PFL’s Jesus Pinedo not surprised by first-round KO of Brendan Loughnane in ‘most important fight of my career’

Jesus Pinedo reflects on his upset knockout win over PFL champion Brendan Loughnane to advance to the playoffs.

The elimination of [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] from this year’s PFL season might’ve been a surprise to many but not to the man responsible for it, [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag].

Loughnane (26-5), the 2022 PFL featherweight champion, fell short in making the playoffs this year as he was stopped in the first round by Pinedo (21-6-1) in the main event of last week’s 2023 PFL 4 in Atlanta.

“I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again here: Ever since I signed with PFL, I came here to take the prize and be champion,” Pinedo told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I didn’t come here just to see what happens or just try my luck. I’m aware that these are hard fights and that the rivals are difficult, but we’re at that level. We just proved it on Thursday. I felt like that first fight, we won it. For me, I’m not 1-1 in PFL; I’m 2-0.”

Pinedo had zero points entering the second and final fight of the season after losing a close split decision to Brazil’s Gabriel Alves Braga. On the other hand, Loughnane had a comfortable start, as he was first in the standings with five points, having picked up a second-round TKO over former UFC title challenger Marlon Moraes.

Pinedo needed a first-round finish to make it into the playoffs, and Loughnane just needed a win any way. It was a tough position to be in, but Pinedo liked the story that was getting set up for him.

“I knew that I was the underdog,” Pinedo said. “Many saw me as a lost cause and that Brendan was going to annihilate me, but in my mind, I was always thinking that I was going to win. I trained very hard for this fight and this moment.

“I didn’t take it as something bad. I took it as an opportunity that was going to catapult me. It was a main event fight against someone like Brendan – a great fighter. It was all on the table. It was just a matter of going there and taking it.”

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The fight plan was perfectly executed by Pinedo. He and his team knew that they had no time to waste if they wanted to make the playoffs, so they specifically trained to come out to finish Loughnane in the first.

“We knew that we needed to come out and pressure, even just apart from wanting to get the six points, because Brendan is a very comfortable rival who knows how to move well in the cage, and we couldn’t let him find his rhythm,” Pinedo said. “We needed to come out and pressure because him backing up can’t fight as well. We picked that up from watching his fights. That was basically the tactic for the fight. Pressure, pressure from the very first second.”

The Peruvian fighter has all the intention in the world to leave 2023 as PFL featherweight champion. He knows there’s more work to be done, but for now, this KO over Loughnane remains the biggest of his career.

“Yeah, definitely,” Pinedo said. “This was the most important fight of my career because of how things went down. It was a main event in PFL, which is a world-class organization, the rival, a champion, all that set the stage for it to be the fight of my career. And it was also the toughest one of my career.”

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2023 PFL 4 fighter pay: Bubba Jenkins, Movlid Khaybulaev top list with six figures

Check out the disclosed 2023 PFL 4 fighter pays released by the state of Georgia.

PFL returned to Atlanta this past Thursday for the first of three shows in consecutive weeks at Overtime Elite Arena.

2023 PFL 4 featured final regular season bouts at light heavyweight and featherweight, as well as a pair of showcase fights. The event saw a shocking main event result when former UFC fighter [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] knocked out 2022 PFL featherweight champion [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] with a brutal knee and punches in Round 1.

Also on the card, 2021 PFL featherweight champion [autotag]Movlid Khaybulaev[/autotag] defeated former UFC fighter [autotag]Tyler Diamond[/autotag], and former UFC bantamweight title challenger [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] retired after a knockout loss to [autotag]Gabriel Braga[/autotag].

MMA Junkie acquired a list of the 22 athletes’ disclosed payouts from the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission. The amounts do not include bonuses, sponsorships, or any other discretionary payments.

Two fighters, 2022 PFL featherweight runner-up [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] and Khaybulaev, topped the list at $100,000 and were the only two athletes on the card with disclosed six-figure payouts.

Scroll below to see the disclosed pay for each 2023 PFL 4 fighter.

Brendan Loughnane reacts to shocking 2023 PFL 4 loss to Jesus Pinedo: ‘Got me good’

Brendan Loughnane was all class after he was finished for the first time in his professional career and eliminated from the PFL postseason.

[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] was all class after his upset loss at 2023 PFL 4.

Loughnane (26-5) was knocked out in the first round by [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] (21-6-1) in the main event Thursday at Overtime Elite Arena. The loss eliminated Loughnane from the playoffs and marked the first time he’s ever been stopped in his professional MMA career.

Pinedo was a big underdog heading into the bout with 2022 PFL champion Loughnane and delivered one of the biggest upsets of the year when he dropped Loughnane with a knee up the middle, then finished him with strikes.

Afterward, Loughnane congratulated Pinedo on Twitter and reacted to the stunning loss.

Congrats champ. Took your opportunity and got me good. In 44 fights that’s the first time I’ve been stopped. Warrior 👏.”

“High level sport is crazy. I’ll be back.”

Having scored a first-round TKO of Marlon Moraes in his opening bout, Loughnane just needed a win to advance to the playoffs, whereas Pinedo needed an early finish. Pinedo advanced to the postseason alongside featherweights Bubba Jenkins, Movlid Khaybulaev, and Gabriel Braga.

In the first round of the 2023 playoffs, Pinedo takes on Jenkins, who submitted Sung Bin Jo in the first round earlier in the night. The other half of the bracket features Braga, who knocked out Moraes, against Khaybulaev, who submitted Tyler Diamond.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 4.

2023 PFL 4 video: Jesus Pinedo lands knee to knock out Brendan Loughane for huge first-round upset

Jesus Pinedo shook up the PFL with a massive upset over 2022 featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane.

[autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] pulled off one of the biggest upsets of 2023 Thursday evening in Atlanta.

In the main event of 2023 PFL 4, Pinedo (21-6-1) stepped into the cage to face 2022 champion Brendan Loughnane. The bout took place at Overtime Elite Arena and aired live on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

A massive underdog at the betting window, Pinedo needed to score a first-round finish if he wanted to reach the playoffs, while Loughnane (26-5) just needed a win in any manner to continue his quest for another championship.

Unfortunately for the champ, Pinedo hand designs on spoiling the party, and was successful by landing a knee up the middle in an exchange that dropped Loughnane. A few follow-up punches later, the referee called a stop to the action and the celebration for one of the biggest upsets of the year was on.

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

With the first-round stoppage, Pinedo earned six points and knocked off Chris Wade for the last featherweight playoff spot.

In his first fight of the season in April, Pinedo ended up on the wrong side of a split decision to Gabriel Braga. Despite the loss, he was able to reach the playoffs by upsetting Loughnane.

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The first round of the 2023 playoffs will see Pinedo take on Bubba Jenkins, who put Sung Bin Jo to sleep with a submission in the first round earlier at the event. The other half of the bracket will see Gabriel Braga take on Movlid Khaybulaev.

Loughnane sees his five-fight win streak come to an end in devastating fashion. Not only was he on the receiving end of a knockout, but he was eliminated from playoff contention. In his first fight of the season, Loughnane finished Marlon Moraes, who retired earlier in the evening after being stopped by Braga.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 4.

2023 PFL 4 official weigh-in results: One fighter heavy, featherweight main event official

Get the official weigh-in results for the fourth 2023 PFL regular season week in Atlanta, featuring feathweights and light heavyweights.

The PFL regular season continues Thursday with 2023 PFL 4, and all 12 fights are now set after the official weigh-ins.

The event, which takes place at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, features featherweights and light heavyweights continuing their push toward the playoffs in an effort to capture the $1 million championship prize.

In the main event airing on ESPN, 2022 featherweight champion season winner [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (26-4) takes on [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] (20-6-1). Loughnane and Pinedo both made weight, stepping on the scale at 146. In the co-feature, undefeated [autotag]Movlid Khaybulaev[/autotag] (20-0-1) meets [autotag]Tyler Diamond[/autotag] (12-2). Khaybulaev weighed in at 146 while Diamond was 145.8.

Only one of 24 fighters scheduled to compete missed weight, as Ty Flores tipped the scale at 211.2 for his light heavyweight bout. The fight will proceed and Flores will forfeit 20 percent of his purse and enter the bout with a one point deduction. Everyone else will have an opportunity to earn full points in the divisional standings at the event.

Full 2023 PFL 4 official weigh-in results include:

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

  • Brendan Loughnane (146) vs. Jesus Pinedo (146)
  • Tyler Diamond (145.8) vs. Movlid Khaybulaev (146)
  • Marthin Hamlet (205.8) vs. Sam Kei (206)
  • Bubba Jenkins (146) vs. Sung Bin Jo (145.8)
  • Josh Silveira (205.6) vs. Delan Monte (205.8)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)

  • Gabriel Braga (144.4) vs. Marlon Moraes (145.6)
  • Ty Flores (211.2) vs. Dan Spohn (206)
  • Ryoji Kudo (145.6) vs. Chris Wade (145.4)
  • Tim Caron (205) vs. Impa Kasanganay (204)
  • Taylor Johnson (205.2) vs. Andrew Sanchez (205.6)
  • Brandy Hester (145) vs. Abigail Montes (145.8)
  • Akeem Bashir (146) vs. Alexei Pergande (145.8)

*Alternate Jesse Stirn weighed in at 144.6

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 4.

UFC veterans in MMA action June 8-10

Check out which veterans of the UFC are in combat sports action across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC is back on pay-per-view for UFC 289 in Vancouver, Canada.

The event features a women’s bantamweight championship fight between two-division champion Amanda Nunes and first-time title challenger Irene Aldana.

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

This week, there are a total of 13 veterans of the global MMA leader competing in MMA this week from June 8-10.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

Jesus Pinedo hopeful to make PFL playoffs, out to finish Brendan Loughnane ‘from the very first second’

Jesus Pinedo is confident he can stop Brendan Loughnane and make it to the 2023 PFL playoffs.

[autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] knows he has a tough road to make it into the 2023 PFL playoffs, but he’s not sweating it.

A first-round finish on Thursday would put the Peruvian fighter in a solid position to make the playoffs. However, Pinedo (20-6-1), who currently has zero points in the standings, has to do it against 2022 PFL featherweight champion [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] in the main event of PFL 2023, Week 4 in Atlanta, Georgia.

After dropping a close split decision at 2023 PFL 1 to Gabriel Alves Braga, Pinedo knows what needs to get done, and believes he won’t have to change his style to achieve it.

“We always train finishing the fight whether it’s in the first, second or third,” Pindedo told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “We don’t wait. We don’t expect to go to a decision because of situations like last time.

“I felt I won the fight. Everyone thinks I won the fight, but they gave it to my rival. But oh well, those are things that happen. We’re ready for our rival, and we have all the motivation in the world to go out there and finish the fight from the very first second.”

Loughnane (26-4) is coming off a TKO win over former UFC title challenger Marlon Moraes this past April. Pindedo liked what he saw, but says it’s comparable to the rest of the division.

“He’s a good fighter,” Pinedo said when asked to analyze Loughnane. “He’s a tough fighter, just like all the fighters in the season. There’s no easy fights here. I see that he’s a striker. His best weapon are the kicks, and we’ve worked on that. We simply came here not to see what happens, but to win. Thursday, you guys will see that.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 4.

Brendan Loughnane hopes to cross paths with Movlid Khaybulaev in 2023 PFL finals

Brendan Loughnane hopes his road to another PFL title goes through Movlid Khaybulaev.

[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] hopes his road to another PFL title goes through [autotag]Movlid Khaybulaev[/autotag].

Khaybulaev (20-0-1-1) is the only fighter to beat Loughnane (27-4) in the PFL, edging him out by split decision in the 2021 PFL semifinals. He went on to beat Chris Wade in the finals to win the season and featherweight title.

With Khaybulaev missing last year, Loughnane didn’t get a chance to cross paths with him en route to winning the featherweight title himself. But Loughnane would love the stars to align for a finals showdown with Khaybulaev this year.

“I’m just hoping that the standings for the semis are gonna lie where I actually get him in the final,” Loughnane told MMA Junkie Radio. “I would rather fight him over five rounds this time. I’m a five-round fighter. I just feel like I’ve got massive advantages in the fourth and fifth. So, I’m hoping that I get him over five, but if I have to do it over three, I’m not mad at that either.”

Both Loughnane and Khaybulaev were successful to kick off their 2023 PFL campaign. Loughnane stopped former UFC title challenger Marlon Moraes by TKO at PFL 1, and Khaybulaev scored a unanimous decision over Ryoji Kudo on the same night.

But it wasn’t Khaybulaev who impressed Loughnane in the season opener.

“The only person that stood out to me was Bubba Jenkins,” Loughnane said. “He looked really good against Chris Wade. Apart from that, not really, no. And that’s just being honest.”

Their campaign continues at 2023 PFL 4 on June 8 in Atlanta, where Loughnane is scheduled to face Jesus Pinedo, and Khaybulaev is booked against Daniel Torres.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 4.

MMA Junkie Radio #3357: Guest Brendan Loughnane, BKFC and UFC recaps, Nate Diaz, more

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”


Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,357, the boys bring on guest [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] from the PFL. Plus, they look back at this past Saturday’s blockbuster BKFC 41 event, as well as UFC Fight Night 223. Plus, they discuss the latest on Nate Diaz, look ahead to UFC 288 and more. Tune in!

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple PodcastsSpotifyStitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.