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Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC on ESPN 29, Bellator 265 and 2021 PFL Playoffs 2.
What mattered most in a loaded MMA weekend that included UFC on ESPN 29 in Las Vegas; Bellator 265 in Sioux Falls, S.D.; and 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 in Hollywood, Fla.? Here are a few post-fight musings …
The PFL set its 2021 playoff finals in two more divisions Thursday, and a reigning champ will be looking for a repeat.
The PFL set its 2021 playoff finals in two more divisions Thursday, and a reigning champ will be looking for a repeat.
[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (11-0), the 2019 women’s lightweight season winner, kept her perfect record intact in the main event when she pounded out [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] (4-2) in the first round. She moved into the October $1 million final against [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] (3-1), who outworked [autotag]Mariana Morais[/autotag] (17-12) in the other semifinal.
After her win, Harrison was arguably more vocal than ever before in her post-fight time on the microphone and asserted she’s the best in the world and no one can stop her, particularly once she takes the fight to the canvas.
At heavyweight, the final is set after No. 1 seed [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] (13-5) stopped [autotag]Jamelle Jones[/autotag] (12-7), an alternate who got in the playoffs with just one regular season fight, with a second-round TKO. He’ll take on No. 3 seed [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (19-4), who got past No. 2 [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] with a unanimous decision.
Check out the highlights from those four playoff fights, as well as bouts from the prelims, in the 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 video above.
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Kayla Harrison dominates Genah Fabian at the PFL Playoffs to advance to final of the 2021 season.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] is a PFL finalist once again.
The 2019 PFL women’s lightweight champion punched her ticket to the 2021 season final with a first-round TKO win over [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] in the main event of 2021 PFL Playoffs 2. The official stoppage came at the 4:01 mark.
With this victory, Harrison (11-0) is set to take on Taylor Guardado, who defeated Mariana Morais via split decision, for the $1 million prize. The final is scheduled for Oct. 27 also at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.
The 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 took place on Thursday night at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The main card air on ESPN and ESPN+ with the prelims exclusively on ESPN+.
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It was a quick night for Harrison.
Harrison cut the distance early on Fabian (4-2) and clinched her against the cage early in the round. From there, it took her some time to get to the canvas, but once she got the takedown it was a one-way street for Harrison.
The two-time judo Olympic gold medalist got the mount and just rained ground-and-pound on Fabian. The City Kickboxing fighter managed to survive for a few seconds, but eventually wasn’t able to get out, forcing the referee to call a stop to the fight.
ITS OVER! Kayla Harrison is heading back to the #PFLChampionship!#PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/0TYzpC53M2
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 20, 2021
Harrison remains unbeaten in her professional MMA career. The ATT product bested Mariana Morais and Cindy Dandois to enter the playoffs.
Kayla Harrison GOES OFF!
Kayla Harrison vs Taylor Guardado is set for the 2021 #PFLChampionship!#PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/5kGUarwIzd
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 20, 2021
The full official 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 results include:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+)
PRELIMINARY CARD
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Watch the 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 post-fight press conference from Hollywood, Fla.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The PFL’s 2021 playoffs second week wrapped on Thursday with 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Following the event, you can watch the post-event press conference on MMA Junkie to hear from the competitors of the event.
Expected to take part in the press conference are PFL president Ray Sefo, as well as winners from the event including Kayla Harrison, Bruno Cappelozza, Taylor Guardado, and Ante Delija.
Watch the post-fight press conference in the video above.
Renan Ferreira didn’t waste time getting his hand raised on Thursday evening with a quick knockout of Stuart Austin at 2021 PFL Playoffs 2.
[autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] continues to prove he’s a real problem for the heavyweights in PFL.
Closing out the prelims of 2021 PFL Playoffs 2, Ferreira (8-2 MMA, 2-0 PFL) took on Stuart Austin in a showcase heavyweight bout.
Ferreira wasted little time taking care of business as he knocked out Austin (15-7 MMA,0-1 PFL) with a hard right hand just 31 seconds into the first round.
GOOD NIGHT! Renan Ferreira gets the KNOCKOUT in 30 seconds!#PFLPlayoffs LIVE NOW on ESPN+
How To Watch: https://t.co/WfOt9XBfzk pic.twitter.com/psXatDYWFG— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 20, 2021
Despite his impressive performances this season, Ferreira did not qualify for the playoffs, largely due to his controversial no contest against Fabricio Werdum, which left him a short of the points required to enter the next stage of the season.
In June, Ferreira defeated Carl Seumanutafa via unanimous decision and followed up that performance with an emphatic knockout victory. He closes out his 2021 PFL run with an impressive performance, and will likely enter next season as a favorite to make a strong playoff run.
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Follow along with live results from PFL Playoffs 2, which is headlined by Kayla Harrison vs. Genah Fabian in a women’s lightweight semifinal.
2021 PFL Playoffs 2 takes place Thursday, and you can follow along with live results right here on MMA Junkie at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT).
The event, which features heavyweight and women’s lightweight playoffs, takes place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.
In the main event, 2019 PFL champion [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] in a women’s lightweight semifinal. The other semifinal pits [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] against [autotag]Mariana Morais[/autotag], who is filling in for top-seeded Larissa Pacheco after she missed weight by two pounds.
The full official 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 results include:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
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Larissa Pacheco released a statement on her weight miss for her semifinal bout at the PFL Playoffs.
[autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] is not happy with the way things went down Wednesday.
The former UFC fighter and 2019 PFL women’s lightweight finalist was removed from the 2021 PFL women’s lightweight playoffs after missing weight by two pounds for her semifinal bout against Taylor Guardado.
Pacheco (15-4) was replaced by Mariana Morais, who now faces Guardado on Thursday’s 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 main card in Hollywood, Fla.
“I’m not fighting anymore in this event’s season,” Pacheco said in Portuguese on her Instagram stories. “The truth is that I was substituted because I wasn’t able to make the weight. I was two pounds over the weight class.
“In 10 years, this is the first time it happened to me. I’m very sad and I’m disappointed in myself, but that’s part of life and I’m not the only fighter this has happened to. I didn’t have more time to cut weight and because of that I didn’t make it. I think if I would’ve had more time, I would’ve made the weight, but they didn’t allow me and those the rules of the organization. I respect that.
“I’m sorry for everyone who was expecting my fight. I promise I’ll keep my head up and I’ll continue to train and working for this next year. I apologize to my opponent and the organization. Sorry to everyone, and that’s it. I’m good physically and feeling good. Thank you everyone.”
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Pacheco missed out on the semifinal bout and the chance to qualify to the Oct. 27 final and a chance fight for a $1 million prize.
It was the first time Pacheco has missed weight in her professional MMA career. Tuesday, she told MMA Junkie she had purposely bulked up 20 pounds in order to compete better at lightweight.
Prior to her 155-pound stint, Pacheco fought at 135 pounds. She fought twice in the UFC and lost both bouts. But before that, she won and defended the Jungle Fight women’s bantamweight title.
Pacheco was coming off two first-round knockouts in the PFL regular season that had her as the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
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The MMA world gets a rare triple-dose of action this week with the three biggest U.S.-based promotions lined up to go back-to-back-to-back.
The MMA world gets a rare triple-dose of action this week with the three biggest U.S.-based promotions lined up to go back-to-back-to-back.
The PFL’s second playoff event of the 2021 season takes place Thursday in Florida. Bellator 265 takes place Friday in South Dakota. And UFC on ESPN 29 is set for Saturday in Las Vegas.
There are some heavy hitters atop each lineup, for sure. Kayla Harrison, arguably the PFL’s biggest star, will try to reach her second straight $1 million final when she meets Genah Fabian in the women’s lightweight semifinals. At Bellator 265, Cheick Kongo takes on Sergei Kharitonov in a key heavyweight bout. And for the UFC, Jared Cannonier meets Kelvin Gastelum in a big middleweight bout.
But with so much going on over three straight days, there have to be some fights that are falling under the radar. That’s what host John Morgan asked our panel on this week’s “Spinning Back Clique.” So what are we forgetting about, according to Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Matthew Wells?
You can watch their discussion in the video above, or check out the full episode below.
Check out the faceoffs, including Kayla Harrison vs. Genah Fabian, at the PFL Playoffs 2 ceremonial weigh-ins.
The 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 ceremonial weigh-ins took place Wednesday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., and you can watch highlights of the fighter faceoffs right here on MMA Junkie.
In the main event, 2019 women’s lightweight champion [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] as she aims to advance to the final for the second consecutive season.
You can watch their final faceoff of fight week, as well as the rest of the card, in the video above.
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Check out the compete PFL Playoffs 2 weigh-in results below:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
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Larissa Pacheco missed weight Wednesday and, as a result, will miss her shot at potentially competing for $1 million.
[autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] missed weight Wednesday and, as a result, will miss her shot at potentially competing for $1 million.
Pacheco was forced out of the PFL women’s lightweight playoffs after she weighed in at 158 pounds, which is two over the limit of 156. In her place steps in Mariana Morais, the designated alternate as the next highest seed, who will fight Taylor Guardado in the other semifinal opposite Kayla Harrison vs. Genah Fabian.
Morais previously was set to meet Claudia Zamora, who now fights Marina Mokhnatkina on the prelims.
Pacheco’s miss brings a disappointing conclusion to her 2021 season. She was the top-seeded women’s lightweight after scoring knockouts in her two regular season bouts. Pacheco was attempting to make a second consecutive PFL final after losing to Harrison in 2019.
Complete PFL Playoffs 2 weigh-in results are below:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
