Category: PFL

2023 PFL Playoffs 2 weigh-in results: Postseason intact, but miss moves showcase bout to super heavyweight

A heavyweight missed his mark, and one showcase bout was lost, but the scheduled tournament matchups remained intact for 2023 PFL Playoffs 2.

A heavyweight missed his mark, one showcase bout was lost, and even one postseason fighter missed weight, but the scheduled tournament matchups remained intact after Thursday’s official weigh-ins for 2023 PFL Playoffs 2.

The event, which is down to eight fights total, takes place Friday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden with a main card that airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

The heavyweight and women’s featherweight semifinals were made official after all eight fighters hit their marks.

However, a heavyweight showcase bout between Louie Sutherland and Daiqwon Buckley shifted to super heavyweight after Buckley weighed in at 272.4 pounds, more than 6 pounds over the limit. Sutherland tipped the scale at 250.6.

The lightweight showcase bout between Chris Mixan and Eddy George was canceled after the New York State Athletic Commission’s decision not to license Mixan, according to a PFL news release. No specific reason was given.

Below are the 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 weigh-in results:

MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Renan Ferreira (259.6) vs. Maurice Greene (261.8) – heavyweight semifinal
  • Larissa Pacheco (146) vs. Olena Kolesnyk (147.8)* – women’s featherweight semifinal
  • Denis Goltsov (243) vs. Jordan Heiderman (247.2) – heavyweight semifinal
  • Marina Mokhnatkina (145) vs. Amber Leibrock (145.8) – women’s featherweight semifinal
  • Nathan Kelly (145.4) vs. Damion Nelson (145.8)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Satoshi Ishii (240.2) vs. Danilo Marques (248)
  • Maira Mazar (125.6) vs. Kaytlin Neil (125.8)
  • Daiqwon Buckley (272.4)** vs. Louis Sutherland (250.6)

*Kolesnyk fined 20 percent of her purse and penalized 1 point for missing weight

**Buckley fined 20 percent of his purse for missing weight

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Playoffs 2.

Photos: 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 main, co-main event faceoffs atop Empire State Building

Check out these photos of 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 competitors facing off at the Empire State Building in New York.

Check out these photos of 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 feature competitors facing off atop the Empire State Building in New York, including [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag], [autotag]Olena Kolesnyk[/autotag], [autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag] and [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag]. (Photos courtesy of PFL MMA.)

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Aug. 15: Khalil Rountree enters top 15

UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree now has a number next to his name after extending his winning streak at UFC on ESPN 51.

UFC on ESPN 51 saw a number of solid performances, but a light heavyweight earned a new spot in the rankings.

[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] extended his winning streak to four by stopping Chris Daukaus in the first round of their main card bout with devastating punching power. Rountree has stopped three opponents on his current run, and has earned a spot in the light heavyweight rankings, settling in at No. 13.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings above.

Maurice Greene: Jon Jones ‘reignited’ my career with one step until $1 million PFL final

Maurice Greene admits he was on the cusp of retiring from MMA competition until UFC champ Jon Jones pulled him out of a rut.

[autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag] admits he was on the cusp of retiring from MMA competition until UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] pulled him out of a rut.

Greene (11-8), who meets Renan Ferreira (10-3) in Friday’s 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 headliner at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, was struggling to find his way before Jones extended an invite to join his training camp as he prepared for a long-awaited return to the UFC.

That changed everything for Greene, he said, and now he finds himself a win over Ferreira in their heavyweight season semifinal from the chance to fight for the $1 million season prize later this year.

“Jon Jones really was the catalyst behind getting it all together,” Greene told MMA Junkie Radio. “Putting himself a camp together, inadvertently he gave (an opportunity) to a small group of men who came in and wanted to work hard and are good people. Take advantage of some training that you really can’t buy anywhere. You can’t go in a gym and really get it. It’s different. It’s tailored.

“I’m thankful to Jon for being a re-ignitor of my career. I was close to thinking about retirement because I didn’t have a gym and didn’t have any support. It reignited my flame a little bit and it taught me how to train hard and smart.”

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Jones has shown a dedication to assisting Greene. Although “The Crotchet Boss” is 1-2 in his past three fights under the PFL banner, he’s managed to navigate his way into a playoff spot. Jones has been in the corner of Greene during his fights, lending his support and guidance.

Now Greene is at the doorstep of the most important fight of his life against Brazil’s Ferreira, and he intends to take advantage of the opportunity in the ESPN-televised main event.

“There’s no points involved now (in the standings),” Greene said of his semifinal bout. “I don’t have an incentive to finish him in the first round besides my own incentives. If the opportunity arises, you bet your sweet ass I’m going to finish him so I can get back out and have an even better training camp.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Playoffs 2.

2023 PFL Playoffs 2: Make your predictions for heavyweights, women’s featherweights in New York

We want your predictions for Friday’s 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 event in New York.

We want your predictions for Friday’s 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 event in New York.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 main card staff predictions we release Thursday ahead of the event. The 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 event takes place Friday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the playoff fights below.

Ex-Glory kickboxing champ Cedric Doumbe to debut at 2023 PFL Europe playoffs event

Former Glory kickboxing champion Cedric Doumbe gets a name and date for his PFL debut.

[autotag]Cedric Doumbe[/autotag] is getting the spotlight for his PFL debut.

The former Glory kickboxing champion will make his first promotional appearance in the main event of the 2023 PFL Europe Playoffs. Doumbe (4-0) takes on fellow Frenchman [autotag]Jordan Zebo[/autotag] in a welterweight contest, the promotion announced Thursday.

The 2023 PFL Europe Playoffs take place at the Zenith Paris La Villette in Paris on Sept. 30.

Doumbe (4-0) vs. Zebo (4-0), along with the previously announced co-main event bout between Abdoul Abdouraguimov (16-1) and Quemuel Ottoni (12-3), will not be part of the playoffs that showcase the semifinals for the light heavyweight, bantamweight, lightweight, and women’s flyweight’s of the 2023 PFL Europe season.

Doumbe is undefeated since transitioning from kickboxing to MMA in 2021. The 30-year-old has picked up TKO wins in all four of his professional MMA bouts. He comes into the PFL with an extensive kickboxing record of 75-7-1. Doumbe held the Glory welterweight title in two different stints, with the most recent one being from 2019 to 2021.

On the other hand, Zebo will also make his PFL debut. Zebo is undefeated in his MMA career with two finishes in his four fights. He most recently competed in May when he stopped Mickael Marie Sardi with a head kick at ARES FC 15.

Below is the full line up for 2023 PFL Europe Playoffs:

  • Cedric Doumbe vs. Jordan Zebo
  • Abdoul Abdouraguimov vs. Quemuel Ottoni
  • Anthony Salamone vs. Jakob Nedoh
  • Simeon Powell vs. Abdellah Er-Ramy
  • Dakota Ditcheva vs. Cornelia Holm
  • Yazid Chouchane vs. Luigi Vendramini
  • Frans Mlambo vs. Francesco Nuzzi
  • Dylan Tuke vs. Jakub Kaszuba
  • John Mitchell vs. Alex Chizov
  • Ali Taleb vs. Khurshed Kakhorov
  • Griet Eeckhout vs. Valentina Scatizzi
  • Lizzy Gevers vs. Shanelle Dyer

‘The Lazy King’ finally finds a home: Abdoul Abdouraguimov signs with PFL

One of the top free agents in MMA, Abdoul Abdouraguimov has signed with PFL after months of campaigning for a UFC shot.

“The Lazy King” finally is taking a step up to the big leagues.

After months of calling for a shot in a major promotion, [autotag]Abdoul Abdouraguimov[/autotag] has his, as Thursday it was announced Abdouraguimov (16-1) signed with PFL. The announcement was made by the promotion, Abdouraguimov, and his former promotion, ARES FC.

Abdouraguimov (16-1) is 27, holds two ARES FC titles (at welterweight and middleweight), has a massive online fanbase, and speaks four languages fluently. With 13 finishes and a slew of notable regional wins, he was considered by many as one of the best unsigned prospects in MMA.

In recent weeks, he advocated heavily for a slot on the upcoming UFC Fight Night event Sept. 2 in Paris, but instead will make his debut Sept. 30 in Paris vs. Quemuel Ottoni (12-3) at PFL Europe 3.

Abdouraguimov, 28, is expected to enter the 2024 PFL welterweight playoffs following his upcoming fight. He enters the bout on a six-fight winning streak including wins over UFC alum Godofredo Pepey and Bellator alum Karl Amoussou.

“Right now after Ciryl Gane in France … it’s ‘Lazy King,'” Abdouraguimov told MMA Junkie in July. “‘Lazy King’ is the real deal. … I am a showman. I can make some show. I’m not only a fighter. Also, I can talk. I can show, and I can talk about science also. We can do everything.”

Randy Couture happy to get behind Jake Paul if he’s ‘poking Dana White in the chest’ over fighter pay

Randy Couture is not a fan of Jake Paul’s antics, but praises him for helping MMA fighters get paid.

[autotag]Randy Couture[/autotag] is not a fan of [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag]’s antics, but praises him for helping MMA fighters get paid.

Paul thinks [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] is severely underpaying his fighters, and has ripped the UFC president at every available opportunity. “The Problem Child” went as far as becoming a brand ambassador for PFL to help MMA fighters get an increase in pay and a larger share of the revenue.

UFC Hall of Famer and current PFL commentator Couture sees Paul’s moves as pivotal for the sport, and credits him for kicking things off by boxing MMA fighters, and giving them the opportunity for much larger paydays.

“Why is Jake Paul the mouth for MMA when he hasn’t fought in MMA yet?,” Couture told MMA Junkie Radio. “Because he brought in some MMA guys like Tyron Woodley, and Ben Askren, and Anderson Silva to do these Trillers, and those guys made more money from that one boxing match than they’ve ever made in MMA which is ridiculous.

“And if it takes a guy like Jake Paul to shine a light on the disparaging difference in our sports, and the issue in our sport, then I’ll get behind that guy all day long. I’m not a fan of the trolling and the rhetoric, but he’s backed it up. He’s stepped in there, he’s done the work, he’s talented, he’s got a great platform, and he’s helping all of us as MMA fighters by shining a light on that and by poking Dana White in the chest the way he does.”

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Paul is expected to compete in MMA under the PFL banner. After defeating ex-UFC fighter Nate Diaz by unanimous decision in a boxing match this past Saturday at American Airlines Center, Paul offered Diaz a $10 million purse for an MMA rematch – something he vows he’s very serious about.

For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Diaz.

Three-division boxing champion Claressa Shields re-signs with PFL in multi-year agreement

Claressa Shields will continue to pursue her goal of becoming the first simultaneous MMA and boxing champion with the PFL.

Boxing great [autotag]Claressa Shields[/autotag] will continue her experiment in MMA.

Shields (1-1 MMA, 1-1 PFL), a two-time Olympic gold medalist and three division boxing champion, has re-signed with the PFL in a multi-year agreement, the promotion announced Wednesday. Widely regarded as one of the best women in boxing, Shields has competed twice in MMA competition under the PFL banner, and will look to continue her career in the cage in 2024.

“The GWOAT” (The Greatest Woman of All Time), is undefeated in boxing with a 14-0 record. In 2020, she decided to begin training MMA and made her debut in 2021. At 2021 PFL 4, Shields recorded a third-round TKO over Brittney Elkin to win her first professional MMA bout.

“I am excited to return to a fighter-first organization, and I can’t wait to return to the PFL SmartCage,” Shields said in the press release. “My goal remains unchanged: I will be the first athlete to hold championships in both boxing and MMA simultaneously. I have grown so much since my first MMA fight and cannot wait to put my skills on display.”

The second pro bout of Shields’ MMA career did not go in her favor, dropping a split decision to Abigail Montes. Since then, Shields has picked up three unanimous decision wins in boxing, defeating Ema Kozin, Savannah Marshall and Maricela Cornejo.

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USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Aug. 8: Tatiana Suarez is back in a big way at strawweight

UFC strawweight Tatiana Suarez returned to strawweight, and takes a high spot in this week’s rankings update.

UFC strawweight [autotag]Tatiana Suarez[/autotag] returned to her home at strawweight, and claimed a place near the top of this week’s rankings update.

AT UFC on ESPN 50, Suarez finished former champion Jessica Andrade by submission to make a triumphant return to her weight class. Suarez had a lengthy layoff due to injuries and setbacks, but appears to be past her troubles and in prime position to challenge for the title after her return at flyweight, followed by beating a former champion at 115 pounds.

For her performance, Suarez returns to the rankings in a big way, taking the No. 2 spot behind the current champion Zhang Weili.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings above.