Category: PFL

MMA’s week out of the cage: UFC, Bellator fighters celebrate Thanksgiving

Check out the best social media posts from fighters and their lives outside of the cage in the past week.

Social media has become a significant part of the sporting landscape. But few, if any, professional sports match the level of interaction and personal access provided by MMA.

In an individual competition in which nearly every athlete is chasing the same goal of financial success and championship glory, it’s important for fighters to provide insight into their lives in order to connect with fans and gain followings.

Although the life of a fighter often can be mundane and repetitive, there still are moments of interest that take place outside the cage, ring or training room. Here are some of the most interesting of those occurrences from the past week.

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Thanksgiving 2019

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Always thankful. Happy 🦃 day 🤙🏻

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Happy thanksgiving?

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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! #stuffed

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Thankful for the ones I love most #tb #thanksgiving

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PFL 2019: Check out the finishes that powered the last 12 to the New York finale

Check out the best finishes as the stars of the PFL secured their places in the end-of-year finale in New York.

The PFL’s sophomore season comes to a close in just 30 days’ time, as New York’s Madison Square Garden plays host to the 2019 season finale, with six end-of-season titles up for grabs.

The main event will see two-time Olympic judo gold medalist [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (6-0 MMA, 6-0 PFL) look to secure the first major title of her MMA career when she takes on Brazil’s [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 2-1 PFL) in the women’s lightweight final.

While Harrison is looking to claim her maiden MMA title, reigning PFL champions [autotag]Lance Palmer[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 9-0 PFL) and [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] (19-3-1 MMA, 7-0-1 PFL) return to finals day looking to successfully repeat their season one finishes.

Featherweight Palmer takes on replacement finalist [autotag]Alex Gilpin[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 2-2 PFL) after his original opponent, Daniel Pineda, was pulled from the card following notice of a potential anti-doping violation.

And Brazilian lightweight Schulte will bid to successfully repeat his season one victory when he takes on Tajikistan’s [autotag]Loik Radzhabov[/autotag] (13-1-1 MMA, 2-1-1 PFL).

Also familiar with competing in the season finale is welterweight [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag] (19-7-1 MMA, 6-2-1 PFL), who lost out to Magomed Magomedkerimov in last year’s welterweight final. This time he’ll look go one step further and capture the 170-pound title against [autotag]David Michaud[/autotag] (18-5 MMA, 3-1 PFL).

Also set for finals action are [autotag]Emiliano Sordi[/autotag] 21-8 MMA, 5-1 PFL) and [autotag]Jordan Johnson[/autotag] (12-1-1 MMA, 2-1-1 PFL), who face off for the light heavyweight title, while undefeated [autotag]Ali Isayev[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 4-0 PFL) and [autotag]Jared Rosholt[/autotag] (20-7 MMA, 6-3 PFL) will battle for the 2019 heavyweight championship.

Each finalist had to book their place in the Madison Square Garden finale by progressing through back-to-back bouts at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas back in October and, as the video above shows, the playoffs produced a feast of finishes in Sin City as the PFL’s best did battle in a bid to punch their ticket to New York.

Now they each stand just one victory away from a PFL title, and a cool $1 million prize.

PFL 2019 Finale championship bouts include:

  • Kayla Harrison vs. Larissa Pacheco – women’s lightweight final
  • Ray Cooper III vs. David Michaud – welterweight final
  • Lance Palmer vs. Alex Gilpin – featherweight final
  • Natan Schulte vs. Loik Radzhabov – lightweight final
  • Emiliano Sordi vs. Jordan Johnson – light heavyweight final
  • Ali Isayev vs Jared Rosholt – heavyweight final

PFL, American Top Team deliver Thanksgiving meals to families in need

PFL officials partnered with American Top Team to help make Thanksgiving a little better for some Southern Florida families.

PFL officials partnered with American Top Team to help make Thanksgiving a little better for some Southern Florida families.

On Wednesday, PFL CEO Peter Murray and PFL 2019 season finalists [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] and [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] joined other American Top Team staff and fighters to help give back as part of the PFL’s “PFL Fights for Community” program.

“On the steps to the PFL cage is the question, ‘What do you Fight For?'” Murray stated. “Our elite athletes fight for honor, respect and family. At the PFL, we all fight for our community.

“American Top Team is home to elite MMA fighters, including several of our own, such as Kayla Harrison and Natan Schulte. Kayla and Natan are preparing for their championship fights on ESPN2 on New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden, where they’ll have a shot at a title and million-dollar prize, but took time out of their busy schedules to give back. As an organization, we place an emphasis on getting out, making a difference and bringing the fight to the community each and every day.”

Turkeys were distributed outside ATT’s famed Coconut Creek headquarters, as well as at Florida’s Gateway Community Outreach, an organization committed to preventing homelessness and restoring self-sufficiency.

Previous “PFL Fights for Community” partners include the Atlantic City Rescue and Randy Couture’s GI Foundation.

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Nov. 26: Is Michael Page ready?

Michael Page picked up another win this past Saturday – but was it enough to get him into our welterweight rankings?

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] picked up another win this past Saturday – but it came with some controversy.

There wasn’t controversy over how Page (16-1 MMA, 12-1 BMMA) beat Giovanni Melillo (13-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) – by first-round knockout. But instead, the Bellator welterweight continued to take criticism for the level of opponents he’s been in the cage with so far in his career.

Page has been in the cage with some standouts like Paul Daley and David Rickels, and has wins over them. But his resume also includes names like Melillo, Richard Kiely and Jeremie Holloway who are unheralded, to put it mildly.

Page’s lone loss came by knockout against Douglas Lima in Bellator’s welterweight tournament. Lima went on to win the tournament and the title. And before that, his win over Daley was a unanimous decision, and some had Daley winning.

So with his latest win at Bellator Europe 6 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London, has Page done enough to break into our USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings?

Check out the latest rankings in the drop-down menu above.

Undefeated Titan FC champ Jason Soares signs with PFL, will enter 2020 tournament

Sitting atop a 14-0 record, Jason Soares finally has found a permanent home.

[autotag]Jason Soares[/autotag] finally has a permanent home.

An undefeated featherweight fighter, Soares (14-0) has signed with PFL. With $1 million on the line, Soares will enter the promotion’s 2020 tournament, Soares announced early Saturday morning on his Instagram account.

“Contract is signed, next year we are in the @pflmma $1,000,000 tournament on @espn, money is great, but I want a new belt,” Soares wrote.

Soares has dominated the southeast regional scene since early 2012, finishing 12 of his 14 professional fights.

At Titan FC 49 in April 2018, Soares earned the Titan FC featherweight title when he submitted then-champion Luis Gomez in the fourth round. Since winning the belt, Soares has defended thrice and has finished all three challengers.

At Titan FC 54 in April 2019, UFC president Dana White brought “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight” to scout Soares. Taking on Brazil’s Ariston Franca, Soares was flattened early in the first round.

Somehow, Soares survived en route to a miraculous comeback by fourth-round ground-and-pound victory. Soares’ struggles early in the fight were too much for White, who elected not to offer him a UFC deal.

In his most recent outing in August at Titan FC 56, Soares submitted 23-fight veteran Andrew Whitney by second-round armbar.

Check out Soares’ PFL announcement in the post below:

No date, location, or opponent for Soares’ PFL debut has been revealed at this time.

Daniel Pineda fails drug test, leaving $1 million PFL matchup in jeopardy

Daniel Pineda has failed a drug test, which will likely knock him out of his $1 million final against Lance Palmer on Dec. 31.

[autotag]Daniel Pineda[/autotag] might not be fighting in the PFL finals on New Year’s Eve after all.

Pineda (28-13), who reached the featherweight playoff final, has failed a Nevada Athletic Commission-administered drug test. Without being overturned, the test likely will knock him out of his $1 million featherweight final against Lance Palmer on Dec. 31.

A person with knowledge of the situation told MMA Junkie of the positive drug test on Thursday. The person asked to remain anonymous since neither the promotion nor the NAC has made an announcement.

The exact substance or reason for Pineda’s test failure is not known. It’s also unclear who would replace Pineda in the tournament final if he’s not allowed to compete.

When contacted, Pineda’s manager, Jason House, issued the following statement to MMA Junkie:

“Right now we’re in the process of researching what could have led to a positive test. We plan on appealing the decision once all information is gathered.”

Pineda later took to Twitter claiming that “no steroids or drugs” were found in his system.

The PFL declined to comment on the matter. The NAC could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.

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Pineda, who has UFC experience, was an improbable underdog entering the semifinals in mid-October. Without having competed once in the regular season, Pineda replaced injured Damon Jackson in the playoffs.

In the first of two scheduled fights in the same night, Pineda finished Movlid Khaybulaev in 29 seconds by knockout. His second performance against Jeremy Kennedy took a little bit longer, but Pineda got the job done by first-round guillotine choke.

PFL’s 2019 playoff finals take place Dec. 31 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. The card airs on ESPN2.