Tag: 2021 PFL 2

PFL champ Ray Cooper III: ‘I’m going to be in the finals again this year’

Ray Cooper III knows what it takes to cash a $1 million check as a PFL champion, but the challenge became even more difficult this year.

Hawaiian slugger [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag] knows what it takes to cash a $1 million check as a PFL champion, but the challenge became even more difficult this year, with COVID-19 protocol forcing a lengthy quarantine for the competitors.

But the 28-year-old knockout artist believes it’s important not to lose sight of what matters against what doesn’t.

“You’ve just got to go with the flow,” Cooper III said. “Things are just going to fly at you. It’s just obstacles that you’ve got to overcome, and there’s nothing that anybody can throw at me that’s going to deter me from doing the same thing I did last year. It’s going to just transpire to this year, and I’m going to just dominate this year.”

Cooper III (20-7-1) starts his journey in the PFL’s new season at Thursday’s 2021 PFL 2 event, which airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+ from Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. French newcomer Jason Ponet (20-12-1) stands on the opposite side of the cage.

Cooper III said it doesn’t matter who he’s paired up with along the path back to the title – they all await the same fate.

“I don’t care about anybody but my team and myself, and anybody you put in front of me, I’m going to finish them, and I’m going to be in the finals again this year,” Cooper III said.

With that type of focus, Cooper III may prove hard to beat. Winning the PFL season is tall order any circumstances, but “Bradda Boy” believes he’s built for the added challenges of this year.

“I did this before,” Cooper III said. “You’ve just got to keep your mind off things you can’t control and focus on the task at hand.”

Check out more from Cooper III in the video above, courtesy of the PFL.

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2021 PFL 2 weigh-in results: Alternate Askar Mozharov replaces Vinny Magalhaes

The weigh-ins are in the books for PFL’s second event of 2021, with light heavyweights and welterweights ready to kick off their season.

The weigh-ins are in the books for PFL’s second event of 2021, with light heavyweights and welterweights ready to kick off their season after hitting the scales at Wednesday’s official ceremony.

In the night’s main event, welterweights [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] (21-6-1) and [autotag]Curtis Millender[/autotag] (18-6) each made weight without issue, with MacDonald at 170.6 pounds and Millender at 171. In fact, all eight welterweights on the card made weight without issue.

The same was true at light heavyweight, as well – though with one major change. Ukranian light heavyweight [autotag]Askar Mozharov[/autotag] (23-7) was called in as an alternate when 2018 PFL light heavyweight finalist [autotag]Vinny Magalhaes[/autotag] (19-12) required medical attention during his weight cut and was forced to withdraw from the event.

Mozharov made weight and will face [autotag]Jordan Young[/autotag] (11-1) at Thursday’s event, which airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+ from Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J.

The complete 2021 PFL 2 weigh-in results included:

MAIN CARD (ESPN2, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Rory MacDonald (170.6) vs. Curtis Millender (171)
  • Ray Cooper III (170.8) vs. Jason Ponet (170.2)
  • Gleison Tibau (170.4) vs. Joao Zeferino (171)
  • Chris Camozzi (204) vs. Emiliano Sordi (205.6)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)

  • Antonio Carlos Junior (205.4) vs. Tom Lawlor (202.8)
  • Askar Mozharov (205) vs. Jordan Young (205.8)
  • Cezar Ferreira (205.4) vs. Nick Roehrick (205.4)
  • Nikolay Aleksakhin (170.8) vs. Sadibou Sy (170.8)
  • Marthin Hamlet (205.8) vs. Dan Spohn (205.4)

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Rory MacDonald: ‘I want to go out there and fight with no regrets’ at 2021 PFL 2

It’s been 18 months since Rory MacDonald last registered an official MMA contest, and that time away has apparently proved valuable.

It’s been 18 months since [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] last registered an official MMA contest, and that time away has apparently proved valuable for the Canadian veteran.

“I think everything worked out perfectly,” MacDonald said. “The year off, at first, seemed like a downer, but in hindsight, it’s been a blessing. It’s given me some ample time to make necessary changes in my life and in my training, and it’s benefitted me a lot, so I’m looking forward to putting that on display.”

MacDonald (21-6-1) faces Curtis Millender (18-6) in the featured bout of Thursday’s 2021 PFL 2 event, which airs on ESPN2 from Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. The two fighters have been quarantined for more than two weeks as part of the promotion’s COVID-19 protocol, and MacDonald said he’s used the situation to hone his focus even further.

“Going into this bubble, I had the obvious choice of letting it make me weak-minded about it or use it as something to build me stronger, harden my mind and my body more so when I go into the fight, I’m battle-hardened in my mind and my body,” MacDonald said.

With that in mind, MacDonald hopes to make a splash in his PFL debut. And though he’s had some mixed results in recent years under the UFC and Bellator banners, MacDonald said he hopes the entire 2021 season will give him an opportunity to remind fans of his true capabilities.

“I feel like this is a new era in my career, and I had a lot of time to reflect on how I want to leave my footprint on this sport, so I want to go out there and fight with no regret and go in there and finish like I have been known for in my early career,” MacDonald said.

Check out more from MacDonald in the video above, courtesy of the PFL.

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Video: The fights you shouldn’t miss this week – in the UFC and beyond

If you’re only paying attention to the three big letters at the end of the week, you might miss some good stuff.

There are three solid cards this week, and if you’re only paying attention to the three big letters at the end of the week, you might miss some good stuff.

ONE on TNT IV goes down Wednesday night on TNT, 2021 PFL 2 takes place Thursday, and UFC on ESPN 23 wraps up the week Saturday.

All three cards have some intriguing bouts, like Aung La N Sang (26-11) with his light heavyweight title on the line against middleweight champion Reinier de Ridder (13-0) at ONE on TNT IV.

Is that one of the big can’t-miss fights this week? The “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Farah Hannoun broke down that one and more with panel host John Morgan.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, or check out this week’s full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzjbJbtcnW4

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