Ben Egli – Syndication Server

2023 PFL 3 predictions: Two unanimous picks from welterweight, lightweight openers

Check out our staff members’ picks for 2023 PFL 3 in Las Vegas, which features season-opening fights at welterweight and lightweight.

	Sy vs. Al-Silawi	Egli vs. Magomedkerimov	Ray vs. Schulte	Manfio vs. Martinez	Lopez vs. Mitchell	Amir vs. Miranda	Jenkins vs. Juusola
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 45-33	Sy (69%)	Magomedkerimov (95%)	Schulte (72%)	Manfio (88%)	Lopez (72%)	Miranda (76%)	Jenkins (82%)
Nolan King @mma_kings 48-30	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Matt Erickson @MattE 48-30	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 48-30	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Juusola
Simon Samano @SJSamano 47-31	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Ray	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 45-33	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Mitchell	Miranda	Jenkins
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 44-34	Al-Silawi	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Amir	Jenkins
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 44-34 2018, 2022 Champion	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Ray	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 44-34	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Ray	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 43-35 2014 Champion	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Brian Garcia @thegoze 43-35 2017 Champion	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Ray	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 41-37	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins

The PFL wraps up its Las Vegas three-event residency this week with the start of the lightweight and welterweight regular seasons.

PFL 2023, Week 3 takes place Friday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

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

[lawrence-related id=2633204,2632785]

In the main event, 2022 welterweight season winner [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag] (13-6-2) takes on former Brave CF champion [autotag]Jarrah Al-Silawi[/autotag] (18-4). Sy is nearly a 2-1 favorite at the betting window, and our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have him as a near-unanimous pick at 10-1.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag] (30-6) is by far the biggest favorite on the card at more than 12-1 in his welterweight bout against [autotag]Ben Egli[/autotag] (14-4). Not surprisingly, Magomedkerimov is one of two unanimous picks on the main card.

Also on the main card, two-time (2018, 2019) lightweight season winner [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] (23-5-1) is back to take on [autotag]Stevie Ray[/autotag] (25-11). Schulte is a 4-1 betting favorite, but Ray has a pocket of support that leaves Schulte with just a 7-4 picks lead.

[autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] (16-4), the 2021 lightweight winner, takes on [autotag]Alexander Martinez[/autotag] (10-3) to open his 2023 regular season. Even though Martinez is the slight -150 favorite at the betting window, Manfio is our staff members’ other unanimous pick a 11-0.

[autotag]Shane Mitchell[/autotag] (13-4) takes on the unbeaten [autotag]Nayib Lopez[/autotag] (15-0) at welterweight. Lopez is a -250 favorite and is a near-unanimous pick at 10-1. And -150 lightweight favorite Bruno Miranda (14-3) is a 10-1 pick over Ahmed Amir (12-3-1).

To open the main card, [autotag]Brandon Jenkins[/autotag] (16-9) is a slight favorite at welterweight against [autotag]Zach Juusola[/autotag] (13-9), and he’s got a big 10-1 picks lead.

In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Sy (69 percent), Magomedkerimov (95 percent), Schulte (72 percent), Manfio (88 percent), Lopez (72 percent), Miranda (76 percent) and Jenkins (82 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 3.

[pickup_prop id=”32999″]

LFA 87 video highlights

Check out highlights from LFA 87 in Sioux Falls, S.D., courtesy of the promotion.

Submission Underground 12 results: Craig Jones submits Kevin Casey in empty grain silo

Grappling superstar Craig Jones kept his perfect promotional record in place with a submission win over Kevin Casey in the main event.

Grappling superstar [autotag]Craig Jones[/autotag] kept his perfect promotional record in place with a submission win over [autotag]Kevin Casey[/autotag] in the main event of Submission Underground 12.

Sunday’s UFC Fight Pass-streamed event took place in a converted grain silo in Oregon without fans present as a safety precaution due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Additional precautions included the elimination of all but one camera operator in the venue, lone commentator Chael Sonnen being positioned outside the venue, and cornermen also prevented from attending – making for an eerily quiet setting.

All competitors were also forced to wear long-sleeved rash guards and compression spats, and the cage was sanitized in between matches.

Jones dropped to a seated position at the start of the match featured, and Casey did his best to attack from the top without fully stepping into guard. After two minutes of a stalemate, the grapplers returned to their feet, where Craig again tried to drop down to a sweep. While he didn’t initially earn the position he was hoping, Jones kept the tangle tight, eventually inverting and rolling into a heel hook position to score a verbal submission from Casey at the 2:40 mark of regulation.

[lawrence-related id=503254,500687]

In the night’s co-main event, Oregon-based MMA prospect [autotag]Ben Egli[/autotag] took advantage of his time in the spotlight, scoring an impressive submission win over longtime UFC veteran [autotag]Jake Ellenberger[/autotag].

Egli initiated a takedown in the opening second, but Ellenberger was able to stifle that attack and settle into top position. Egli remained active underneath, and a guillotine choke missed but allowed him to sweep to top. Once there, Egli’s chain grappling attack was simply too much for Ellenberger, who was always just a step behind as he defended the non-stop attacks.

Eventually, a scramble saw Egli drop back into a triangle position, but he instead focused on the arm and shoulder and earning a submission via Americana at the 3:30 mark of regulation.

Has a new trend been launched at @ChaelSonnen's Submission Underground 12? Two athletes touch elbows to start the night, live on @UFCFightPass.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, #SUG12 carries on. Read more: https://t.co/NwJ9AOJUaT pic.twitter.com/0azaGBzD3O

— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) March 29, 2020

Submission Underground 12 results include:

MAIN CARD

Craig Jones def. Kevin Casey via submission (heel hook) – Regulation, 2:40
Ben Egli def. Jake Ellenberger via submission (Americana) – Regulation, 3:30

PRELIMINARY CARD

[autotag]Juan Bernardo[/autotag] def. [autotag]Bobby Emmons[/autotag] via submission (rear-naked choke) – Overtime 2, 0:35
[autotag]Cris Lencioni[/autotag] def. [autotag]Logan Skinner[/autotag] via submission (rear-naked choke) – Overtime 1, 1:58
[autotag]Matt Stringham[/autotag] def. [autotag]Joe Levasseur[/autotag] submission (standing guillotine choke) – Regulation, 0:28
[autotag]Alex Larmey[/autotag] def. [autotag]Thomas Patrick[/autotag] via escape time – Full time
[autotag]Jake Smith[/autotag] def. [autotag]George Martinez[/autotag] via escape time – Full time
[autotag]Don Stoner[/autotag] def. [autotag]Lee Flores[/autotag] via submission (rear-naked choke) – Regulation, 2:34
[autotag]Cody Kenaga[/autotag] def. [autotag]John Simon[/autotag] via escape time – Full time