Tag: Bruno Miranda

Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Bruno Miranda at 2023 PFL Playoffs 3: Best photos

Check out these photos from Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Bruno Miranda, a lightweight semifinal bout at 2023 PFL Playoffs 3 in New York.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag]’s victory over Bruno Miranda in a lightweight semifinal bout at 2023 PFL Playoffs 3 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)

2023 PFL Playoffs 3 results: Olivier Aubin-Mercier TKOs Bruno Miranda for second-straight finals berth

Olivier Aubin-Mercier will have the opportunity win two consecutive PFL championships after winning his semifinals bout in New York.

[autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] is heading back to the PFL finals.

In the co-main event of 2023 PFL Playoffs 3, Aubin-Mercier (20-5) stopped Bruno Miranda with heavy ground and pound to punch his ticket to a second-consecutive finals appearance. The lightweight semifinal bout took place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, and was finished officially by TKO stoppage at 4:41 of Round 2.

The first round of the fight was competitive, but Aubin-Mercier appeared sharper and more poised than his opposition. In the second round, Aubin-Mercier found the finishing touches he needed.

After landing a laser of a left hand that dropped Miranda, Aubin-Mercier followed him to the ground, took full mount, and ground and pounded until referee Dan Miragliotta saw enough.

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

The 2022 lightweight champion, Aubin-Mercier will have a chance to repeat and earn another $1 million check. “The Canadian Gangster” defeated Shane Burgos by unanimous decision and knocked out Anthony Romero in his regular season bouts. He now awaits the winner between Clay Collard and Shane Burgos, who fight for their spot in the finals in the main event of the evening.

Up-to-the-minute results of 2023 PFL Playoffs 3 include:

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

2023 PFL 6 fighter pay: Shane Burgos pockets six-figure purse after move from UFC

Check out the disclosed 2023 PFL 6 fighter pays, including what Shane Burgos is making after jumping over from the UFC.

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

2023 PFL 6 featured final regular season bouts at lightweight and welterweight, as well as three showcase fights. In the main event, 2022 PFL lightweight champion [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] knocked out Dana White’s Contender Series alum [autotag]Anthony Romero[/autotag].

Other names on the card included former UFC fighters [autotag]Shane Burgos[/autotag] and [autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag], as well as past PFL championship winners [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag], [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag], [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag] and [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag].

MMA Junkie acquired a list of the 24 fighters’ disclosed payouts Monday from the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission. The amounts do not include bonuses, sponsorships or any other discretionary payments.

Five fighters topped the list at $100,000, while all other fighters received five-figure or four-figure payouts. Among them was Burgos, who left the UFC as a free agent to sign with the PFL. Friday, Burgos pocketed a six-figure flat purse against [autotag]Yamato Nishikawa[/autotag].

Scroll below to see the disclosed pay for each 2023 PFL 6 fighter.

PFL tosses Natan Schulte from playoffs, suspends Raush Manfio after bout ‘did not meet the standards’

A fight between close friends Natan Schulte and Raush Manfio has resulted in both fighters suspended and one removed from the playoffs.

[autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] won’t be in the 2023 PFL playoffs after all.

Less than 12 hours after Schulte (25-5-1) defeated [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] (17-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) at 2023 PFL 6 and clinched a playoff spot in the process, the promotion announced his removal from the postseason and both fighters’ suspensions for the remainder of the season.

“Last night Natan Schulte and Raush Manfio did not meet the standards which all PFL fighters agree to uphold in competition,” a PFL press release Saturday said. “All fighters in their PFL Fight Agreements agree to use their ‘best efforts … skills and abilities as a professional athlete to compete … and defeat any opponent.’”

The bout in question took place Friday at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta on the event’s preliminary card. For the majority of three rounds, Schulte and Manfio were hesitant to engage. The two are close friends and training partners.

“It was very clear that Natan and Raush did not meet that contractual standard in yesterday’s bout,” the promotion said. “PFL immediately suspended both fighters from the season and deemed the fight to have 0 points for purposes of League standings. PFL takes this action in recognition of its responsibility to all PFL fighters and all PFL fans.”

As a result, [autotag]Shane Burgos[/autotag] (16-4) will slide into a playoff slot and take on [autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag] (23-10), who previously clinched the No. 1 seed. [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] (19-5) and [autotag]Bruno Miranda[/autotag] (16-3) man the other side of the four-man playoff bracket.

The unusual nature of Friday’s fight gained much attention from fans and even other PFL lightweights prior to the announcement Saturday,

2022 PFL lightweight champion Aubin-Mercier, who defeated Anthony Romero in the card’s main event, questioned if the promotion should have two fighters from the same gym compete in the same weight division.

“It was really weird,” Aubin-Mercier said (via BestFightPicks). “I have to be very clear. I understand 100 percent if I was going to fight my best friend. … It would be a fight like this. But at the same time, it’s unfair to anybody else. I think it showed PFL. When I said I wanted PFL to be better, I think it showed maybe we shouldn’t put two people of the same gym in the same category. This stuff can happen.

 

MMA Junkie reached out Saturday to the George Athletic and Entertainment Commission (GAEC), which oversaw the event. The story will be updated to reflect comment if/when it is received.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 6.

PFL Challenger Series lightweight lineup set for March 18

The lineup is set for another PFL Challenger Series event. Lightweights will be up in March.

The lineup is set for another PFL Challenger Series event. Lightweights will be up in March.

On March 18, 155-pounders will have a shot at a PFL contract. As MMA Junkie previously reported, the eight-week series of prospects-based events all air on Fubo Sports Network from Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. The first event takes place on Feb. 18.

“We could not be more excited about the lightweight talent entering the inaugural PFL Challenger Series,” PFL president Ray Sefo stated. “When the lightweights square off with a potential PFL roster spot up for grabs on March 18, MMA fans are guaranteed action and excitement.”

In the headlining bout, Brazil’s [autotag]Bruno Miranda[/autotag] (13-3) takes on [autotag]Carson Frei[/autotag] (9-4). Miranda has a four-fight winning streak. Frei has won three of his past four fights.

[autotag]Damir Ferhatbegovic[/autotag] (5-2-1) is the Valor FC lightweight champion. His opponent, [autotag]BJ Bland[/autotag] (16-10), trains at City Kickboxing in New Zealand with fighters including UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya and UFC featherweieght titleholder Alexander Volkanovski.

[autotag]Michael Dufort[/autotag] (8-4), a training partner of the PFL’s Olivier Aubin-Mercier, has all eight of his wins by stoppage. He fights [autotag]Arut Pogosian[/autotag] (9-3), who trains at Elevation Fight Team in Colorado. Pogosian has a three-fight winning streak, including two first-round knockouts.

Israel’s [autotag]Yanal Ashmoz[/autotag] (6-0) meets [autotag]Dennis Hughes[/autotag] (7-3) in the fourth matchup. Ashmoz is unbeaten with five straight finishes, including four by knockout. Hughes has won three straight and has finishes in six of his seven wins.

The complete lineup for the March 18 lightweight card includes:

  • Carson Frei vs. Bruno Miranda
  • BJ Bland vs. Damir Ferhatbegovic
  • Michael Dufort vs. Arut Pogosian
  • Yanal Ashmoz vs. Dennis Hughes