[autotag]Dovlet Yagshimuradov[/autotag] and [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] chose to create a firefight Friday during their PFL title fight. When the dust settled, Turkmenistan had a new champion.
At 2024 PFL Championship, Yagshimuradov (25-7-1) knocked out Kasanganay (18-5) in 58 seconds to claim light heavyweight gold. The event took place at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
ITS OVER!!! Dovlet Yagshimuradov takes the 2024 PFL Light Heavyweight World Title to Turkmenistan!#PFLWorldChampionship
LIVE NOW ON ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/AkXnGGFXID— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 29, 2024
Yagshimuradov was imported from Bellator following PFL’s purchase in 2023. He defeated Jakob Nedoh, Simon Biyong, and Rob Wilkinson in PFL en route to Friday’s championship bout.
Kasanganay was the 2023 light heavyweight champion. His attempt to repeat failed, but Kasanganay racked up wins over Alex Polizzi, Nedoh, and Josh Silveira to enter his second-straight PFL title fight.
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Up-to-the-minute 2024 PFL Championship results include:
- Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov def. Impa Kasanganay via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:58 – to win 2024 light heavyweight title
- Shamil Musaev def. Magomed Umalatov via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:44 – to win 2024 welterweight title
- Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Brent Primus via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 2:31 – to win 2024 lightweight title
- Denis Goltsov def. Oleg Popov via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:55 – to win 2024 heavyweight title
- Abdullah Al-Qahtani def. Maraoune Bellagouit via TKO (punches) – Round 1 – for MENA featherweight title
- Omar El Dafrawy def. Mohammad Alaqraa via TKO (punches) – Round 2; 0:57 – to win MENA welterweight title
- Ali Taleb def. Rachid El Hazoume via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:25 – to win MENA bantamweight title
- Mohsen Mohammadseifi def. Georges Eid via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) – for MENA lightweight title
- Mansour Barnaoui def. Alfie Davis via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:41
- Slim Trabelsi def. Abraham Bably via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Gabriel Braga def. Jeremy Kennedy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Asael Adjoudj def. Jose Perez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:10
- Costello van Steenis def. Joao Dantas via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 0:48
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.