Tag: Bruno Cappelozza

	Harrison vs. Fabian	Cappelozza vs. Jones	Pacheco vs. Guardado	Goltsov vs. Delija
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 124-77	Harrison (78%)	Cappelozza (66%)	Pacheco (84%)	Goltsov (74%)
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 127-74	Harrison	Jones	Pacheco	Goltsov
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 125-76	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 123-78 2018 Champion	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 121-80 2020 Champion	Harrison	Cappelozza	Guardado	Goltsov
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 119-82 2014 Champion	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 118-83	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 118-83	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 117-84	Harrison	Cappelozza	Guardado	Goltsov
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 116-85	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 115-86	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 113-88 2017 Champion	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 112-89	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 2021: 46-39	Harrison	Jones	Pacheco	Goltsov

(Editor’s note: Our picks published prior to the news of Larissa Pacheco being forced out after she weighed in two pounds over the limit.)

The PFL returns this week with the second of three straight weeks of semifinal fights.

2021 PFL Playoffs 2 takes place Thursday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The main card airs on ESPN2 following prelims on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, 2019 women’s lightweight season winner [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (10-0) takes on [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] (4-1) in the 2021 semifinals. Harrison won both her regular season fights by first-round stoppage for the maximum 12 points, but is the No. 2 seed because Larissa Pacheco had a shorter total fight time en route to her 12 points. Harrison is one of two unanimous picks from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.

In the co-feature, top heavyweight seed [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] (12-5) takes on No. 4 [autotag]Jamelle Jones[/autotag] (12-6). After two first-round knockouts in the regular season, Cappelozza is a heavy 11-2 pick from our staff members.

The top women’s lightweight seed in the other semifinal is [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (15-4), who is coming off two first-round finishes in the regular season. She’s a huge 11-2 pick against No. 4 seed [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] (2-1).

Our other unanimous pick on the main card is in the second heavyweight semifinal fight between [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] (27-6) and [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (18-4). Goltsov had finishes of Muhammad DeReese and Brandon Sayles in the regular season.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Harrison (78 percent), Cappelozza (66 percent), Pacheco (84 percent) and Goltsov (74 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

[vertical-gallery id=625516]

The lineup for the PFL’s second 2021 playoff event is set, and one of the sport’s biggest female stars will headline.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (10-0), the promotion’s 2019 women’s lightweight champion and a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, will headline 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 in a semifinal fight against [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] (4-1).

PFL officials announced the full lineup for the card Tuesday. The event features semifinals at women’s lightweight and heavyweight on the main card, plus additional fights on the prelims. 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 takes place Aug. 19, a Thursday, at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

“PFL’s second playoff event will feature an incredible and action-packed card that only the PFL can deliver to the 550 million MMA fans worldwide,” PFL CEO Peter Murray stated. “These athletes are putting it all on the line to secure a spot in the PFL championship. Nothing in sports compares to the intensity of a must-win scenario, and each of these fights are must-win.”

Harrison is the No. 2 seed behind top seed [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (15-4), who fights No. 4 [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] (2-1) at the event. Harrison and Pacheco each had 12 points in the regular season from two first-round finishes, but Pacheco got the top seed based on a lower overall cage time.

At heavyweight, top seed [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] (12-5) takes on No. 4 [autotag]Jamelle Jones[/autotag] (12-6) in the co-main event, and No. 2 seed [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] (27-6) meets No. 3 [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (18-4).

2021 PFL Playoffs 2 is the second of three events for the promotion in a 15-day stretch. The third playoff event takes place Aug. 27 with fights at featherweight and light heavyweight. The finalists will be set for the 2021 PFL title bouts, which will take place later this year. Each winner in six divisions becomes champion and earns $1 million.

The 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)

• Kayla Harrison vs. Genah Fabian – women’s lightweight semifinal
• Bruno Cappelozza vs. Jamelle Jones – heavyweight semifinal
• Larissa Pacheco vs. Taylor Guardado – women’s lightweight semifinal
• Denis Goltsov vs. Ante Delija – heavyweight semifinal

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

• Stuart Austin vs. Renan Ferreira
• Marina Mokhnatkina vs. Kaitlin Young
• Muhammed DeReese vs. Carl Seumanutafa
• Zamzagul Fayzallanova vs. Mariana Morais
• Amanda Leve vs. Cynthia Vescan

[listicle id=619309]

[vertical-gallery id=625516]

[listicle id=625226]

[listicle id=625465]