Featherweight Brahyan Zurcher Secures Contract on PFL Challenger Series 6

Unbeaten Xtreme Couture representative Brahyan Zurcher locked down a Professional Fighters League contract during Week 6 of the PFL Challenger Series, as he took care of David Evans with a neck crank in the second round of their featherweight showcase on Friday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Evans (5-2, 0-1 PFL) bowed out 1:37 into Round 2, suffering the first submission defeat of his career.

Zurcher (5-0, 3-0 PFL) tore into his counterpart’s body and lead leg with kicks, flurried with power punches and struck for a takedown late in the first round. He transitioned from half guard to side control and eventually advanced to the back, securing his position with a body triangle just as time expired. Zurcher landed another takedown early in the middle stanza, climbed to the back and snaked his arms into position for the fight-ending crank.

The 26-year-old Zurcher has finished three of his five opponents by submission.

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Meanwhile, SBG Ireland export Nathan Kelly disposed of Zachary Hicks with an arm-triangle choke in the first round of their featherweight confrontation. Kelly (7-2, 2-0 PFL) drew the curtain 2:30 into Round 1 of what was a virtually flawless performance.

Hicks (8-5, 0-1 PFL) never factored into the equation. Kelly delivered a takedown from the clinch a little more than 90 seconds into the match and progressed to full mount soon after. From there, he wasted no time in his pursuit of the finish. Kelly bit down on the arm-triangle, tightened his squeeze and forced the tapout.

Kelly, 25, has rattled off seven consecutive victories.

Elsewhere, former Ring of Combat and Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder James Gonzalez put away Vikas Singh Ruhil with punches in the first round of their featherweight tilt. Ruhil (12-7, 0-1 PFL) succumbed to blows 4:20 into Round 1, his three-fight winning streak having run its course.

Gonzalez (10-5, 1-0 PFL) established his foothold with a series of kicks to the body and legs. Ruhil pressed him to the fence late in the first round and cut loose with punches, only to leave himself open for a counterattack. Gonzalez floored him with a clubbing right hand, jumped into full mount and tuned up the ground-and-pound until referee Josh Rutgers had seen enough.

The 33-year-old Gonzalez has won four of his past five bouts.

Finally, undefeated Tropa Thai prospect Gabriel Braga kept his perfect professional record intact with a unanimous decision over Ago Huskic in their three-round featherweight affair. All three judges sided with Braga (9-0, 1-0 PFL): 30-25, 30-27 and 29-28.

The 28-year-old Huskic (8-6, 0-1 PFL) was game but outmatched. Braga executed takedowns in all three rounds, climbed to full mount on multiple occasions and piled up points with ground-and-pound. He did his best work in Round 1, where he advanced to the back, secured his position with a body triangle and nearly cinched a rear-naked choke. While a finish failed to materialize, Braga had set the tone for what was to come.

Huskic now finds himself on a four-fight losing streak.