Professional Fighters League Signs Adam Keresh Following PFL Challenger Series 6 Stoppage

Bellator MMA veteran Adam Keresh disposed of Chad Johnson with punches in the first round of their heavyweight showcase at PFL Challenger Series 6 on Friday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Johnson (6-4) checked out 3:34 into Round 1, as he suffered his third consecutive defeat.

Afterward, the Professional Fighters League signed Keresh to its 2022 roster.

Keresh (5-0) tested the waters with a few kicks and waited for an opportunity to present itself. He sprawled on Johnson, forced him down to all fours and connected with a brutal right hand underneath the armpit. The Dana White’s Contender Series alum reacted immediately, retreated to a belly-down position and ate a few more punches before referee Andrew Glenn intervened on his behalf.

Meanwhile, Robert Drysdale-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Marcelo Nunes submitted Bevon Lewis with an arm-triangle choke in the second round of their heavyweight co-feature. Nunes (8-1) drew out the surrender 2:39 into Round 2.

Lewis (7-4) landed a surprising takedown in the first round and managed to navigate his counterpart’s venomous guard. Standing-to-ground punches and more traditional ground-and-pound tipped his spear and forced Nunes into survival mode. Lewis delivered another takedown in Round 2, only to be swept by the more decorated grappler. Nunes snuck into half guard, climbed to full mount and eventually framed the choke. He then cleared his legs, tightened his squeeze and forced the tap.

Elsewhere, Sanford MMA export Daiqwon Buckley put away Jon Cunningham with punches in the second round of their heavyweight attraction. Buckley (2-0) brought it to a close 1:46 into Round 2.

Cunningham (1-1) executed a takedown and briefly achieved full mount early in the first round, but the well ran dry rather quickly. Buckley turned the tide with his heavy hands, pairing merciless pressure with three-, four- and five-punch combinations. He struck for a takedown of his own roughly 30 seconds into the middle stanza, climbed to full mount and applied his ground-and-pound before flattening out Cunningham near the base of the cage. From there, the result became a formality.

Finally, Giacomo Lemos kept his perfect professional record intact, as he took care of Billy Swanson with punches in the second round of their heavyweight pairing. Lemos (8-0) drew the curtain 33 seconds into Round 2.

Swanson (4-4) offered considerable resistance throughout a competitive first round. He cornered Lemos in the clinch and secured a takedown late in the period. Swanson progressed to side control, chipped away at the Brazilian with punches and threatened with a keylock in the waning seconds. Prosperity did not last. Lemos backed up the Tennessee native with punches, pinned him to the fence and floored him with a well-placed jab. He then swooped into top position with hammerfists to prompt the stoppage.