Tag: Brendan Loughnane

Timur Khizriev def. Brendan Loughnane at 2024 PFL Championship: Best photos

Check out these photos from Timur Khizriev vs. Brendan Loughnane at 2024 PFL Championship, a featherweight title bout for $1 million.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Timur Khizriev[/autotag]’s unanimous decision victory over Brendan Loughnane to win $1 million at 2024 PFL Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photos by Jose Peñuela, PFL MMA)

 

2024 PFL Championship: Timur Khizriev dominates Brendan Loughnane to win featherweight title

Timur Khizriev spoiled Brendan Loughnane’s fourth attempt at winning gold at the 2024 PFL Championship.

[autotag]Timur Khizriev[/autotag] spoiled [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag]’s fourth attempt at winning PFL gold.

Khizriev defeated Loughnane in a unanimous decision in the main event of 2024 PFL Championship this Friday at King Saudi University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was almost a flawless performance, as Khizriev (18-0) won 50-45 and two 49-46 scorecards, beating Loughnane (30-6) with no controversy. The undefeated Dagestani wins the 2024 PFL featherweight title and the $1 million prize.

Khizriev pretty much dominated the action from the start to finish. He pressed Loughnane in relentless fashion while picking him apart with his boxing. As the rounds went on, Khizriev battered and bloodied Loughnane’s face. He also began using his wrestling more, and getting ahead even farther in the fight.

With this result, Khizriev maintained his undefeated record. This was the first time Khizriev participated in a PFL tournament. Prior to his 2024 participation, Khizriev competed under the Bellator banner, where he went 3-0. The 29-year-old adds Loughnane to the list of notable fighters he’s beat such as Enrique Barzola, Brett Johns, and Daniel Weichel.

For Loughnane, this was his 15th fight under the PFL banner and fourth season he’s competed in, as he fought in the 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 featherweight tournaments. Out of all those seasons, the Englishman was able to crown himself champion in 2022. Loughnane made his first big waves in the MMA world after defeating Bill Algeo in a solid showing on Dana White Contender Series in 2019, yet, to many’s surprise, not getting a UFC contract while getting criticized by UFC CEO Dana White.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.

Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev prediction, pick, start time for 2024 PFL Championship

Brendan Loughnane would love a second $1 million PFL title, but unbeaten Timur Khizriev stands in his way.

[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] and [autotag]Timur Khizriev[/autotag] meet Saturday for the featherweight $1 million title at the 2024 PFL Championship. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup.

Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev2024 PFL Championship preview

Brendan Loughnane

Brendan Loughnane (30-5) is no stranger to the PFL final. He got an oversized $1 million cardboard check (plus the actual money, we’d presume) in 2022 when he knocked out Bubba Jenkins. He missed the playoffs in 2023, but was back with a vengeance in the regular season this year with knockouts of Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales. He outworked Kai Kamaka III to reach the final.

PFL 9: Washington DC Playoffs at the The Anthem in Washington D.C., Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Cooper Neill / PFL)

Timur Khizriev (17-0) has yet to taste defeat in his pro career, and largely speaking, opponents know what they’re going to get. The 29-year-old Russian wrestling standout has 75 percent of his wins by decision, including all six of his bouts for Bellator and the PFL. This year, he grinded out Brett Johns, Enrique Barzola and Gabriel Braga to reach the final.

Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev 2024 PFL Championship odds

2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Brendan Loughnane vs Timur Khizriev during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Khizriev is a fairly prohibitive favorite around 3-1 – though that’s the lowest betting line for him since he came onto the Bellator scene in 2022.

Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev 2024 PFL Championship expert pick, prediction

There is a pocket of support from our staff members for former winner Loughnane with three upset picks.

Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev 2024 PFL Championship start time, how to watch

As the main card opener, Loughnane and Khizriev are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 5 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.

Brendan Loughnane knows what to expect vs. Timur Khizriev in PFL title fight

Brendan Loughnane is confident his game plan will prevail at the 2024 PFL Championship.

[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] is confident his game plan will prevail against [autotag]Timur Khizriev[/autotag].

Loughnane (30-5) takes on Khizriev (17-0) on Nov. 29 in the 2024 PFL Championship main event at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event streams on ESPN+.

Loughnane is no stranger to facing accomplished grapplers. He beat Chris Wade and NCAA Division 1 wrestler Bubba Jenkins back to back to win the 2022 PFL featherweight championship.

“Listen, he’s going to try to take me down,” Loughnane told MMA Junkie Radio. “We’re not beating around the bush here. You’ve got a Dagestani vs. an English striker. We all know what’s going to happen. Whoever can implement it will be the PFL world champion in 2024.

“It ain’t no different to 2022. Bubba Jenkins coming in, wrestling, wrestling, wrestling. Guess how many takedowns he got fellas? Zero. The fight before that, Chris Wade, another wrestler, guess how many takedowns he got? Zero. Don’t be surprised if this guy does not take me down.”

Loughnane looks forward to the challenge of becoming the first to beat Khizriev but thinks he’s untested. He said their strengths of schedule have been vastly different.

“I think he’s the one stepping up to that level,” Loughnane said of Khizriev. “If you look at our last 10 opponents, my level’s are way higher than his last 10 opponents. So, we don’t know how good he actually is yet, but we’ll find out.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.

Brendan Loughnane fighting for love of MMA, not money or belts: ‘I’m in the twilight of my career’

Brendan Loughnane knows he won’t be fighting for much longer, which is why he’s soaking up every bit left of his MMA career.

[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] still feels elite, but he knows that won’t last forever.

The 2022 PFL featherweight champion is at a stage in his career when it’s not about the money or the titles, but instead enjoying what he will not be able to in the near future. Turning 35 in December, Loughnane (29-5) feels he’s getting close to the end, and that’s why he’s had a shift of mentality.

“I got a belt; it’s right there. I got the money, and I’ve invested it well,” Loughnane told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m purely doing this for the love of martial arts and showing my skills and getting up every day and training and doing it until the wheels fall off.

“Let’s have it right: I’m 34. I’m in the twilight of my career. I’m in the last quarter of my career, and I want to enjoy every last second of it, and that’s where I’m at.”

Loughnane returns to the cage this Friday in the main event of PFL Playoffs 3, which goes down at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. He takes on Kai Kamaka (14-5-1) in the semifinal bout of the 2024 PFL featherweight playoffs.

As far as who he expects to see in the final in November, Loughnane believes he’ll end up fighting Timur Khizriev (16-0), who fights Gabriel Braga (14-1) also at this Friday’s PFL event.

“I think Timur,” Loughnane said. “I think his wrestling will be a bit too much for Braga, but I’ve been wrong before. I actually like Braga, and he’s got a great story, and he’s a great guy. Either of those two guys. Let’s just concentrate on Kai Kamaka. … I will rise to it, and I will beat him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 3.

Brendan Loughnane def. Justin Gonzales at 2024 PFL 6: Best photos

Check out these photos from Brendan Loughnane vs. Justin Gonzales at 2024 PFL 6 in South Dakota.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag]’s victory over Justin Gonzales in the 2024 PFL 6 main event, which took place at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Photos by Cooper Neill, PFL)

2024 PFL 6 results: Brendan Loughnane carves giant cut on Justin Gonzales’ forehead for TKO

It was a nasty one. Watch Brendan Loughnane carve a giant cut on Justin Gonzales’s forehead at Friday’s 2024 PFL 6.

[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] left [autotag]Justin Gonzales[/autotag] with a huge battle scar after their meet 2024 PFL 6.

The two featherweights clashed in the main event of Friday’s card, which went down on Friday at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. Loughnane won the bout by second-round TKO after landing a knee to the head of Gonzales that left him with a giant gash in the middle of his forehead.

Gonzales didn’t seem wobbled by the knee, however, the strike opened up a nasty cut that immediately began pouring blood. The referee had no option but to pause the fight to call in the cageside doctor. After checking the cut, it was clear Gonzales could not safely continue – even though he protested the stoppage.

Below, you can check out the finish of Loughnane vs. Gonzales:

With this result, Loughnane punched his ticket into the 2024 PFL featherweight playoffs. He did so as the No. 1 seed of the season. The Englishman is on a two-fight winning streak since losing to Jesus Pinedo in a big upset in 2023. Meanwhile, Gonzales now finds himself on a four-fight losing streak and out of the 2024 PFL featherweight tournament.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2024, Week 6.

2024 PFL 6 official weigh-in results: One fighter penalized for miss, but all 11 bouts set

Check out the official weigh-in results for PFL 6 from Sioux Falls, S.D.

The PFL regular season continues Friday with 2024 PFL 6, and all fights are now locked in after the official weigh-ins.

Friday’s event (ESPN/ESPN+), which takes place at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. features featherweights and welterweights in their final bouts of the regular season.

In the main event, 2022 PFL featherweight champion [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (28-5) fights [autotag]Justin Gonzales[/autotag] (14-4). The co-main event features a welterweight bout between former Bellator champion [autotag]Logan Storley[/autotag] (15-3) and [autotag]Luca Poclit[/autotag] (10-1), who enters on a nine-fight winning streak.

The full 2024 PFL 6 official weigh-ins results include:

MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Brendan Loughnane (146) vs. Justin Gonzales (145.6)
  • Logan Storley (170.4) vs. Luca Poclit (170)
  • Magomed Umalatov (170.4) vs. Brennan Ward (171)
  • Gabriel Braga (150.6)* vs. Bubba Jenkins (146)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Alan Dominguez (170.6) vs. Lorenz Larkin (170.8)
  • Murad Ramazanov (170.4) vs. Shamil Musaev (170.8)
  • Timur Khizriev (146) vs. Enrique Barzola (146)
  • Goiti Yamauchi (170.6) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (171)
  • Kai Kamaka (146) vs. Pedro Carvalho (146)
  • Don Madge (169.8) vs. Neiman Gracie (170.4)
  • Tyler Diamond (145.4) vs. Brett Johns (145.6)

*Braga missed the 146-pound featherweight limit. He will receive a 1-point penalty applied to his total league points in this bout but is eligible to earn points based on the outcome. Braga also forfeits 20 percent of his show purse to Jenkins.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL 6.

Brendan Loughnane focused on not repeating mistakes made before 2023 PFL playoffs: ‘I took my eye off the ball’

Brendan Loughnane admits he made mistakes in 2023, but won’t repeat them ahead of the 2024 PFL playoffs.

[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] has learned from mistakes made in the 2023 PFL regular season.

Against the odds, 2022 PFL featherweight champion Loughnane (28-5 MMA, 10-2 PFL) was knocked out of the 2023 playoffs by the eventual championship winner, Jesus Pinedo, and he wants to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

On the heels of a controversial stoppage of Pedro Carvalho in his first bout of the season that currently has him sitting atop the featherweight standings with six points, Loughnane is focused on staying locked in. While he’s in a good position now, he doesn’t want to experience a repeat of last season, where he found himself out of the PFL playoffs.

“Anything could happen right now,” Loughnane told MMA Junkie. “It was only me and (Gabriel) Braga are the only two with finishes. I don’t know how this thing is going to play out, but like last year, I think there was like a 10 percent chance that I couldn’t go through (to the playoffs) even if I lost, and it happened. So, again, lessons learned.”

Justin Gonzales will share the cage with Loughnane in the main event of 2024 PFL 6 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. Every other featherweight on the card will be looking to secure their spot in the playoffs, and some, including Gonzales (14-4 MMA, 0-1 PFL) who will enter with zero points, need a first-round finish.

Loughnane is aware of what could happen but has vowed not to let lighting strike his playoff hopes twice. He says he has done everything properly in training camp and has stayed healthy. Now, it’s all about getting the job done inside the cage to reach the playoffs to chase another $1 million payday.

“I was in this same position last year and ended up getting knocked out,” Loughnane said. “I took my eye off the ball before I was already in the semis, so I’ll be making sure to not make that mistake again. I really, really learned from that experience, and I’ve definitely not took my foot off the pedal of the gas or my eye off the ball, so I’ve been looking forward to getting in there.”

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PFL’s Pedro Carvalho upset by stoppage in Brendan Loughnane loss, claims referee admitted wrong call

Pedro Carvalho doesn’t agree with the stoppage in his TKO loss at Friday’s 2024 PFL 3.

[autotag]Pedro Carvalho[/autotag] is far from happy with how his PFL debut went.

The Bellator veteran lost by first-round TKO to [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] in the co-main event of Friday’s 2024 PFL 3 event. Carvalho (13-9) was hurt early by Loughnane (28-5), but was fighting back. In the final sequence, Loughnane connected with a shot on a downed Carvalho, and referee Kevin MacDonald waved off the fight as Carvalho was looking for a takedown. Carvalho stood up immediately and protested the call.

The SBG Ireland product is upset with the call and said that McDonald admitted he made the wrong call. No official statement was made by MacDonald.

“An amazing week and experience with (PFL) that end up with a very sour taste in my mouth for something that I thought it would never happen to me and one of the worst stoppages that I have ever seen,” Carvalho wrote on Instagram. “I respect referee Kevin MacDonald specially for being a honorable man and came to me after the fight apologizing and admitting that he messed that one up.

“It really hurts, specially now with this point system the chances are very thin for me to reach the playoffs, but I’m still gonna find a way out of this.
I’m just gonna try to focus on how grateful I feel for being able to be living what I dreamed to be, doing what I always dreamed when I was a kid.
I’m gonna keep the work and focus going and hope that the outcome of my next fight will depend only on me… Thank you everyone for your support, it means a lot!! ❤️”

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Carvalho is now on a three-fight losing streak. He has zero points in the PFL 2024 featherweight season and one fight remaining to look to qualify for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Loughnane scored six points with the first-round finish, getting closer to qualifying for the playoffs.

Loughnane also weighed in on the stoppage and said the opposite of Carvalho. He believes Carvalho was badly hurt and that MacDonald made the right call.

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