Tag: 2023 PFL Playoffs 1

2023 PFL Playoffs 1 results: Jesus Pinedo dominates Bubba Jenkins to reach featherweight final

Check out he full results of 2023 PFL Playoffs 1, which features featherweight and light heavyweight semifinal bouts in San Antonio.

2023 PFL Playoffs 1 took place Friday and MMA Junkie provided live and official results throughout the entire card.

The event featured featherweight and light heavyweight semifinal bouts at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio. The main card aired live on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET following prelims on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

In the main event, [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] (21-7) took on [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] (22-6-1) in a featherweight semifinal bout. Pinedo entered the contest with a one-point deduction due to missing weight Thursday morning. Jenkins won both of his regular season bouts by picking up a unanimous decision over Chris Wade and a submission against Sung Bin Jo. Pinedo went 50/50 in his regular season outings, starting off with a split decision loss to Gabriel Alves Braga, but rebounding nicely with a first-round finish over 2022 champion Brendan Loughnane.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Josh Silveira[/autotag] (12-1) faced [autotag]Ty Flores[/autotag] (13-5) in a light heavyweight semifinal.  Silveira’s regular season run did not see a second round, as he submitted Sam Kei and picked up a TKO win against Delan Monte due to injury in the opening frame. Flores picked up unanimous decision wins over Monte and Dan Spohn in his regular season fights.

Full 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 results include:

2023 PFL Playoffs 1 video: Josh Silveira wrecks Ty Flores with Thai clinch knees in first

Josh Silveira punched his ticket to the PFL light heavyweight championship with a devastating finish of Ty Flores in San Antonio.

[autotag]Josh Silveira[/autotag] punched his ticket to the PFL light heavyweight championship with a nasty highlight reel finish.

In the co-feature of 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Silveira (12-1) scored another first-round finish – the third of his 2023 campaign. Ty Flores (13-5) couldn’t escape Silveira’s clutches in their light heavyweight semifinal bout and was stopped at 4:46 of Round 1.

Silveira was just a step ahead of Flores all the way up to the moment where he caught him in a Thai clinch and began unleashing brutal knees for the first-round finish. It was a brutal moment, which prompted the referee to rush in as soon as the final knee Silveira landed sent Flores stumbling into the fence. Flores debated the stoppage, but Silveira was right there ready to land more punches if the referee did not step in.

Check out video of the finish below (via Twitter):

Silveira is now set to face Impa Kasanganay in the light heavyweight championship with a $1 million prize on the line. Kasanganay defeated Marthin Hamlet earlier in evening to advance to the final.

All three fights of Silveira’s 2023 PFL run have ended in the first round. He stopped Sam Kei with a submission, won a TKO due to injury against Delan Monte, and stopped Flores with brutal knees Friday evening.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Playoffs 1.

Huge favorite Josh Silveira ready for PFL war with ‘killer,’ ‘monster,’ ‘nightmare’ Ty Flores

Top PFL light heavyweight playoff seed Josh Silveira said it won’t be “Skittles and rainbows” on the way to a shot at $1 million.

There are plenty of high hopes around [autotag]Josh Silveira[/autotag] heading into the PFL’s 2023 playoff season.

But the American Top Team light heavyweight has been here before. In 2022, Silveira (11-1) went into the playoffs unbeaten in his career, but was upset as a 2-1 favorite by Omari Akhmedov. This season, after two first-round stoppages in the regular season. Silveira (11-1) is the 205-pound division’s No. 1 playoff seed against Ty Flores (13-4).

The two fight on Friday’s PFL playoff opener at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

Silveira told MMA Junkie Radio the mental hurdles in the PFL’s format help prepare him for the postseason and what he hopes is a run to the $1 million title this year.

“MMA in general is a stressful sport. Just knowing that you’re going to get locked in a cage with somebody, that’s already a stressful moment just by itself,” Silveira said. “… The physical break – I’ll get breaks. My dad will give me breaks. He’s like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to go rest.’ But it’s the mental aspect. You win a fight in the PFL and you already have another fight announced already. ‘Here’s your next opponent. This is the next guy you’re fighting right here.’ Boom, you win. Boom, you win. Boom.

“I think there’s a mental barrier sometimes where I’m just like, man, this is such a long season. I feel like I don’t get a mental break. But that’s the job. You’ve got to cope with that the best you can. You have to understand that fighting for $1 million dollars isn’t going to be Skittles and rainbows and ‘what a beautiful day it is outside.’ There’s going to be tornadoes and hurricanes and tsunamis and it’s just about being consistent – understanding that it is a long season … understanding that you’ve got to respect your body, respect how you feel, respect the moment. And just show up to the gym just getting it in – just showing up and understanding that this is a long season.”

Silveira choked out Sam Kei in the first round in April for 6 points. Against Delan Monte in June, he picked up a TKO win 90 seconds in due to a Monte injury for another 6. He was one of just three fighters across six divisions to get the max of 12 points in the regular season.

At -650, Silveira is far and away the biggest betting favorite on the card. That doesn’t mean he’s taking the fight as a walk-through to the $1 million final against the winner of Friday’s second light heavyweight semifinal between Marthin Hamlet and Impa Kasanganay.

“I think of Ty Flores as a killer ready to take me out, ready to take what’s mine, ready to embarrass me on TV, on ESPN,” Silveira said. “I take all of that very seriously. I want to prepare for this monster, this nightmare, and when I get there, I’ll make adjustments. If it is as bad as I think it is, then we’re ready. And if it’s not that, then it’s going to be a hard night for him. I’m ready. I’m a finisher, but I’m ready to fight 15 minutes. I’m ready to fight 25. I don’t give a crap.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Playoffs 1.

Photos: 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 ceremonial weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs

Check out these photos from the 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 ceremonial weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs in San Antonio.

Check out these photos from the 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 ceremonial weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs ahead of the event at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)

2023 PFL Playoffs 1 weigh-ins results: Main event fighter Jesus Pinedo among two misses

Check out the weigh-ins results from the 2023 PFL Playoffs 3 event, which takes place Friday in San Antonio.

The PFL post-season kicks off Friday in San Antonio and Thursday the 20 fighters hit the scales for official weigh-ins.

Eighteen of those 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 fighters fulfilled their contractual obligations on the scales, while two did not. Main event featherweight [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] (21-6-1) came in slightly heavy at 146.4 pounds, 0.4 pounds over the divisional limit.

As a result, the PFL has announced Pinedo will be deducted a point in Friday’s scoring vs. [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] (21-6) in the promotion’s view. The point deduction will not apply to the official Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) result. Should Pinedo win a decision, the promotion will only advance him to the finals if he won by a two-point margin on at least two scorecards.

Additionally, Hawaii’s [autotag]Keoni Diggs[/autotag] (10-2) also missed by 0.4 pounds, as he weighed 156.4 pounds for a lightweight bout vs. [autotag]Elvin Espinosa[/autotag] (8-0) on the main card.

Check out the full 2023 PFL 3 Playoffs lineup below:

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

  • Bubba Jenkins (145.8) vs. Jesus Pinedo (146.4)* – featherweight semifinal
  • Ty Flores (205) vs. Josh Silveira (204) – light heavyweight semifinal
  • Gabriel Braga (145.8) vs. Chris Wade (146) – featherweight semifinal
  • Marthin Hamlet (206) vs. Impa Kasanagany – light heavyweight semifinal
  • Keoni Diggs (156.4)** vs. Elvin Espinosa (155.6)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Thad Jean (171) vs. Ali Omar (171)
  • Lisa Mauldin (125.2) vs. Desiree Yanez (171)
  • Carson Hardman (168.2) vs. Anthony Ivy (171)
  • Ky Bennett (124.8) vs. Chelsea Hackett (125.8)
  • Chuck Campbell (205.8) vs. Billy Elekana (205.4)

* = Pinedo misses featherweight limit by 0.4 pounds; forfeits 20 percent of purse to Jenkins; one point deducted from PFL’s playoff scoring

** = Diggs misses lightweight limit by 0.4 pounds; forfeits 20 percent of purse to Espinosa

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Playoffs 1.

PFL Playoffs 1 predictions: Who will reach the $1 million finals at featherweight, light heavyweight?

Check out our staff members’ picks and analysis for the main card and beyond at PFL 2023 Playoffs 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

The PFL’s run toward six $1 million playoff finals starts Friday with featherweights and light heavyweights in the semifinals in Texas.

The 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 event takes place Friday at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

Get playoff pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

2023 PFL Playoffs 1: Make your predictions for featherweights, light heavyweights in San Antonio

We want your predictions for Friday’s 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 event in San Antonio.

We want your predictions for Friday’s2023 PFL Playoffs 1 event in San Antonio, Texas.

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 1 main card staff predictions we release Thursday ahead of the event. The 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 event takes place Friday at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the playoff fights below.

How to watch 2023 PFL Playoffs 1: Who’s fighting, lineup, start time, broadcast info

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

The PFL’s playoffs kick off this week with 2023 PFL Playoffs 1, which features featherweights and light heavyweights.

Here’s how to watch 2023 PFL Playoffs 1, with a complete lineup and playoff breakdowns by division.

PFL’s Jesus Pinedo confident he can neutralize Bubba Jenkins’ wrestling: ‘It’s not going to be complicated’

Jesus Pinedo is confident he can neutralize Bubba Jenkins’ wrestling at Friday’s PFL’s 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 in San Antonio.

[autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] has been arguably the biggest surprise in this 2023 PFL season, and he has another chance to continue to further his underdog story.

The Peruvian fighter headlines 2023 PFL Playoffs 1 against No. 1 seed Bubba Jenkins Friday at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio. It’s a semifinal bout of the 2023 PFL featherweight season.

Once again, Pinedo (21-6-1) enters as an underdog against a fighter favored to win the entire season. In his previous bout against 2022 PFL champion Brendan Loughnane, Pinedo needed a first-round finish to qualify, and Loughnane just a win by any means.

Yet despite the odds, Pinedo got a first-round KO and punched himself a ticket to the playoffs, eliminating Lougnane. He plans on doing the same this Friday, as he fights for a spot in the final.

“This fight, I like this fight more,” Pinedo said in Spanish when asked to compare this bout with Jenkins with the previous one against Loughnane. “I think my style will be better shown. I think it sets me up to truly show my style in this fight. I know it’s going to be tough, but I know I can walk out the winner.”

Although both are well-rounded, Loughnane presented more of a striking threat, and Jenkins (21-6) wrestling. Pinedo believes Jenkins is a better matchup and is by no means intimidated by his high-level wrestling.

“They’re two completely different fighters, and the strategy changes a ton,” Pinedo said. “However, the base of my academy is wrestling, and I’ve been doing wrestling and training with wrestlers since the day I started.

“It’s not going to be complicated for me at all to fight Bubba Jenkins. It’s not that I’m underestimating him. I know it’s going to be a tough fight, but I’m totally confident in the work that I’ve been doing for many years. My academy has produced wrestlers like Claudio (Puelles), (Enrique) ‘El Fuerte’ Barzola. In all the sparring, there’s wrestling, wrestling and more wrestling. I’m used to that style.”

There’s no denying that Pinedo is going through one of the best moments in his career. He’s coming off a big upset KO win over Loughnane, and this Friday will mark his second consecutive headlining slot in PFL.

“It feels good,” Pinedo said regarding the newly added attention. “It feels good that your work is paying off. Here in Peru, this whole thing with the PFL tournament is hitting hard. We’re now in the semifinals and people are starting to recognize me in the street. Everything has changed since the Brendan fight, and even since the tournament started, things were changing.

“I know this is going to keep growing because I’m going to keep winning, and I’m going to bring back the world title to Peru. That’s what I’m in search of.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Playoffs 1.