Tag: 2023 PFL Challenger Series 3

2023 PFL Challenger Series 3 results: Abraham Bably earns PFL contract after first round finish

After a vicious first-round finish, heavyweight Abraham Bably was voted by fans and a celebrity panel to take the PFL contract.

The PFL’s Challenger Series returned for the third week of 2023, with athletes gunning for a PFL contract that could either serve as a developmental deal or earn them a spot directing into the regular season to compete for its $1 million prize.

2023 PFL Challenger Series 3 took place Friday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla., and aired live on fubo Sports Network. The event featured four heavyweight bouts.

The big men brought the pain throughout the card. Louie Sutherland and Abraham Bably finished their opponents with vicious strikes, while Danilo Marques put his opponent to sleep. In the lone decision of the evening, Isaiah Pinson emerged victorious after a back-and-forth three-round war.

After the conclusion of the bouts, the four winners were narrowed down to Sutherland and Bably to determine which fighter would be awarded a PFL contract with the help of a live fan vote.

The celebrity panel this week consisted of Olympic Gold Medalist and WWE superstar Kurt Angle, along with former UFC champions Vitor Belfort and Frank Mir. The panel, along with the fans, chose Bably, awarding the first contract winner of the 2023 series that did not require a tie-breaking vote from Ray Sefo.

Official results for 2023 PFL Challenger Series 3 include:

  • Danilo Marques def. Ras Hylton via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:33
  • Isaiah Pinson def. Vitor Resende via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Abraham Bably def. Hassan Graham via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:56
  • Louie Sutherland def. Alton Meeks via TKO (knee & punches) – Round 2, 1:25

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2023 PFL Challenger Series 3 heavyweight Louie Sutherland ready to ‘bring that dog out’

PFL heavyweight hopeful Louie Sutherland explains how he has been working on channeling his aggression in his fights.

Learning on the job isn’t ideal in some professions, but that’s what Scottish heavyweight fighter [autotag]Louie Sutherland[/autotag] has been doing in his young fighting career.

For a fighter, especially a mixed martial artist, it’s a common occurrence. Sutherland (4-1), who will be fighting for an opportunity to earn a PFL contract at 2023 PFL Challenger Series 3, has found early success, but knows he’s still working out the kinks in his game.

“I always want to be involved in the best fights possible, the exciting fights and so forth,” Sutherland told MMA Junkie Radio. “But I understand that this is MMA, and everyone’s going to have a gameplan. … I’m learning a bit more of how to manage fights better and be a bit more professional in that sense, rather than just going out all guns blazing, and being an absolute wrecking ball.”

Sutherland, 29, became a professional MMA fighter in 2021. In his first four fights, he didn’t make it out of the first round. That is, because he left his opponents lying on the canvas. In his fifth fight, he got a taste of the PFL stage, but walked away with a disappointing first loss of his career.

“You see in my last fight, I was, in a sense, trying to show off what I was capable of, and I didn’t really get wrapped up in the moment of, ‘Oh, I need to put on a show,'” Sutherland said. “… I just went out there and I was myself. That’s all I can be. I’m not going to lie to anyone. I do want to be exciting. I want to be a fan-favorite, and that’s just the style I have.

“So, I definitely have to manage it and learn how to manage it. Like I tell a lot of people when they first meet me, I’m learning on the job. That will come with time and that will come with experience.”

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The on-the-job training has fared well early in his career, aside from his latest decision result. With more time and experience, Sutherland believes he has one of the most important intangibles to go along with the physical tools to be successful in the sport.

“A lot of people don’t have the dog in them,” Sutherland said. “I know for sure I’ve got the dog. Now, I just need to tame him a little bit, and unleash him when he needs to be unleashed if that makes sense.”

Check out the full interview with Sutherland on MMA Junkie Radio in the video below.