PFL 2022 Championships Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Lightweight Amateur Bout:
Biaggio Ali Walsh (154.8) vs. Tom Graesser (154.8)

Round 1

The Professional Fighters League owns this weekend as the only big show in town, and New York City on Black Friday will play host to its banner event. Six belts, and corresponding million-dollar checks, will be on the line tonight, and PFL will be selling its wares on pay-per-view. Before the $50 main card replete with championships galore, we begin in the prelims with an amateur contest. The grandson of all-time great Muhammad Ali, Ali Walsh (1-1, 0-0 PFL), will try to make a splash on the PFL stage. He will meet longtime amateur Graesser (1-4, 0-0 PFL), who has been competing for over a decade to this point. The first assignment of the night goes to referee Keith Peterson so we can start off the night nonsense-free, and the lightweights touch gloves to seal the cage and start the night. The first of three three-minute rounds begin with a right hand from Ali Walsh, and he stings Graesser right out of the gate. Ali Walsh strings together a low kick into a few punches over the top, and a cut has immediately opened on the top of Graesser’s head. Ali Walsh connects with a front kick that makes his foe hit the mat, and when Graesser climbs back up, Ali Walsh is on him with a ferocious and accurate combination. Graesser backs off and shells up, hurt badly from the blows connecting at a fierce clip, but Ali Walsh is not about to let him off the hook. As Graesser responds with any type of offense to keep his charging opponent honest, Ali Walsh slips the oncoming punches and unleashes a destructive right hand that separates Graesser from his senses. Graesser hits the mat flat on his back like a sack of potatoes, and Ali Walsh knows his work here is done, striding off as Peterson calls the fight. An impressive performance from Ali Walsh starts the night off in style, and if this is the shape of things to come, it could be quite the entertaining night.

The Official Result

Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Tom Graesser R1 0:45 via KO (Punch)

Women’s Flyweight Showcase:
Dakota Ditcheva (125.6) vs. Katherine Corogenes (124.2)

Round 1

A showcase between undefeated flyweights takes center stage to continue the prelims, as it will be professional MMA matches from here on out. Fresh off a dramatic sub-minute win in August, Ditcheva (6-0, 1-0 PFL) aims to become a household name one day, and she will have to get past Corogenes (3-0, 0-0 PFL) to keep that spotless record intact. There is no touch of gloves between the ladies as referee Dan Miragliotta watches on, and instead Ditcheva wants to get right after it and reaches out with a front kick. Corogenes keeps her guard high, so Ditcheva kicks low. Corogenes scores a left hand but is met with a forearm, and Ditcheva backs off and tosses out a few more kicks up the middle. “The Animal” charges into the clinch, and on her way in, the Brit sharply intercepts her with her fists, marking up Corogenes’ mug. Corogenes manages to still get the clinch, and they stall out as they twist one another around with their backs to the wall. Corogenes considers a level change, but Ditcheva stands her up and sneakily trips Corogenes down to the floor. Ditcheva drops down hammerfists as she moves into the guard, and Corogenes hunts for sweeps and pushes off the hips. The shove manages to force Ditcheva back to her feet, where she lords above Corogenes and whips low kicks at her knees and thighs. Miragliotta stands Corogenes up, and Ditcheva walks straight forward and jabs her in the face. Ditcheva prepares a head kick as Corogenes advances, but it just misses. The two front kicks that follow find their home on the chin, and Corogenes grabs the second one and lifts the leg high in the air in hopes of throwing the Brit to the mat. Ditcheva keeps her balance, lowers her leg and hops back to the cage. Corogenes remains tightly pressed to her adversary, but Ditcheva breaks out with a knee to the body and one to the jaw. A stunned Corogenes backpedals, but she cannot move backwards faster than Ditcheva rushing towards her. “Dangerous Dakota” lets go with a right hand, follows with a low kick, and uncorks a bomb of a right hook that puts Corogenes to sleep. Miragliotta dives in as soon as Corogenes clatters to the floor, and a confident and still undefeated Ditcheva marches to her corner to celebrate her knockout.

The Official Result

Dakota Ditcheva def. Katherine Corogenes R1 4:20 via KO (Punch)

Catchweight Showcase:
Magomed Magomedkerimov (175.8) vs. Gleison Tibau (174.6)

Round 1

Due to some obstacles this year, 2018 PFL welterweight champ Magomedkerimov (29-6, 12-1 PFL) was unable to reach the playoffs. In a similar boat after only one regular season appearance, UFC vet Tibau (37-16, 2-2 PFL) will meet him in the cage in a 175-pound prearranged catchweight affair. Other than the main event, Magomedkerimov (“MMK” for short) as well, is the largest betting favorite of the day, with odds north of -500 territory. Whether Tibau can spring the upset or not, referee Bryan Miner and his ref cam will be the first to know. The established veterans do not touch gloves so much as they hug to introduce themselves, and the fight begins. The first strike comes in about 25 seconds, in the form of a kick to the thigh from the Russian. Magomedkerimov reaches out with jabs and keeps Tibau at bay, with reach on his side. “MMK” leaps forward with a right hand that bounces off the head, and Tibau retreats to avoid any further damage. As a stalemate ensues between the two fighters, a man shouts “Do Something!” from the crowd, and the audience erupts into laughter. Magomedkerimov considers a level change, grabbing a leg, but Tibau slides his leg back without issue. Magomedkerimov sticks the body with a left hand, and he slips a counter left hand that whizzes past his head. As the former champ attempts another charge, Tibau plants his feet and nails Magomedkerimov with a left hook. The Russian blinks it out and walks forward, largely throwing single strikes. The two fighters appear to be slipping and sliding with their feet on the floor, but this does not cause any ill effects. Magomedkerimov paws out with a left hand, and a stomping kick to his foe’s knee is far more effective. The in-and-out attacks of Magomedkerimov do enough to fluster Tibau, and the tepid round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov

Round 2

A double touch of gloves starts off Round 2, and Tibau is the immediate aggressor as he races forward, snatching up a leg from his opponent and putting him on the ground. The Russian does not spend more than a few seconds on his back before exploding out of position and returning to his feet. The two fighters clinch up for an extended period with little offense on the inside, and they break after about a minute. Magomedkerimov spins with a kick as boos rain down from a section of the crowd, and the two tentatively reach at one another. The pawing left hands from “MMK” occasionally find their home on the side of Tibau’s dome, and he pushes out a front kick when Tibau tries to fire back. Magomedkerimov ducks down with a left to the chest and a right to the midsection, and Tibau sits down on another clubbing right hand that grazes the target. The former champ scores a body shot, sneaks in a right hand, and the two fighters slip to their knees. They pop back up and resume the single shots. Magomedkerimov steps in with a side kick, and he follows it with an overhand right that briefly stuns Tibau. The Brazilian unloads a left hand down the pipe, but it is one-and-done as his right eye begins to rapidly swell. Magomedkerimov slips a leaping punch and marks up the eye further with jabs, and he pushes a slippery Tibau back with a front kick to the solar plexus. A haymaker of a left hand from Tibau connects cleanly on the jaw of the Russian, who stumbles but does not go down, and Magomedkerimov grapples him to initiate a clinch. The ex-UFC mainstay pushes that off and gets kicked in the upper thigh as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov

Round 3

The two fighters meet in the middle to tap hands and start off the third round, and Magomedkerimov walks him down and connects with a clean right hand. Tibau is not thrilled with this strike, and he rushes into action and elevates Magomedkerimov and sets him gingerly down on the floor. The Dagestan native quickly climbs back up, stops a subsequent mat return and breaks away from the clinch. Magomedkerimov marches his opponent down and lines up straight punches, while ducking the looping, zooming hooks that come back from the Brazilian. Magomedkerimov eats one on an exchange and thinks better of getting into a brawl with the man with a Herculean frame known as Janigleison Herculano Alves. Magomedkerimov races forward and nearly hits a takedown, but Tibau manages to keep his balance and stave it off at the last second. Magomedkerimov lets him off and resets to get back in his rhythm of reaching single shots, with right hands pounding into the guard or jabs that further irritate Tibau’s swollen eye. Magomedkerimov presses his foe to the wall and works him to the body with short right hands, until Tibau pushes off to get a little space. “MMK” connects with a one-two, and he shoots in for a double-leg takedown, only to get stuffed by the Brazilian. Magomedkerimov awkwardly lunges in with a head kick, and Tibau blocks it and starts slinging fists with all his remaining energy. Magomedkerimov walks through a clean left to chase Tibau around, and he forces a scramble and boots Tibau in the head when Tibau is thinking about the ground game. Tibau charges and spins with a back fist in the waning seconds, and this slow 15-minute affair comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov (30-27 Magomedkerimov)
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov (30-27 Magomedkerimov)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Magomedkerimov (30-27 Magomedkerimov)

The Official Result

Magomed Magomedkerimov def. Gleison Tibau via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Lightweight Showcase:
Natan Schulte (155.4) vs. Jeremy Stephens (155.8)

Round 1

Unable to put more than three points together this year and claim a spot in the lightweight playoffs, two-time PFL champ Schulte (22-5-1, 11-3-1 PFL) will aim to take out his frustrations on fan-favorite slugger Stephens (29-20, 1 NC; 1-1 PFL). While Schulte has alternated wins and losses in his last five, the victory for Stephens over Myles Price in June was the first time “Lil Heathen” had gotten his hand raised since early 2018. Watching over the contest will be referee Dan Miragliotta, and they want to get right down to business and start trading heavy shots. Stephens stands right in front of Schulte and lays into him with punches and low kicks, and Schulte scoops him up and dumps him to the mat. Schulte move to half guard and starts to isolate an arm-triangle choke while the two are still dry. Schulte shifts to side control on the wrong side to lock the choke down, and he steps down to half guard on the other side. “Russo” crushes down with his shoulder as the UFC vet’s face turns purple, and Stephens looks to push off the hips or pull on the grip to stop the submission from being completely secured. Schulte uses his full body weight squeezing down on the choke, and Stephens turns to give himself a little bit of wind and blood back in his head. Schulte resets the arm grip and commits to the choke again, leading Stephens to turn to his side and inevitably give up his back. Schulte gets one hook in and slides his forearm under the chin, but Stephens blocks it and protects his neck. “Lil Heathen” turns to his back again, and explodes to his knees. As he does, Schulte follows him and sneaks a hook in around the back to set up a rear-naked choke. Stephens keeps moving and worms his way to get his back on the wall, but this allows Schulte to slide around to take his back completely. Schulte gets both hooks in and tightens up a rear-naked choke, but the grizzled veteran fights off the grip and miraculously gets back to his feet with 10 seconds to spare. An enraged Stephens lets go with punches and knees, hoping he can catch a recovering Schulte in the waning seconds. Schulte escapes, and the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Schulte
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-8 Schulte
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-8 Schulte

Round 2

The second round begins, and Stephens comes out throwing hands. When Stephens tosses out a kick in the midst of a combination, Schulte grabs him and dumps him to the mat with a body lock. Stephens lands flat on his back, with Schulte immediately claiming half guard. Stephens moves before that can happen, turning to his knees and working his way to the wire. Schulte drags him back down from behind, and in the process, slides over into full mount. Instead of striking, the former champ lines up an arm-triangle choke, and this one is deep. Schulte’s vice-like grip is not going anywhere, and Stephens taps out before Schulte can even step over to the side. Other than a few hairy moments, this was largely one-way traffic for Schulte, who announces that he is still very much a player at 155 pounds in the PFL.

The Official Result

Natan Schulte def. Jeremy Stephens R2 1:32 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)

Featherweight Showcase:
Marlon Moraes (146) vs. Sheymon Moraes (145.8)

Round 1

A rematch over seven years in the making will whet fight fans’ appetites and entice them to throw down for the pay-per-view, as Moraes (14-6, 6-3 PFL) battles Moraes (23-10-1, 11-0 PFL). Both featherweights are from Brazil, started in World Series of Fighting, moved to the UFC and came back to PFL, and prefer the knockout. For sanity’s sake, the fighters will be listed below using their given names instead of their surnames. Marlon won their first encounter for the WSOF bantamweight throne in 2015, and he has never lost in this company’s cage – although all of his fights were before the transformation from WSOF to PFL. Happy to still be on the card, Marlon offers a glove touch to late replacement Sheymon, who steps in for Shane Burgos, and Sheymon accepts. Referee Bryan Miner, equipped with ref cam, is ready for what comes next. Sheymon claims the center of the cage, while Marlon circles on the outside, and a few jabs from Marlon initiate any offense. The two Brazilians are tentative to engage with much of note, as Marlon scores a single right hand. Sheymon responds with his own overhand right, and Marlon crashes through it to tackle Sheymon to the ground. “Magic Marlon” lands in half guard, and he stays tightly pressed to his opponent without opening up with offense. When Marlon throws a single punch to the body, Sheymon slides to the wall and works his way back up. Marlon just misses with a huge overhand right that would have knocked a small building down, and he ducks and cracks Sheymon with an uppercut. Marlon ignores a front kick so that he can put hands on Sheymon, with a swiping left hand getting Sheymon’s attention again. Sheymon pushes Marlon back with a front kick, but it is one-and-done as Marlon backs up and releases a heavy overhand right. A few sharp left hands down the pipe ring Sheymon’s bell, and they both swing and miss with powerful hooks. The damage from Marlon’s left hands is causing swelling around Sheymon’s right eye, and he stumbles Sheymon with a speedy left. Marlon leaps forward to let go with a few punches, and he hops away when Sheymon tries to counter him. The round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 M. Moraes
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 M. Moraes
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 M. Moraes

Round 2

The second round opens with what nearly looks like a glove touch, but is instead alternating jabs and hand-fighting. Sheymon leads the dance with body shots, and Marlon bears down on him with thunderous hooks. Sheymon staggers, and as he backs up, Marlon races forward and secures a double-leg takedown to plant Sheymon flat on his back. Sheymon closes up his guard, and blood appears on his forehead but it is not clear where it is originating. Marlon opens up with ground-and-pound, even while Sheymon keeps his guard tight around Marlon’s waist, and this results in stalling. Marlon postures up to drop down one single heavy right hand, and Sheymon wraps up the guard again to pull him down to his chest and pray for Miner to stand them up. Sheymon reaches back to stand up, and when he does, Marlon looks to take his back. Sheymon slithers away and separates before this succeeds, and the Brazilians return to their feet again. Marlon blocks a body kick, snipes Sheymon with a right hand, and the punch knocks Sheymon to the mat. Sheymon springs back up and tries to slug it out with Marlon, but Marlon changes levels and hunts for a trip. Sheymon backs himself to the wall so that he can keep himself upright, and Marlon shoulder throws him to nearly ground him. Sheymon again stays on his feet, with Marlon hanging onto his side as they stall out again. The fighters remain in this position until the bell sounds, with no amount of wriggling from Sheymon freeing himself before the round is over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 M. Moraes
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 M. Moraes
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 M. Moraes

Round 3

The Brazilians touch ‘em up to begin the last round, and Sheymon senses a bit of desperation and throws caution to the wind. Marlon sees the blows coming his way and dodges, and he counters Sheymon with a clean left hand over the top. Sheymon shrugs off Marlon’s quicker strikes and wings a fast left hand on the chin and a clubbing right that connects to the temple, and Marlon is on rubber legs and crumples to the mat. Sheymon leaps on top and drives hammerfists to the dome while Marlon does anything he can to grab Sheymon or otherwise recover. As Marlon returns to his knees, Sheymon rips a short left uppercut that, to quote the great Jake Rossen, sends Marlon down twitching like someone dropped a hair dryer in his bathtub. In one fell swoop, Marlon went from being firmly in the driver’s seat to losing his fifth straight fight by knockout. Sheymon has successfully exacted revenge for their WSOF 22 meeting, one which Marlon won in the third frame.

The Official Result

Sheymon Moraes def. Marlon Moraes R3 0:58 via TKO (Punches)

PFL Light Heavyweight Championship:
Rob Wilkinson (204.6) vs. Omari Akhmedov (202.8)

Round 1

We have reached the main card portion of 2022 PFL Championships, which appropriately comes with several championship bouts. The first of six title fights on deck comes in the light heavyweight category between former UFC vets. Akhmedov (24-7-1, 3-1 PFL) and Wilkinson (16-2, 3-0 PFL) both pounded their opponents in the opening season, and they appeared destined for a collision course. This Russia vs. Australia affair will be governed by nonsense-averse referee Keith Peterson, and the challengers bump fists before slugging away. Wilkinson takes the center of the cage, and both men trade jabs. Akhmedov releases a heavy low kick that connects on the inside of the knee and makes Wilkinson take a funny step, and Wilkinson responds in kind. Akhmedov fires off a head kick and falls to the ground, but the Aussie does not give chase and instead allows him back up. Wilkinson walks Akhmedov down and belts him in the face with a short combination, prompting Akhmedov to throw back with reckless abandon. Wilkinson stays composed and snipes the Russian from a distance, avoiding the brunt of the blows swung his way and partially checking a leg kick that whizzes at him. Akhmedov throws a right hand, but Wilkinson intercepts him with an overhand right and sends him down to his knees. “Wolverine” climbs back up and absorbs a kick up the middle that he complains struck his cup. There is no pause, and Wilkinson plods forward without a care in the world, landing with impunity. Akhmedov responds with a sharp jab that dislodges the mouthpiece of his opponent, and Peterson allows him to replace it. Akhmedov shoots in when they restart, but this is stuffed and he pays for it by taking a one-two on the chin. Akhmedov takes a right hand flush and walks into an uppercut, and his chin is tested and he is wobbled as he gets knocked back by the rangy Aussie. Wilkinson kicks the lead leg and throws hands, but the punches whiff. “Razor Rob” continues to beat down on the front leg of his foe and makes Akhmedov fall to the ground, but he climbs back up and slams his shin on Wilkinson’s calf. Wilkinson keeps a stiff upper lip and walks forward to initiate a brawl. Both men slug the other in the chops, and Wilkinson gets the better of the exchange with a clubbing right hand that sends Akhmedov flying. Akhmedov tries to recover with a takedown effort, but Wilkinson shoves him out of the way and leaps at him to drill him in the chin with a flying double knee. As Wilkinson looks to hammer the nail, the bell sounds and Akhmedov may have been saved by it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wilkinson
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Wilkinson
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Wilkinson

Round 2

The light heavyweights touch fists to start the second frame, and Akhmedov moves to the center of the cage but does not hold it for long. Akhmedov doubles up the jab to wing a right hand that snaps Wilkinson’s head back, and Wilkinson walks through it so that he can bust Akhmedov in the chops with two hooks. Wilkinson is the far fresher and cleaner striker, as Akhmedov practically falls forward to take the fight down when he gets stung. Wilkinson stops it and stands up, and he lays into Akhmedov with another combination to hurt the Russian again. Akhmedov struggles to keep his balance as he is eating shots, but he is still willing to stand in front of his opponent throwing leather. Wilkinson bloodies his foe’s nose up and hurts him once more, and he takes Akhmedov down and winds up on top. Akhmedov finds his way back to his feet, and the two start slugging it out wildly and recklessly. Wilkinson unloads on a fading Akhmedov, with a lengthy combo that ends with a powerful knee that splits Akhmedov’s eyebrow wide open. As blood pours down Akhmedov’s face, he backs off to recover, and Wilkinson lands a few more punches until Peterson calls in the doctor to check on the cut. Akhmedov is perhaps surprisingly cleared considering the size of the gash and the blood leaking right into his right eye, but they resume. Wilkinson uses his fists like battering rams to hammer Akhmedov with a vicious combination, and he has Akhmedov on the ropes. Akhmedov steels himself and throws back with everything he has left. The punches have some impact, but Wilkinson is undeterred and lays into his battered and bloodied opponent in hopes of forcing a stoppage. Peterson implores Akhmedov to fight back, and Akhmedov incredibly makes it to the bell. The doctors are most likely going to check on the cut again between rounds, as it has gotten worse from more punishment on it. Before the third frame commences, the medical staff evaluates the damage, and it is not looking good for the Russian. Peterson asks Akhmedov if he can continue, and Akhmedov is wavering as blood immediately flows down his head and into his eye. When looking Akhmedov over, the doctor determines that it would be a good time to stop the fight, and Peterson waves it off between rounds. Wilkinson is now PFL’s 2022 light heavyweight champion, with a flashy gold belt and a million-dollar check to bring home to his friends and family.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Wilkinson
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-8 Wilkinson
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-8 Wilkinson

The Official Result

Rob Wilkinson def. Omari Akhmedov R2 5:00 via TKO (Doctor Stoppage)

PFL Welterweight Championship:
Sadibou Sy (169.6) vs. Dilano Taylor (169.4)

Round 1

Every prior PFL welterweight championship fight had featured either Magomedkerimov or Ray Cooper III until this year. A fresh face in the form of Challenger series victor Taylor (10-2, 3-1 PFL) surprised many by sparking Rory MacDonald in the playoffs, while Sy (12-6-2, 1 NC; 6-4-2, 1 NC PFL) is the only fighter in the company to reach the playoffs in all four of its seasons to date. Someone’s hard work is about to pay off, and referee Dan Miragliotta is here for it. Taylor rushes out of his corner and shuts down any chance of a glove touch. Walking down the taller, longer fighter, Taylor closes the distance on his man and looks to put hands on him. Sy stays on his bike, springing out of the way and evading the early shots from Taylor. “The Swedish Denzel” looses a kick to the body, and Taylor walks through it to reach the body with his right hand. Sy prepares his front kick to catch Taylor on the way in, and settles for a couple pawing jabs to keep Taylor honest. Sy releases another thudding body kick, and he whips a high kick up that slaps into the guard. Taylor cannot quite find the range as he looks for a way in, and Sy peppers him with another emphatic body kick. Taylor lunges and strikes, with a right hand reaching the midsection while the rest of his swings hit nothing but air. Sy throws heat with a high kick, and this whizzes past the dome. Sy sits down on a leg kick, and Taylor responds with a kick to the ribcage. The Swede patiently chops down the lead leg, and Taylor crowds him but cannot reach him with anything of note. Sy sticks and moves, and he has a head kick blocked in the nick of time. This sparring match of a round ends as Taylor chases his foe down and throws a head kick – it is blocked – after the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Sy

Round 2

Taylor is once again amped up to start the round, and awkwardly skitters towards his adversary like a crab walking sideways instead of forward, zig-zagging his way in. Taylor shrugs off a few low kicks so that he can deliver a heavy one to Sy’s lead wheel, making Sy take a 360-degree spin because of it. Sy lands and kicks the body, and Taylor is on him as he does, rushing in and firing off a fist-filled combination. Sy slips every single punch and backs off, as he remains elusive while not committing to a great deal of his own offense. A low kick from Sy is caught, but Taylor cannot take advantage of it as Sy recoils his leg and boots the body. Taylor again charges, and he partially checks a calf kick while coming out swinging. Taylor punches his way into a takedown try, hunting for a single-leg try to scoop up Sy’s right leg. Sy muscles him around while still in the clinch, landing a knee that bounces off the cup before they split up. The foul is waved off, and they get back to striking range as Taylor walks into a jab and body kick. The welterweights kick at the same time, and their shins clack together. Sy resets on the outside and sneaks in a few low kicks, with no especially dramatic blow landing but many effective ones scoring. Sy hears chants of his own name and he smiles, pushing out a few jabs and chopping down Taylor’s leg. As Taylor runs forward to initiate some offense, the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Sy

Round 3

The third round opens up with pitter-patter leg kicks from both men, as they appear jittery and not willing to commit to serious strikes. Taylor blocks a head kick and grabs the arm, hoping to take the fight down, but Sy slides his leg out of harm and ducks back when Taylor chases him with three swiping right hands. The Swede potshots from the outside as Taylor’s strikes largely collide with either the air or the guard. The pace is deliberate and not particularly dangerous, neither man is throwing with any apparent damaging intent and Sy is cruising. Taylor ignores the kicks that fly his way, eating body kicks and not reaching Sy with his right hand. Sy prods with jabs, spurring Taylor into action as Taylor closes in with his fists swinging. Sy blocks and kicks, with his effective but not eye-popping offense stifling what Taylor brings to the table. Taylor again initiates a clinch, and Sy allows him to do this so that he can spam knees up the middle. Taylor breaks and still gives chase, unable to find Sy’s face with his hands. Sy skirts out of the way from a diving shot from Taylor, and the crowd admonishes the two welterweights with boos for this disappointing performance thus far.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sy
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Sy

Round 4

Taylor takes jabs on the jaw as he looks to engage to begin the championship round, and he lands flush with a right and a left. The two punches get Sy’s attention and force a clinch from Sy, with no takedown to be found for either man. They split up, and Taylor backs Sy to the wall but does not pull the trigger. Sy escapes on the outside with a few jabs, and Taylor walks him down and scores with an overhand right. Taylor allows Sy to escape so that he can time a left hand on the outside, and Sy circles away to kick his man twice. Taylor’s jabs are reaching Sy now, and Sy’s kicks are fewer in number than the first three frames. They move towards one another at the same time to lead to a clinch, and Taylor lands a knee on the break. Taylor snipes Sy with a jab and crashes the pocket, and Sy scores with a short right hand on the way in. They clinch up and release, with Sy then loosing a body kick as soon as he has the space to throw it. Taylor takes his foot off the gas to allow Sy to pin two jabs and an overhand right on him, but he ignores them and walks forward. Sy relies on his lengthy jab and kicks to keep Taylor off of him, and Taylor pushes through with a jab and punching towards a clinch. Sy peppers him with low kicks after the separation, and he comes up short with a head kick. Taylor punches the body a few times, and the bell rings while the crowd showers the fighters with boos.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taylor
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Taylor
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Taylor

Round 5

The final round begins with, like several previous periods, an aggressive Taylor. Taylor blitzes forward, but Sy is too slick for him to take anything on the chin. Sy escapes and nearly rolls his ankle when he slips while getting out of the way, but he is no worse for wear as he kicks from both sides. Sy kicks the body as Taylor comes towards him, timing his shin to connect on the same spot while Taylor advances. Taylor gets his man’s attention with a left hook, and Sy responds with a double-leg entry. “The Postman” stops this and rips the body with a knee, and he sends a high kick in the air as the receiver blocks it. Taylor prods with jabs as Sy triples up on low kicks, and Taylor fakes with a jumping switch kick. Taylor jabs, Sy tosses out a half-hearted leg kick, and this allows Taylor to catch him on the outside with a clean right hand. Sy shakes his head and rips a kick to the ribs before ducking down and out to evade a few punches flying at his melon. After a lengthy period of inaction, Sy whips his leg up high and then to the side. Taylor blinks through them to leap at Sy with an overhand right. Sy sits back with a body kick, and Taylor presses forward but misses the mark time and again. Sy continues his bludgeoning of the body, and the miserable 25-minute affair is mercifully over. Whether it was thrilling or not, the victor, Sy, finally realizes his goal of winning a PFL tournament after four seasons of trying. He is now the PFL 2022 welterweight champion.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sy (49-46 Sy)
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sy (49-46 Sy)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Sy (49-46 Sy)

The Official Result

Sadibou Sy def. Dilano Taylor via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)

PFL Lightweight Championship:
Olivier Aubin-Mercier (154.6) vs. Steven Ray (154.6)

Round 1

Like the 205ers, this lightweight championship contest comes between two men who saw their UFC stints end in the last few years. Ray (25-10, 2-1 PFL) reached this spot in the tourney thanks to a pair of wins over Anthony Pettis – where he landed a twister in the first of two fights – while Aubin-Mercier (16-5, 5-0 PFL) has topped all previous PFL 155-pound kings to get where he is this year. This classic battle of Scotland vs. Canada will take place under the watchful eye of ref cam-equipped referee Bryan Miner, and there is no bad blood as the former training partners gladly touch ‘em up. Aubin-Mercier reaches out with jabs and takes a punch to the chest to begin, and he walks down the Scot and absorbs another body shot on the way in. Aubin-Mercier works the lead calf with his shin, and Ray is warned for outstretched fingers. As he closes his fists, Aubin-Mercier bears down on him with a crisp overhand left that slams into his jaw. A low kick from the Canadian forces Ray to fall to the ground, and Aubin-Mercier lets him stand back up so that he can measures a right hand down the middle. Ray turns a possible takedown entry around and looks for a body lock takedown, and they rest against the wall. “Braveheart” cannot hold him there, and Aubin-Mercier resets and jabs. Ray whiffs on a counter overhand right, and he pre-emptively raises his leg to anticipate a leg kick coming at him. Ray connects with a heavy low kick to give Aubin-Mercier pause, and “OAM” responds in kind as Ray’s calf is red already. Ray wants to answer these kicks, but the Canadian’s are far heavier. Ray swings for the fences, and Aubin-Mercier hops out of the way without issue. A stern low kick from Aubin-Mercier sets Ray down, and Ray gingerly gets back up and clinches up to push Aubin-Mercier to the wall. “OAM” turns him about and breaks off, measuring until he lands another low kick that sweeps the leg. Ray again jumps right back up, but the damage is growing. Ray attempts to swarm Aubin-Mercier with a series of punches, although the sting on them is not as severe as before. Ray gives chase and grits through a rough calf kick so that he can unload with a combination, and the round ends before he can land.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier

Round 2

A glove touch starts off the round, and Aubin-Mercier is the immediate aggressor as he bullies Ray back to the wall and jabs. Ray looks for a left hand, but Aubin-Mercier counters him with a harder one. Aubin-Mercier kicks high, and Ray grabs his leg and nearly sets him down on the ground. As Ray latches on to his man and tosses him around, Aubin-Mercier gets away with not one, not two but three fence grabs to prevent a change in levels. The Canadian releases the fencing after an admonishment from Miner, and he hits the ground hard. In an instant, Ray circles around to take his back, and he gets one hook in and slides the other around to set up and cinch a body triangle. Aubin-Mercier uses his own legs to break up the triangle, but Ray resets it and tightens it around the waist. “OAM” wall-walks with his feet and hand-fights the wrists simultaneously to savvily fight the grip and change his position. Ray elects to smack “The Canadian Gangster” upside the head with his fists to soften him up and hope a choke can materialize from it, all while squeezing the midsection with his legs. Aubin-Mercier sits up and leans against the fence, aiming to scrape the Scot off of him and also keeping the position such that Ray cannot set up a choke. Aubin-Mercier stands up and Ray slides off the back, and they reset in standing position ready to strike. Ray misses with a low kick, and Aubin-Mercier darts forward with an overhand left. A thudding low kick from Aubin-Mercier is partially checked, and Aubin-Mercier takes a funny step back and finds himself getting walked down by “Braveheart.” Aubin-Mercier ducks down to wing an overhand right, and he leans over to wing a head kick. Ray defends against the blows, and surges ahead. As Ray advances, Aubin-Mercier suddenly leaps forward with a vicious right hand, smashing Ray in the face and completely separating him from his consciousness. What a wild knockout out of nowhere, connecting with a perfect million-dollar punch that suitably earned him a $1 million check. The season arguably could not have gone better for the Canadian, who worked through the tourney by defeating lightweight’s former champs and scoring the biggest win of his career. Ray comes over to him shortly after he comes to, asking Aubin-Mercier what he hit him with to get the knockout. Aubin-Mercier responds with a laugh that it was an overhand right. Following his win, “OAM” calls for a PFL event in his home country of Canada, more specifically in Quebec.

The Official Result

Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Steven Ray R2 4:40 via KO (Punch)

Women’s Featherweight Showcase:
Aspen Ladd (145.4) vs. Julia Budd (146)

Round 1

In a brief respite after three consecutive title fights, a three-rounder between featherweights will cleanse the palate of sorts. Former Bellator champ Budd (16-4, 1-1 PFL) returns to her more comfortable weight class of 145 pounds, while ex-UFC bantamweight Ladd (9-3, 0-0 PFL) aims to fight more relaxed up a weight class. Two women enter, one woman leaves. Referee Keith Peterson is on the call for this matchup, having just ejected nonsense from the building because it did not have a ticket. The ladies march towards one another with bumping fists, as Budd would rather let them fly early. Ladd rolls with them and turns the corner to circle away. They flick jabs at one another without reaching the other, and Budd reaches first with a kick to the side. Budd puts two punches together and lands a front kick to follow, and Budd grabs the leg and dumps the former Bellator queen to the mat. Budd hits the mat with Ladd taking her back, but Budd holds on to a headlock to keep Ladd in danger. Budd releases it and hunts for an ankle lock on Ladd’s low hooks, and she rolls over and gets flattened out. Ladd hammers away with punches to the side of the head, and Budd sits up and looks to slide the former UFC fighter off her back. Ladd remains on the back without getting shaken or bucked off, and she hangs on to a shoulder while Budd attempts to crawl to the wall and scrape her off. Ladd strikes a few times, and the blows land on the back of the head, prompting a warning. Ladd continues to swing as Budd looks to turn around in the position, and Budd succeeds in turning Ladd to her back. Ladd hits a perfect sweep to put Budd on her back again, and Budd attempts an inverted triangle to control Ladd’s head. Ladd breaks out of this with several emphatic fists hammering into Budd’s face, and Ladd winds up in north-south position while continuing to throw. Ladd knees the side to move to side control, and she rides out the round on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ladd
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Ladd
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Ladd

Round 2

Budd lumbers towards her opponent to start off the round, throwing a pair of punches out but missing the mark as Ladd side-steps them. When Budd pushes out a one-two, Ladd shoots in for a takedown, and she hits the brick wall that is the former Bellator featherweight champion. Ladd attempts to break her down brick by brick by brick with a trip, but Budd is strong and turns Ladd around. Budd alternates with shoulder strikes and knees to the body, and she keeps a Thai clinch so that she can let off a few powerful knees. Ladd closes in to stop these, and she fishes for a trip that does not succeed. Ladd presses her opponent heavily on the wall, where she gets off a few knees of her own as she imposes her full body weight on the ex-Bellator great. Budd turns the tables and squeezes on Ladd, planting knees to the sternum and breadbasket until Ladd explodes out to change positions in the clinch. Ladd opts for foot stomps, and Budd gets off short knees on the inside. Ladd changes things up to hunt for a single, and Budd defends it leaned up against the fencing without concern of losing her balance. Ladd sets it down after Budd knees her a few times, and she attempts for another level change and lets go to throw bombs. Budd answers her with a few heavy fists and a knee up the middle, leading to them clinching back up again. A knee from Budd lifts Ladd off the ground, and Ladd pushes off with 20 seconds to spare. Ladd swings wildly, and they knee one another repeatedly. The round ends in the clinch, with the two trading knees.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Budd
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Ladd
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Budd

Round 3

The featherweights engage in the middle, and Budd gets off a knee before Ladd looses a few punches. Budd responds with a one-two to back her off, and she catches a front kick after it strikes her. They trade punches, and Ladd walks through punches so she can rip a few to the body. Ladd initiates a clinch, and Budd blasts her in the ribs with knees until Ladd snatches up a double. The former Bellator champ turns Ladd around by stopping the takedown and letting off a few more knees. Ladd breaks and swarms her, and the ladies throw hands recklessly. Budd connects with a right hand down the middle, forcing Ladd to gather her thoughts and prepare to attack. Budd pre-emptively counters Ladd on the way in, with Ladd leading face-first to strike and absorbing plenty of shots on the chin. Budd pushes off before Ladd can pin her to the fencing, and she hops back as Ladd reaches out with several punches. Ladd changes levels to duck a punch, pursuing a double, but Budd stands her up and knees her in the belly. The former UFC fighter doggedly pursues the takedown, and Budd is not giving it up as she stays busy with defensive strikes. Budd cracks Ladd with an overhand right and grabs her to knee her in the stomach, and the Canadian displays her clinch strength by turning Ladd around and breaking off. Ladd rushes in with a spinning back fist that gets blocked, and she lets go with her hands with seconds to spare. A wild and crazy brawl ensues, with the two ladies throwing down right to the final bell. This will be a tough one for the judges to score, and some will definitely be disappointed when the tallies are read.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Budd (29-28 Budd)
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Budd (29-28 Ladd)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Budd (29-28 Budd)

The Official Result

Aspen Ladd def. Julia Budd via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

PFL Heavyweight Championship:
Ante Delija (241.8) vs. Matheus Scheffel (256.4)

Round 1

It’s all gold and giant checks from here on out, with the first of three remaining championship showdowns coming between big men. In a rematch of an April collision that ended strangely, Delija (22-5, 6-2 PFL) hopes to prove that his win over Scheffel (17-8, 2-1 PFL) some six months ago was no accident. Referee Dan Miragliotta is prepared for the long haul should this go 25 minutes, but that might not be necessary if these heavyweights have their way. Gloves are not touched, and Delija looks to measure his arms with slow but reaching punches. Scheffel swings back with a pair of quick hooks, but they miss the mark. Delija walks into a brief brawl, and neither man scores a heavily damaging blow. Scheffel springs forward to attack, and Delija swats the hands away and sticks out a few jabs. The jabs are traded, and Delija rings his man’s bell with a right hand. Scheffel sits down on a left hook, and Delija blinks it out and shoots for a takedown. The Brazilian stands him up and knees “Walking Trouble” in the body, and he breaks from the clinch. Delija marches him down to throw hands, and Scheffel smoothly dodges and counters. Delija winds up with a left hand that staggers the Brazilian, and Scheffel is stunned and reeling as he backs up to the wall. The Croatian fighter smells blood and unleashes a hellacious combination that starts from several jabs. Delija chains the blows together as they connect one after the other, with Scheffel turtling up but the strikes getting around and through the guard. Delija’s fists slam into Scheffel’s chin, and “Buffa” falls to the ground in big trouble. Miragliotta does not need to see more than a few standing-to-ground punches from Delija before calling it, and Delija makes good on his second try for a million dollars by smashing Scheffel. He is now PFL’s 2022 tournament winner and heavyweight champion.

The Official Result

Ante Delija def. Matheus Scheffel R1 2:50 via TKO (Punches)

PFL Featherweight Championship:
Brendan Loughnane (144.8) vs. Bubba Jenkins (145)

Round 1

Move over, Movlid Khaybulaev, and lay off, Lance Palmer. There’s about to be a new sheriff in town at 145 pounds, as the championship will go to a different man than one of those two this year. With the snub from Dana White on Season 3 of the Contender Series still fresh in everyone’s mind despite it coming over three years ago, Loughnane (24-4, 7-1 PFL) wants to prove all the naysayers wrong and change his life with a million-dollar check. Jenkins (19-5, 5-1 PFL) stands in his way, ready to say “not so fast, my friend,” as the two vie for gold. Oversight for this featherweight scrap will come in the form of referee Bryan Miner, who mentally prepares for upwards of 25 minutes of combat while the fighters clap hands. Jenkins fires off a quick kick to the body, and Loughnane answers with several stance switches. Jenkins darts forward to change levels, and when it fails, he wings an uppercut and grins. Jenkins springs in with a jab, and he walks into a low kick. Loughnane aims another kick to the calf, and he continues chipping away at that spot with regularity. Loughnane ignores one coming back as the two simultaneous measure jabs, and Jenkins steps back and whiffs with a head kick. Loughnane checks a leg kick, and he slips a punch and delivers a kick low. Jenkins leaps forward with an uppercut and dives for a single, and when that misses the mark by a small margin, Jenkins says it was close. Loughnane absorbs a clean right hand, and Jenkins charges down for a double. The Brit smacks Jenkins on the side of the head repeatedly, and Jenkins switches to a single and backs away to lunge in for another takedown angle. Loughnane stays busy while defending the single with right hands to the side of the head, and Jenkins holds his foe’s leg up high while uppercutting him. Jenkins slugs Loughnane in the chops with a few right hands while Loughnane’s other leg is in the air, and Loughnane rips his leg out and escapes. Loughnane targets the lead leg a few more times, and Jenkins counters with a one-two but cannot stop the calf kicks. The kicks are already making a difference, as Jenkins is preemptively picking his leg up to check them and also is cautious of engaging recklessly so as to not get kicked. Loughnane continues to threaten, and pump-fake with kicks, which opens other offense up. Jenkins loads up with a right hand that crashes into Loughnane’s noodle, but the Brit wears it well and the round ends. Jenkins asks if he is having fun yet, with a giant smile on his face.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Jenkins
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane

Round 2

Jenkins strikes first to lead off the round, hoping to cut Loughnane off at the pass with a sweeping low kick. Loughnane responds in kind, leading to swarming punches from Jenkins. The punches bust open a cut on the bridge of the nose, and blood trickles down his nose into his mouth. Jenkins has a little fun with stance switches, and Loughnane connects with a calf kick when he stops. Loughnane stans out a jab, and Jenkins partially connects with a right hand. A jab from Jenkins allows Loughnane to releases a nasty kick to the calf, and this same exchange happens again as Jenkins’ lead leg is swelling and growingly compromised. Jenkins looks to pick the Brit up, and Loughnane grabs the fence to stop it from succeeding after landing some heavy short blows. Jenkins shrugs it off and slaps with a leg kick, drifting back when a one-two bears down on him. Jenkins partly checks a kick, and he digs a right hand to the body. Loughnane continues to batter the lead leg, with Jenkins’ responses feeble in comparison. Loughnane steps in with a head kick, and Jenkins blocks it and splits the guard with a sharp jab. Jenkins kicks high and low, and the latter gets through as Loughnane circles on the outside. Jenkins wings a right hand down the middle, and Loughnane responds with a jab and a left hook to keep him guessing. The Brit plants his foot on the chest of his opponent, and he marks the face up as well with repeated jabs. Loughnane beats Jenkins to the punch with his jabs, and they kick at the same time while a foot from Loughnane smashes into the American’s cup. Jenkins falls to his knees in pain, and Miner tells him to take all the time he needs to recover. Loughnane protests and says that the pause time is unwarranted, and he shouts at Jenkins to continue. They meet in the middle, and Loughnane lashes out with a hard body kick. The bell sounds, and Loughnane continues to shout Jenkins down until his cornermen drag him back to the corner to recover.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane

Round 3

The third frame kicks off with opposing jabs, as they get right in front of one another and start swinging. Loughnane backs off just enough to let him release a calf kick and not get countered, and he circles on the outside as Jenkins kicks him back. A Loughnane kick forces Jenkins to switch stances, and Jenkins bites down on his mouthpiece and throws his damaged leg. Jenkins loads up on a left hand, stunning Loughnane and making him take a strange step. Jenkins smells blood, walking Loughnane down and firing off an uppercut. The Brit gets his wits about him and strings together a few punches that are punctuated by a chopping calf kick. They trade jabs, and Jenkins whiffs with a right hand and cannot escape the leg kicks. Loughnane chains low kicks into front kicks, and when Jenkins switches stances, Loughnane fires off one to the other calf. Jenkins paws out a push kick and gets countered with a heavy right hand, and Jenkins fires back with a mean right hand of his own. Loughnane motions him on to swing, and swing Jenkins does. Loughnane backpedals and attacks the body with his legs, peppering the stomach with the ball of his foot. The American dives in with a telegraphed single, forcing Loughnane to drop to a knee and skitter away to defend it. Jenkins absorbs jabs and follow-up punches, and he walks into another leg kick when preparing to counter. Loughnane chains a few punches together, and Jenkins wobbles and throws back to further blood the nose. The teep kicks from Loughnane are doing some damage, and he backs Jenkins up and forces him to defend himself against the wall. Loughnane lays into his opponent with several more body shots, but Jenkins blocks many of them and survives the barrage to swing back. They continue to trade right to the bell, and we have reached the championship round after 15 minutes of furious action.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Loughnane

Round 4

Jenkins’ jabs lead off the fourth round, and he is not damaged enough from the calf kicks to stop throwing kicks. Jenkins steps in with a kick, even with it swollen and battered. Loughnane answers with front kicks, and he times a Jenkins low kick with three punches and a push kick. Jenkins crashes in for a single, and Loughnane grabs off the fence and peels out to reset in the middle of the cage. Jenkins walks him down to throw bombs, while Loughnane is sharper with straighter strikes. Jenkins is wearing it with these kicks, but he continues to absorb them one after the other. Loughnane has likely hurt his own leg throwing it so many times, even ignoring when Jenkins checks them to keep spamming them. Loughnane lines four punches down the pipe to stagger Jenkins, and he continues a high pace to punch high and kick low. Loughnane pierces the guard with a jackhammering right hand, and Jenkins thinks he is fine but his body disagrees. He steps back and his left leg slides out, doing a split and crumbling to the mat in far worse shape than he assessed. A man on a mission, the Brit rushes at his downed opponent and hammers him with punches. Jenkins turns, wobbles his way up with the wall at his back, and gets kneed in the chin when he stands up. That final blow enough for Miner to step in, and some may protest the stoppage but Jenkins was clearly compromised and likely to take a great deal of damage had they continued. What a battle for as long as it lasted, and Loughnane has done it. He is now a million dollars richer – on paper, not counting taxes and expenses – and he is also the king of PFL’s featherweight division this year. One more title fight looms tonight.

The Official Result

Brendan Loughnane def. Bubba Jenkins R4 2:38 via TKO (Punches and Knee)

PFL Women’s Lightweight Championship:
Kayla Harrison (154.4) vs. Larissa Pacheco (154.2)

Round 1

Rarely in the sport does a trilogy match come together when one fighter has won the first two meetings with their opponent. In 2019, former UFC bantamweight Pacheco (18-4, 7-2 PFL) moved to the PFL and had the misfortune of facing Harrison (15-0, 14-0 PFL) not once but twice that year. Those defeats are the only ones Pacheco has suffered after nine PFL outings, but Harrison can do one better as she has never lost after 14 PFL fights. Should Harrison get her hand raised, she will become the first three-time champ in post-WSOF history, while Pacheco would spring the biggest upset of the night and wipe the 0 off Harrison’s ledger should she pull off the win. Talk is over, and the fights are on. The women are ready. Referee Keith Peterson is ready. The nonsense is not ready because there is none. The lightweights touch hands before engaging, and it’s on with the show. Pacheco calmly takes the center of the cage, keeping a low stance and preparing her right hand for something nasty. Harrison reaches out with kicks, and one leg kick is nearly countered by a right hand from the Brazilian. A low kick from Pacheco misses, and Harrison nearly grabs her, so Pacheco hops back to get her balance. Harrison throws a kick to the body, and Pacheco snags it. Harrison allows her to do this so that she can hit a trip and slam Pacheco on her back. Pacheco throws her legs up for a possible armbar setup, but there is nothing to it as Harrison lowers herself into the guard and starts delivering ground-and-pound. Pacheco eats several punches, and she attempts to reply with hammerfists but the right hands from Harrison are far more effective. Pacheco’s hammerfists are landing, but the power pales in comparison to Harrison drilling her foe with unanswered punches. As Pacheco scoots her back to the wall, Harrison stacks her up and rains down punches. Pacheco turns and considers an armbar, but Harrison’s damaging blows split through it and mark Pacheco’s face up. Harrison backs out of the position and Pacheco kicks at her knees. Harrison answers with low kicks, and when Peterson asks if she wants Pacheco to get stood up, Harrison leaps down to the guard. Pacheco scrambles to try to get back up, and she sits up as Harrison takes her back. The round ends before Harrison can lock down a submission.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Harrison
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Harrison
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Harrison

Round 2

We have reached the second round, perhaps to the surprise of some. Harrison throws a low kick, and Pacheco replies with one that sends Harrison crashing to the floor. Harrison jumps back up and eats a clean right hand, and she is no worse for wear as she avoids a head kick that zooms past her hair. Pacheco aims a kick low that misses, and Harrison flails with a high kick that glances off the shoulder. Pacheco staves off a tie-up from Harrison, but Harrison dives after her for a double. Pacheco backs up to the wall and fights off another Harrison takedown try, and Harrison easily wraps her up and sets her down to the floor. Pacheco defends with a guillotine choke, one that allows her to sweep Harrison and put her on her back. Harrison fights out of the choke and rolls to her knees, and she attacks a single but cannot get it. The ladies stand up against the fence, and Harrison fishes for trips with a body lock while Pacheco settles for knees to the body. Pacheco keeps her balance and considers her own takedown, but releases the grip to slug it out with Harrison. The American escapes and moves back to the middle of the cage, and Pacheco lumbers towards her and scores a low kick. Harrison reaches out with lunging punches, and they trade low kicks. A Harrison right hand goes wide, and she walks into a powerful uppercut from the Brazilian. Harrison is stung, and Pacheco bears down on her and starts pounding on her with a long combination. Harrison catches a kick thrown in the exchange, and she nearly takes the fight down but Pacheco powers out. As the two grapple, Pacheco works her way to an awkward position where she is partially on top but Harrison sets up an armbar. Pacheco fights out of it and hangs on from above with punches to the body until the bell rings, and we have ourselves a ballgame.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco

Round 3

The ladies meet in the middle, and Harrison is dead-set on taking the fight down. Pacheco times a knee that Harrison walks into, but Harrison continues through it for a level change. The Brazilian slams her fist in the side of Harrison’s head repeatedly, even as Harrison moves through position and sets Pacheco on her back. Harrison is content to sit in the guard, but Pacheco is extremely active with punches and hammerfists on her back. Harrison lets go with ground-and-pound of her own, and Pacheco snatches up a triangle choke out of nowhere. While Pacheco locks her legs, she punches Harrison again and again. Harrison protects her face from the blows as Pacheco has the triangle locked down, and Harrison cannot stand up as she winds up in armbar danger. Harrison follows her all the way through and works out of a subsequent omoplata try so that she can claim the half guard of her opponent. Harrison pushes through to full mount with 90 seconds to spare in the round, and she considers her next step whether it is punching or submission. Harrison leans down for a potential arm-triangle choke, and Pacheco defends it but absorbs punishment when Harrison postures up. Harrison sits up to turn for an armbar, but she cannot land it and settles for punching until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Harrison
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Harrison
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Harrison

Round 4

The championship rounds have been reached for the headliner, and both women are breathing hard but still ready to get after it. An immediate level change from Harrison leads to Pacheco belting her in the face, and Pacheco meets her in the middle with several powerful punches. A Harrison kick is countered, and Harrison crashes the pocket for a body lock. The Brazilian shucks it off, and Harrison charges for a double. The second effort is successful, and Pacheco holds on with a guillotine choke off her back. Pacheco gets back to her feet, and she pushes off and looks to throw down. Harrison does not want to keep things upright, and she pursues a low single for too long. Pacheco takes her back and instantly sets up a rear-naked choke. Harrison steels herself and turns around to get on top, but the Brazilian powers her way to her feet while leaned over. Harrison looks to kick the hands out so that Pacheco can get kneed, and she attempts a throw and snaps down to get Pacheco to her knees. Harrison looks for a back take, and Pacheco leans against the wall to prevent Harrison from securing it. Pacheco snags a single and dumps Harrison to the ground, and they scramble until Pacheco gets on top and wriggles her neck out of a potential inverted triangle choke. The Brazilian holds on from side control and considers an arm-triangle choke, and Harrison times an escape while Pacheco steps over to set up a submission. Pacheco lets her foe up so that she can swing away with bad intentions, and Harrison ends the round with a failed single attempt.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco

Round 5

The double gloves are touched, and the lightweights engage in the middle with sporadic strikes. Pacheco reaches her with a right hand over the top, and Harrison charges for a clinch. Pacheco answers with a knee and spins Harrison to the wall, but Harrison attempts to turn the tables and dump Pacheco to the mat. The Brazilian counters this to get off her knees, and Harrison hangs on in the clinch when they both get back up. Harrison throws two knees to the body and shoots, and Pacheco answers this with several powerful hammerfists when Harrison dives in for a single. Pacheco drums on Harrison’s head with punches while Harrison remains intent on the takedown, and Pacheco punches her way out and steps over on top. Pacheco rains down punches when she has Harrison on her knees, and Harrison bucks to get out but gives up her back. Pacheco fastens a body triangle but cannot keep it as Harrison scurries around to get on top. Pacheco swings with all her might with punches on the sides of the favorite’s head, and she drags Harrison into her guard while landing effectively. Harrison is spent, barely able to put any mustard on her strikes, while Pacheco looks for a possible triangle choke while controlling Harrison’s wrists. Pacheco rails Harrison with dangerous hammerfists, and she pushes Harrison up and nearly blasts her in the chin with an upkick. Harrison lowers herself in the guard to ride out the end of the fight, and we have reached the final bell. Even if she escapes with her hand raised, the air of invincibility from Harrison may have just been shattered. It is going to be a close one.

With a trio of scores in her favor, Pacheco is now a millionaire and has just notched the massive upset over formerly undefeated Harrison. Every champion crowned tonight is a new titleholder for PFL, and this wild event has come to a dramatic conclusion. The PFL can now easily sell the fourth fight, especially if the plan is to otherwise move on from the women’s lightweight division. The organization will take plenty of time off to regroup, although its Challenger Series may begin early in 2023. When it happens, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco (48-47 Pacheco)
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco (48-47 Pacheco)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco (48-47 Pacheco)

The Official Result

Larissa Pacheco def. Kayla Harrison via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)