Brit down. Chadwick turns to his knees as he looks to escape, and Mysiala follows him all the way through so that he can hammer his foe with punches on the side of the head. When Chadwick sits up, Mysiala threatens with a choke attempt. Chadwick keeps moving, slumping to his back and letting one hook get in from behind. Mysiala hangs on tight while Chadwick twists and turns, but this only puts “The Butcher” in a worse position as Mysiala gets both of his hooks in. Mysiala gets off a few short punches around the side of the head, and he postures up in pursuit of full mount. Chadwick does not let this succeed, and he moves to his knees even as Mysiala tries to lock in a body triangle. Chadwick fights his way all the way back up to his feet again, and he turns Mysiala around in the clinch and pushes off. Chadwick suddenly unleashes a fury of knees and punches, knocking Mysiala back against the fence and ringing his bell. Mysiala shoves him back so that he can get some space, and Chadwick gathers himself and prepares for another salvo. Chadwick slugs it out with Mysiala, landing more than absorbing, and causing some blood to flow around Mysiala’s right eye. Chadwick welcomes a slugfest, motioning Mysiala to throw with him, and Mysiala obliges as defense is at a premium at this point. Chadwick goes after a single, and he limps forward when he does not get it to go after one final exchange at the bell. The round ends, and it could be scored either way depending on what one values.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mysiala
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Mysiala
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Mysiala

Round 2

Chadwick is energized coming out of his corner, and he starts throwing heat early and often. Mysiala backpedals to avoid the strikes, and he whiffs on a left hook. Chadwick steps in with an overhand right, slamming it into Mysiala’s head around the guard, and he chains a left hand into it. Mysiala reels and ducks down, and Chadwick intercepts him with an uppercut. When Mysiala prepares to throw back, Chadwick promptly ducks the blow and hit a clean takedown that is more of a tackle than a specific wrestling-based move. Chadwick, in a very open guard, looks to set up ground strikes, and Mysiala moves to not take any of them flush. Mysiala manages to push off the hips to make Chadwick stand up, but Chadwick is quick to jump back down so that he can start slugging away. Right hands from Chadwick land repeatedly until he sees an opening for an arm-triangle choke. When that fails to materialize, the Brit elects to go back to a strategy of punching Mysiala in the face repeatedly. Chadwick moves to half guard and keeps Mysiala trapped on his back, and attempts for Mysiala to sit up are thwarted. Chadwick cannot get any serious ground-and-pound off thanks to the guard held by his opponent, and he pushes his chest on Mysiala’s face for a smother choke that is partially an arm-triangle as well. Mysiala has had enough of this, and he explodes back to his feet. Chadwick answers this by pressing Mysiala against the wall, as Mysiala takes very heavy breaths. Chadwick backs off to let his hands go again, and he lands a few and gets kicked in the face right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chadwick
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Chadwick
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Chadwick

Round 3

The 205ers touch gloves one last time to start off the last round of the night, and they are both gassed after 10 minutes in. The first offense comes from Mysiala, who shoots in for a single and bowls Chadwick over. Chadwick briefly considers a guillotine choke off his back, but nothing comes of it. Chadwick grips the left arm of the Polish fighter in pursuit of a kimura sweep, and Mysiala yanks his arm out but cannot keep Chadwick pinned down. Chadwick, hands down, plods forward as he sticks a few punches out. Mysiala scores a single uppercut, and Chadwick charges forward but has his punches blocked. Mysiala hunts for another takedown, and the Brit stuffs this and lets Mysiala stand back up. Chadwick slips multiple jabs and gets a right hand off over the top. The pace has notably waned from these two, and Chadwick lulls his foe into a false sense of security before suddenly blitzing with a fury. An uppercut rocks Mysiala, and he scores a few punches to force Mysiala to rebound off the cage. Mysiala shakes it off and is barely on his feet, and he somehow summons the energy to throw back and engage in a slugfest. These two are so tired, a fierce exchange knocks not one but both mouthpieces out. Mitchell laughs and pauses the fight to have both men put them back in, and they continue with less than a minute to spare. Mysiala bends over to catch his breath on the break, and he gains enough breath to surge ahead and take Chadwick down. Chadwick climbs back up at the 10-second clapper, and when he fights out of the clinch, Mysiala tags him with a few more punches and a knee to put an end to this exhausting fight and concludes the night’s action – for the PFL. The UFC is going on at this exact moment, and Sherdog’s coverage of this other event be found at this link if fight fans are not finished enjoying their live combat today. The welterweight and heavyweight semifinals are in the books as are several more qualifiers for next year. One more week of playoffs remains, with this fight card coming next Saturday in London. On that show, featherweights and women’s lightweights will vie for places in their respective million-dollar brackets. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chadwick (29-28 Chadwick)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Chadwick (29-28 Chadwick)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Chadwick (29-28 Chadwick)

The Official Result

Lee Chadwick def. Przemyslaw Mysiala via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)