Ante Delija – Page 2 – Syndication Server

PFL announces main and co-main events for first three 2023 regular season cards

Brendan Loughnane vs. Marlon Moraes, Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Shane Burgos are among the big fights to open the 2023 PFL season.

The PFL on Thursday announced three headliners and three co-headlining fights for the first three events of the 2023 regular season, which will kick off April 1 and run for three consecutive weeks at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.

At 2023 PFL 1 on April 1, reigning featherweight champion [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (26-4) will headline against former UFC title challenger [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] (23-11-1). The co-main event will feature another former UFC title challenger as [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag] (22-11) takes on 2022 light heavyweight champion [autotag]Rob Wilkinson[/autotag] (17-2). The first event of the year is set to air on ESPN.

PFL 2 will take place April 7, headlined by 2022 PFL heavyweight champion [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (23-5) taking on UFC veteran [autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag] (9-3). The night’s co-main event will feature reigning women’s lightweight champion [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (19-4) taking on former Bellator champion [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] (16-5) in the promotion’s new women’s featherweight division. PFL 2 is set to air on ESPN 2.

Closing out the first half of the regular season with PFL 3 on April 14, the event will be headlined by reigning lightweight champion [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] (17-5) welcoming UFC veteran [autotag]Shane Burgos[/autotag] (15-3), who was supposed to make his promotional debut last November but withdrew due to injury. The co-main event will pit 2022 welterweight champion [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag] (13-6-2) against [autotag]Jarrah Al-Silawi[/autotag] (18-4). PFL 3 will air on ESPN 2.

Despite the official announcements by PFL, Malki Kawa of First Round Management, which represents Burgos and Loughnane, indicated on Twitter that his fighters had yet to agree to their respective bouts.

The pfl went and announced a bunch of fights that have no been agreed to. So hold up before you get excited about anything

— malki kawa (@malkikawa) February 2, 2023

The entire lineups for all three events will be announced at a later date.

As in years past, the champions of all six divisions following two regular season bouts and playoffs will claim the title and grand prize of $1 million.

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2022 PFL Championships medical suspensions: 10 fighters ruled out indefinitely

The 2022 PFL Championships took place Friday in New York, and all 24 fighters on the card received medical suspensions.

The 2022 PFL Championships took place this past Friday at Hulu Theatre in New York and featured six $1 million title fights among other bouts.

Atop the card was a shocking upset, with [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] defeating [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] to claim the women’s lightweight title. Other championship winners included [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag], [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag], [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag], [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag], and Rob [autotag]Wilkinson[/autotag].

On Monday, the New York State Athletic Commission, which oversaw the event, released medical suspension durations to MMA Junkie, which show all 24 combatants suspended at least one week – with two fighters out 90 days. MMA Fighting first reported the suspensions.

The NYSAC has a policy against revealing the fighters’ specific injuries to the public.

See below to find out the medical suspension durations for the 2022 PFL Championships combatants. It’s important to note that athletes are allowed to return prior to completion of the suspension if they are cleared earlier by a doctor.

Ante Delija proud to bring PFL heavyweight title to Croatia: ‘It’s a big deal’

Croatia has a PFL champion.

[autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] is happy for his latest win and that’s beyond personal reasons.

The Croatian fighter won the 2022 PFL heavyweight title, defeating Matheus Scheffel by TKO just a few minutes into their contest on Friday night in New York. With the win, Delija (23-5) took the 2022 heavyweight title and the $1 million prize that came with winning the season.

But perhaps the most important part of it all, is that Croatia has a champion in a major MMA promotion.

“To the Croatian MMA, I think it’s a big deal,” Delija told reporters at the post-fight press conference (via MMA Sucka). “I’m proud to bring this title to Croatia. This is an American belt, and this means a lot.”

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Delija also made it to the final last year, but came up short against Bruno Cappelozza in a unanimous decision. The 32-year-old believes he didn’t showcase his full self as a fighter that night, but he did this time around.

“This was a big experience for me last year, five rounds, a big war,” Delija said. “I grew up as a fighter because of the loss last year. I was in 60 percent last year, I added the 40 percent this year, and now with 100 percent I got the title.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2022 PFL Championships.

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2022 PFL Championships live and official results

Check out the results from the 2022 PFL Championships, where six $1 million champs will be crowned in New York.

The final event of the 2022 PFL season takes place on Friday at Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York, and MMA Junkie will keep you updated with live results throughout the event.

The 2022 PFL Championships event features 12 fights, including all six divisional finals for a $1 million grand prize.

In the main event, undefeated two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (15-0) goes for a title three-peat at women’s lightweight when she clashes with [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (18-4), whom Harrison has already defeated twice before.

The co-headliner will see [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (24-4) and [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] (19-5) clash for the featherweight championship, while elsewhere on the card [autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] (9-3) makes her promotional debut vs. former Bellator titleholder [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] (16-4) at women’s featherweight, plus much more.

Full results of 2022 PFL Championship include:

Ante Delija knocks out Matheus Scheffel again to win 2022 PFL heavyweight season

It only really took one shot for Ante Delija to take care of Matheus Scheffel and make himself $1 million richer.

It only really took one shot for [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] to take care of [autotag]Matheus Scheffel[/autotag] and make himself $1 million richer.

Delija (23-5) needed a handful more to put away Scheffel (17-9), but one key punch started the sequence that put Scheffel on the canvas. Then Delija pounced on the chance to get the finish in his second shot at a PFL title.

Once Delija had Scheffel backed against the fence, he was patient. He landed some precision punches until Scheffel fell to the canvas, and then he was relentless to get the finish and PFL’s 2022 heavyweight crown, which came with a $1 million prize.

Delija was the 2021 heavyweight runner-up to Bruno Cappelozza. He lost to him to open his 2021 season, then again in the final. In 2022, though, he knocked out Scheffel in his first fight of the season, then closed the season with another knockout of him for a big turnaround after 2021’s disappointment.

REDEMPTION FOR ANTE DELIJA! HE IS NOW THE 2022 PFL HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION!

[#PFLWorldChampionship | BUY NOW https://t.co/9tors6rrKk | LIVE ON ESPN+ PPV] pic.twitter.com/oKncVXa6aY

— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 26, 2022

The 2022 PFL finals took place Friday at Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2022 PFL Championships.

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Ante Delija def. Matheus Scheffel at 2022 PFL Championships: Best Photos

Check out the best photos from Ante Delija’s first-round knockout win over Matheus Scheffel to win the 2022 PFL heavyweight title.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag]’s first-round knockout win over [autotag]Matheus Scheffel[/autotag] at the 2022 PFL Championships at Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Photos courtesy of the PFL)

2022 PFL Championship predictions: Who are our two unanimous picks in $1 million finals?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the 2022 PFL Championships, which feature six $1 million playoff finals.

	Harrison vs. Pacheco	Jenkins vs. Loughnane	Delija vs. Scheffel	Budd vs. Ladd	Aubin-Mercier vs. Ray	Sy vs. Taylor	Akhmedov vs. Wilkinson
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 186-109	Harrison (81%)	Jenkins (51%)	Delija (77%)	Budd (57%)	Aubin-Mercier (81%)	Sy (56%)	Wilkinson (56%)
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 196-104 2018 Champion	Harrison	Loughnane	Delija	Budd	Aubin-Mercier	Sy	Akhmedov
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 187-113	Harrison	Jenkins	Delija	Ladd	Aubin-Mercier	Taylor	Wilkinson
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 186-114	Harrison	Loughnane	Delija	Budd	Aubin-Mercier	Taylor	Akhmedov
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 183-117	Harrison	Jenkins	Delija	Ladd	Aubin-Mercier	Taylor	Wilkinson
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 183-117 2014 Champion	Harrison	Loughnane	Delija	Budd	Aubin-Mercier	Sy	Akhmedov
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 181-119	Harrison	Loughnane	Delija	Budd	Aubin-Mercier	Taylor	Wilkinson
Simon Samano @SJSamano 178-122	Pacheco	Jenkins	Delija	Ladd	Aubin-Mercier	Sy	Wilkinson
Nolan King @mma_kings 173-127	Harrison	Jenkins	Delija	Ladd	Aubin-Mercier	Taylor	Wilkinson
Brian Garcia @thegoze 172-128 2017 Champion	Harrison	Loughnane	Delija	Ladd	Aubin-Mercier	Sy	Wilkinson
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 163-137	Harrison	Loughnane	Delija	Budd	Aubin-Mercier	Sy	Wilkinson
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 146-154	Harrison	Loughnane	Delija	Budd	Aubin-Mercier	Sy	Akhmedov

The PFL closes out its 2022 season with six $1 million playoff finals this week.

The 2022 PFL finals take place Friday at Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, two-time women’s lightweight season winner [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (15-0) goes after her third crown when she meets [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (18-4) for the third time. Harrison is 2-0 against the Brazilian. Harrison is a massive 8-1 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Pacheco is +470. But not all of our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Harrison. One of our pickers has Pacheco in a big upset.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] (19-5) takes on [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (25-4) in the featherweight final. Loughnane is a -180 favorite and has a 7-4 lead in our picks.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (22-5) is a heavy -350 favorite in the heavyweight season final against [autotag]Matheus Scheffel[/autotag] (17-8). Delija, the 2021 runner-up, is one of our two unanimous picks at 11-0.

In a non-playoff showcase fight, former Bellator women’s featherweight champion [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] (16-4) takes on [autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] (9-3), who recently was released by the UFC and signed with the PFL. Ladd is a -230 favorite at the betting window, but it’s Budd who has a narrow 6-5 edge from our pickers.

In the lightweight season final, [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] (16-5) is a big -420 favorite against [autotag]Stevie Ray[/autotag] (25-10) and is our second unanimous pick.

[autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag] (12-6-2) takes on [autotag]Dilano Taylor[/autotag] (10-2) in the welterweight final. Sy nearly is a 2-1 favorite, but he has just a slim 6-5 picks lead.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag] (24-7-1) meets 2-1 favorite [autotag]Rob Wilkinson[/autotag] (16-2) in the light heavyweight final. Australia’s Wilkinson has a 7-4 lead from our staff pickers.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Harrison (81 percent), Jenkins (51 percent), Delija (77 percent), Budd (57 percent), Aubin-Mercier (81 percent), Sy (56 percent) and Wilkinson (74 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2022 PFL Championships.

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2022 PFL Championships lineup set for pay-per-view, includes 6 title fights and more

2022 PFL Championships feature six title fights, former UFC contenders, and Muhammad Ali’s grandson on the promotion’s first pay-per-view.

The finale of the 2022 PFL postseason is set.

2022 PFL Championships takes place Friday, Nov. 25 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, the promotion announced Wednesday. The eight-fight main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view (8 p.m. ET) after the four-fight undercard on ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET).

While there are no surprises in terms of the six $1 million title fight matchups, which were configured during the post-season, a handful of showcase bouts were also added to the card – including one amateur bout involving the grandson of a boxing icon.

The event marks the first time the promotion has put on a pay-per-view card.

See below to check out the full 2022 PFL Championships lineup, with two bouts still to be added, according to promotion officials.

2022 PFL Championships: A look at the 12 finalists

A dozen 2022 PFL finalists will compete in championship bouts this November, including Kayla Harrison, five UFC alums and an alternate.

Dozens of fighters started out in the 2022 PFL season with the goal of fighting for the championship – and million dollar prize that comes with it.

In the back half of 2022, only two fighters in each weight class remain, totaling a dozen overall. Some suffered losses during the season and rebounded. Others were inserted mid-season, rallied, and capitalized. One fighter even won two short-notice outings as an alternate to clinch his spot in the final.

Each finalist had their own unique journey and now are on the verge of becoming millionaires with a single punch or kick – or a 15-minute all-out war. Fate is in their hands.

2022 PFL Championships are scheduled for Nov. 25 at a yet-to-be-announced location in the U.S.. Scroll below to see who the 12 finalists are and learn about their 2022 journeys toward the finals.

Ante Delija def. Renan Ferreira at 2022 PFL Playoffs 2: Best photos

Check out these photos from Ante Delija’s TKO win over Renan Ferreira in the heavyweight semifinals at the 2022 PFL Playoffs.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag]’s TKO win over [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] in the heavyweight semifinals at the 2022 PFL Playoffs 2 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photos courtesy of PFL)