PFL 2025 World Tournament 2 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Elora Dana (124.6) vs. Diana Avsaragova (125.4)

Round 1

A women’s flyweight quarterfinal pitting the undefeated Dana (7-0, 0-0 PFL) against Avsaragova (6-1, 0-0 PFL) gets the ball rolling in the second week of the PFL 2025 World Tournament at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Josh Rutgers administers the law and order. We are underway with a customary glove touch. Dana tests the waters with low kicks, and the Russian responds in kind. They circle in the center and measure one another. Inside kick to the lower leg from Dana. Avsaragova answers with a left hook and probes with her jab. Body kick from Dana, who has started to cut off the cage. Counter right hand from Avsaragova briefly sits down the Brazilian. Dana recovers quickly and throws out a one-two. Avsaragova shuts down a level change. Dana clinches and presses her opponent to the fence, then sneaks behind her. Avsaragova defends while in a kneeling position. Ninety seconds to go. Dana knees the thigh and fires short punches, using them as a distraction to secure the takedown. She settles in half guard with a minute left on the clock. Dana scores with elbows to the ribs and gets to work on a guillotine choke and turns it into a modified neck crank, arching her back as she does so to maximize the leverage. Avsaragova taps.

The Official Result

Elora Dana def. Diana Avsaragova—Submission (Neck Crank) 4:48 R1

Kana Watanabe (125.2) vs. Jena Bishop (125.6)

Round 1

Action stays at 125 pounds, as Watanabe (13-3-1, 1-1 PFL) meets Bishop (7-2, 1-2 PFL) in another women’s flyweight quarterfinal. David Baggett handles the officiating duties. They meet in the middle. Watanabe leads with the right hook and stays light on her feet as she presses the issue with her jab. Nice one-two from Bishop, who then doubles up on the left hand. She looks like the much heavier hitter at the start. Biship crashes into the clinch and gets busy with her dirty boxing, mixing in a few knees to the body. Watanabe answers with a knee of her own. Bishop stays in control with short punches and knees. They separate, and Watanabe drops Bishop with a right hook. Bishop scores with an upkick and a few hammerfists from the bottom. She steps forward behind a left hand, clinches and nearly secures a takedown. Bishop maintains control through the scramble. More clinch knees from the American. Watanabe bleeding from the nose now. Bishop rips punches to the body and head, then bails on an attempted single-leg. One minute to go. Slashing left hand from Bishop on the break. Watanabe connects with a short right hook, then flurries. Bishop snatches a collar tie and lands a few knees to the midsection. The end the round in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Bishop
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bishop
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Bishop

Round 2

Back at it. Watanabe doubles up on right hands and moves forward. Bishop’s movements look labored at the start of the middle stanza. Watanabe switches stances. Bishop drops her to a knee with a left, then lures her opponent back into the clinch. She presses Watanabe into the fence but fails to corral her. Back in open space, Watanabe slips a few punches and lands on the counter before shutting down an attempted takedown. They exchange punches at close range, and Watanabe staggers Bishop with a right hook. Bishop winds up in bottom position after a failed takedown. Watanabe in full guard. She dodges an armbar, stands above Bishop and lands a few butt-scoot kicks. Bishop hunts for upkicks. Referee restarts them. Bishop appears winded with a minute to go. Watanabe probes with her lead hand, connects with an inside leg kick and sets of a flurry between the two women. Neither gains a discernible advantage. Knee to the body from Bishop, who backs it up with a few uppercuts and more dirty boxing, including an elbow over the top, to close the round.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Watanabe
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bishop
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Bishop

Round 3

They start Round 3, and it still anyone’s fight. Watanabe sneaks a right hand over the top of her counterpart’s defenses. Much slower pace here. Bishop counters with a left hand, then another. Nice body-head combo from the American. Watanabe responds with a knee to the body, followed by a front kick to the body. Not much movement from either woman. Whenever one lands, the other follows suit. Sharp one-two from Bishop, who then targets the body with a digging straight left. Bishop cuts loose with a burst of punches, forcing her opponent to clinch. Bishop executes a takedown and immediately progresses to the back, securing position with a body triangle. Short punches from the American, who is making a strong closing argument. Bishop threatens the neck, settles for a face crank and squeezes until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Jena Bishop def. Kana Watanabe—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) 5:00 R3

Matheus Mattos (135.6) vs. Jake Hadley (135.8)

Round 1

Next up: a bantamweight quarterfinal matching Hadley (11-4, 0-0 PFL) with Mattos (14-3, 0-0 PFL) at 135 pounds. Keith Peterson steps in as the third man in the cage. Glove tap gets us started. Immediate stance switching from Mattos, who connects with a powerful inside low kick and another. Hadley targets the lower leg with a kick, dodges return fire and backs the Brazilian toward the fence. Nice one-two from the Englishman, who continues to apply pressure. Another inside leg kick from Mattos. Hadley might be walking a little bowlegged tomorrow. Hadley shoots and completes a takedown. Mattos builds a base and gets back to his feet, then fires an inside leg kick. Hadley closes the distance and clinches, only to get turned into the fence. Takedown from Mattos. Hadley closes full guard, then forces Mattos to retreat to a standing position. Butt-scoot kicks from the Brazilian. Hadley scrambles to his feet, clinches and drives Mattos to the fence. He separates and throws hands. More leg kicks from Mattos. Sharp one-two from Hadley, followed by a front kick to the body. Mattos cuts loose with hooks from both hands and works on a takedown before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mattos
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mattos
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Mattos

Round 2

They greet each other in the center at the start of Round 2. Hadley tags the lead leg with a kick, misses a one-two and fires high with a head kick. Mattos blocks it. Nice left hook to the body from the Brazilian. They trade low kicks and shots upstairs. Body kick from Mattos. Hadly answers with two left hands, one to the head and another to the body. Mattos backs him up with a right hand, then knocks the Englishman off-balance with another. Hadley drives the Brazilian to the fence, but his efforts at a takedown get denied. Left hook to the body from Hadley, who sends his counterpart’s mouthpiece flying. Hadley again targets the body with a left hook. Mattos turtles on the fence, then recovers enough to throw punches. Body kick from the Brazilian. Hadley sends another left hook crashing into the body, then turns up the heat. Mattos drifts back to the center of the cage. Front kick to the body from Hadley, who has seized control for the moment. Counter right connects for Mattos, who then scores with a partially blocked head kick. Hadly closes with a body kick and a straight left upstairs.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hadley
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hadley
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Hadley

Round 3

Outcome appears to be up in the air as the third round gets underway. Hadley steps forward with a leg kick, then another. Mattos connects with body blows from both hands. Hadley firing with two- and three-punch volleys. Hadley closes the distance behind punches and dumps Mattos to the canvas. He scrambles behind the Brazilian and secures position with a body triangle. Mattos turns into Hadley and falls right into his trap. Hadley ensnares him in a twister and forces the tap.

The Official Result

Jake Hadley def. Matheus Mattos—Submission (Twister) 2:16 R3

Ekaterina Shakalova (125.8) vs. Juliana Velasquez (126)

Round 1

A women’s flyweight quarterfinal slotting Shakalova (8-2, 0-0 PFL) opposite Velasquez (13-3, 1-1 PFL) ties a bow on the undercard. Rutgers answers the call to referee. They touch gloves. Shakalova crashes forward behind punches but hits mostly air. The Ukrainian shoots on a single leg, sneaks behind Velasquez and immediately threatens the neck. Harrowing start for Velasquez. Shakalova stays on the choke and sets both hooks. The choke deepens, and Shakalova tightens the squeeze to prompt the tapout. Stunning finish by the underdog.

The Official Result

Ekaterina Shakalova def. Juliana Velasquez—Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 2:05 R1

Kasum Kasumov (136) vs. Justin Wetzell (138.4: Missed Weight)

Round 1

A bantamweight quarterfinal kicks of the main draw, where Kasumov (15-1, 0-0 PFL) sets his sights on an overweight Wetzell (10-2, 0-0 PFL). Baggett administers the law and order. Kasumov moves forward and tests the waters with a low kick. Wetzell cuts loose with punches from both hands but eats a slashing left on the counter. He presses Kasumov into the fence and leans into him. Kasumov separates, only to be lured back into the clinch. He fires a knee to the body but Wetzell again bullies him to the fence. They jockey for superiority in close quarters. Kasumov scores with knees to the thigh, then feeds one into the body. Wetzell breaks into open space, eats a one-two and dodges an inside leg kick. He shoots two left hands to the body. Wetzell clinches and presses Kasumov into the cage. He locks his hands behind the Russian but goes nowhere. A minute left. Kasumov circles off the fence and separates, then sneaks in a short left hook over the top. Back to the clinch they go. Kasumov pressing hard for a takedown in the waning seconds, and he gets it. Wetzell counters with a guillotine, as time runs out.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kasumov
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kasumov
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Kasumov

Round 2

They meet in the middle to start the middle stanza. Wetzell probes with his jab. Kasumov light on his feet in the center. They trade left hooks, the clinch. Wetzell powers his opponent to the fence. Kasumov fires knees to the body and denies a takedown with an elbow to the side of the American’s head. Wetzell switches to a single-leg and goes nowhere. He lands an overhand left on the break. Kasumov shoots on the hips. Wetzell slams a series of elbows into the side of his head. Kasumov briefly gets back on a single-leg but eats more elbows. Nice knee to the body from the Russian. Wetzell turns him into the fence. Kasumov shuts down a takedown attempt with the threat of a guillotine, and they return to the clinch. Referee calls for more action. They trade punches to the body in response. Kasumov targets the legs with knees. Wetzell trades places and turns his counterpart into the cage. A minute to go. Wetzell completes a takedown and grapevines the legs. Kasumov soon gets back to his feet, eating an elbow on the way up. Wetzell stays glues to the Russian as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wetzell
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wetzell
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Wetzell

Round 3

Could be a round apiece here. Wetzell fires off a one-two and drives into the clinch. Kasumov turns him into the clinch. They drift into the center of the cage, still glued to one another. Kasumov pushes the American to the fence and fires off two knees, one to the outside of the leg, the other to the inside. More knees from the Russian. Wetzell answers, then connects with a close-range elbow. Kasumov dogged with his clinch, though they eventually separate. After a brief exchange, they clinch again. Kasumov presses Wetzell into the fence, as the referee hovers nearby. Wetzell turning more and more to elbows. He shoots on the hips, locks his hands and secures another takedown. Wetzell fails to consolidate his efforts with control. He sprawls on a takedown and hammers Kasumov with elbows to the ribs. They spill onto the canvas, with Wetzell in an inverted north-south position. Thirty seconds to go. Wetzell ties him up with a reverse triangle and fires away with hammerfists and elbows to the ribs, perhaps salting away the decision.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wetzell (29-28 Wetzell)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wetzell (29-28 Wetzell)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Wetzell (29-28 Wetzell)

The Official Result

Justin Wetzell def. Kasum Kasumov—Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 5:00 R3

Francesco Nuzzi (135) vs. Mando Gutierrez (135.8)

Round 1

Another bantamweight quarterfinal keeps the line moving, as Nuzzi (10-1, 1-0 PFL) puts Gutierrez (10-3, 0-0 PFL) to the test at 135 pounds. Peterson takes the officiating reins. Glove touch, and off we go. Nuzzi paws with his jab and eats an outside leg kick. Gutierrez takes a finger to the eye, resulting in an early pause to the action. Peterson warns Nuzzi. Gutierrez fires power punches from both hands. Nuzzi stays calm, scores with a leg kick and fires a one-two. Gutierrez crashes into the clinch but fails to corral the Italian. Another eye poke from Nuzzi, who is flirting with a point deduction. Peterson warns him again. Inside leg kick from Nuzzi. Gutirrez looks to exchange. Nuzzi gets the better of him on the counter, then sprawls out of a takedown. Sharp one-two from Nuzzi, who follows with a leg kick. Gutierrez plows ahead and leads with his chin. Nuzzi counters and circles. The Italian loses his footing. Gutierrez pounces, transitions to the back and goes to work on the choke. He secures position with a body triangle, changes grips and loses the choke. Nuzzi in real danger here. Gutierrez continually threatens the neck, pounds away with punches and cinches the choke. The squeeze proves to be too much, and Nuzzi taps.

The Official Result

Mando Gutierrez def. Francesco Nuzzi—Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 4:13 R1

Liz Carmouche (126) vs. Ilara Joanne (124.8)

Round 1

The PFL has arrived at its co-main event, where Carmouche (22-8, 2-1 PFL) collides with Joanne (12-9, 1-1 PFL) in a women’s flyweight quarterfinal. Rutgers answers the call to referee. They step forward with no glove tap. Strong leg kick from Carmouche knocks the Brazilian off-balance. Joanne scrambles into the clinch. Carmouche peppers her with short punches. Carmouche turns her into the fence and digs to the body with brutal punches and knees. Joanne collapses, gets back to her feet and makes a pass at an ill-advised kimura. Carmouche frees herself and unloads with punches and hammerfists to the body, prompting the stoppage.

The Official Result

Liz Carmouche def. Ilara Joanne—TKO (Punches) 1:25 R1

Leandro Higo (135.6) vs. Marcirley Alves (136)

Round 1

A bantamweight quarterfinal closes the show, as Higo (23-6, 0-0 PFL) confronts Alves (12-4, 0-0 PFL) at 135 pounds. Peterson steps in as the third man in the cage. Off we go in the last fight of the night. They greet each other with a glove touch. Higo paws with his jab. Alves swings wildly and misses. Higo bounces and circles in the perimeter, then drives a kick into the body. Alves sneaks in a powerful right hook. Headhunting appears to be on the menu for the underdog. Lead right hook from Alves. Higo answers with one of his own, then slams home another body kick. Alves steps forward with a sweeping left hook and drops the favorite. Higo still woozy and pulls guard under duress. Alves sets up in half guard and cuts loose with an elbow and punches. Higo hunting a sweep from butterfly guard. No luck. Alves settles in full guard with a minute to go. They exchange shots on the ground. Alves fails to capitalize on what was an early chance at a finish.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Alves
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Alves
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Alves

Round 2

Higo springs across with a flying knee at the start of Round 2. Alvez dodges, then takes a kick below the belt, resulting in a pause to the action. Alves sprawls on a takedown attempt, wings power punches with his left hand and scores with the occasional low kick. Higo level changes and shoots on another takedown attempt. No luck. Alves circles back to the center of the cage and catches Higo with a right uppercut. Higo enjoying surprising little success thus far. Alves leans into two sweeping left hooks but misses both. Pace slows. One-two from Alves. Higo answers with a right hook. Two minutes to go. Alves lands a lead right hook, circles away and blocks a head kick. Higo shoots on an ankle pick, sets off a scramble and lands a knee as Alves rises to his feet. Alves sprawls on a takedown attempt. Higo drives him into the fence and goes to work in the clinch. Thirty seconds left in the round. Alves delivers a knee strike to the body. Higo responds with close-range kicks to the lower leg.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Alves
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Alves
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Alves

Round 3

One of the pre-tournament favorites, Higo may need a finish here. He opens with a powerful leg kick. Inside leg kick from Higo grazes the cup, as Peterson hits the pause button. Alves limps forward and appears to be shielding his right leg. Higo lands a right hook, then gets his jab in gear. He connects with a right uppercut and an inside leg kick, then steps away and resets. Two minutes in. Inside leg kick from Alves, who follows it with a wicked left hook to the body. He sprawls on a series of takedowns from Higo. None are successful. Lack of a set-up plaguing Higo. They trade punches in the center of the cage. Alves scores with a low kick and sprawls again before countering with a right hook. Higo fires a head kick. Alves blocks it. They circle with less than a minute to go. Heavy body kick from Higo. Alves flurries, blocks a head kick and dumps Higo to the canvas. Alves catches a kick in the closing seconds, fires a punch and forces Higo to circle out of danger, bleeding the remaining time off the clock.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Alves (30-27 Alves)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Higo (29-28 Alves)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Alves (30-27 Alves)

The Official Result

Marcirley Alves def. Leandro Higo—Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) 5:00 R3