Tag: Carlos Leal

2023 PFL 6 official weigh-in results: Main card set, two prelim fighters heavy

Check out the full weigh-in results for 2023 PFL 6, which saw 24 fighters record their offical weight for Saturday’s competition.

All 24 fighters competing at 2023 PFL 6 stepped on the scale, but a couple of preliminary fighters missed their mark.

At Thursday’s official weigh-ins, the entire main card successfully made weight, including 2022 lightweight season winner [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag], who weighed in at 155.6 pounds. His opponent, [autotag]Anthony Romero[/autotag], came in at 155.4. The other 2022 season winner competing in the co-main event, [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag], made the welterweight limit by stepping on the scale at 170.6. He faces [autotag]Shane Mitchell[/autotag], who weighed 170.8.

[autotag]Dilano Taylor[/autotag] came in heavy, initially weighing 171.4 for his welterweight bout against [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag], who weighed 170.6. On his second attempt, Taylor stepped on the scale slightly lighter at 171.2. Due to the miss, Taylor forfeits 20 percent of his purse and will lose one point in the welterweight standings, but the fight against Leal will proceed.

Brahyan Zurcher also missed weight for his featherweight showcase bout against Mike Bardsley. Zurcher weighed 146.8 pounds and will forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Bardsley, who made weight at 144.4.

2023 PFL 6 takes place Friday at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+

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Below you can find the full results from the weigh-ins:

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

  • Olivier Aubin-Mercier (155.6) vs. Anthony Romero (155.4)
  • Shane Mitchell (170.8) vs. Sadibou Sy (170.6)
  • Shane Burgos (155.8) vs. Yamato Nishikawa (155.8)
  • Magomed Magomedkerimov (171) vs. David Zawada (170.2)
  • Nayib Lopez (170) vs. Magomed Umalatov (170.4)
  • Clay Collard (155.1) vs. Stevie Ray (155.6)

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

  • Carlos Leal (170.6) vs. Dilano Taylor (171.2)*
  • Raush Manfio (156) vs. Natan Schulte (156)
  • Alexander Martinez (156) vs. Bruno Miranda (155.8)
  • Jarrah Al-Silawi (170.8) vs. Solomon Renfro (169.4)
  • Mike Bardsley (144.4) vs. Brahyan Zurcher (146.8)**
  • Abdullah Al-Qahtani (144.8) vs. Lamar Brown (146)

* Taylor weighed in at 171.4 on the first attempt. Due to the miss, he will forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Leal.
** Zurcher missed weight and will forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Bardsley.

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

2023 PFL 3 video: Carlos Leal runs through David Zawada in vicious first-round KO

Carlos Leal scored a brutal KO at Friday’s 2023 PFL 3 event.

[autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag]’s start to the 2023 PFL 3 season couldn’t have gone any better after quickly putting away [autotag]David Zawada[/autotag] in the first round to earn six points in the welterweight season.

The Brazilian clipped Zawada (18-8) with a right hand and then swarmed him with a combination that sent him towering down to the canvas. Leal (17-4) just needed a few follow-up punches to get the referee to stop the action. The official stoppage came at the 2:25 mark of Round one.

You can watch Leal’s finish in the video below:

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

Clay Collard, Raush Manfio, more booked to complete 2023 PFL 3 card

The lineup for the third PFL event of this season is now complete.

The lineup for the third PFL event of this season is now complete.

The promotion announced on Monday the full lineup for 2023 PFL 3, which is set to go down April 14 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.

These newly announced fights, which include fan favorites and two former champions, join the previously announced matchups that make up the main and co-main event in Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Shane Burgos and Sadibou Sy vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi.

2019 PFL lightweight champion [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] takes on former UFC veteran and 2022 PFL runner-up [autotag]Stevie Ray[/autotag] in a matchup at 155 pounds. Schulte is on a two-fight winning streak, with his most recent victory being a submission over Jeremy Stephens this past November. Ray also competed in November, where he lost to Aubin-Mercier in the 2022 PFL lightweight final.

The other former champion added to the card is [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag], who won the 2021 PFL lightweight season. He’ll be taking on [autotag]Alexander Martinez[/autotag]. Manfio last fought in June, also losing to Aubin-Mercier – a result that snapped a five-fight winning streak.

Additionally, [autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag], one of PFL’s most exciting fighters, will take on [autotag]Yamato Nishikawa[/autotag] to close out the preliminary card.

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Below is the full lineup for 2023 PFL 3:

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

  • Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Shane Burgos
  • Sadibou Sy vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi
  • Natan Schulte vs. Stevie Ray
  • Raush Manfio vs. Alexander Martinez
  • Shane Mitchell vs. TBA
  • Abdelaziz Abdulvakhabov vs. Ahmed Ami

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Clay Collard vs. Yamato Nishikawa
  • Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Don Madge
  • Carlos Leal vs. David Zawada
  • Magomed Umalatov vs. Dilano Taylor

Sadibou Sy def. Carlos Leal at 2022 PFL Playoffs 2: Best photos

Check out these photos from Sadibou Sy’s unanimous decision win over Carlos Leal in the 2022 PFL welterweight playoffs.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] in the welterweight semifinals at the 2022 PFL Playoffs 2 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photos courtesy of PFL)

2022 PFL Playoffs 2 predictions: Will Rory MacDonald roll into the $1 million welterweight final?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the 2022 PFL Playoffs 2 semifinals in the welterweight and heavyweight divisions.

MacDonald
vs.
Taylor		 Delija
vs.
Ferreira		 Adams
vs.
Scheffel		 Sy
vs.
Leal
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
131-79		 macdonald2022
MacDonald
(76%)		 ferreira2022
Ferreira
(52%)		 adams2022
Adams
(51%)		 leal2022
Leal
(67%)
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
143-72
trophy copy 2018 Champion		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 delija2022
Delija		 scheffel2022
Scheffel		 leal2022
Leal
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
139-76		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 delija2022
Delija		 scheffel2022
Scheffel		 leal2022
Leal
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
137-78
trophy copy 2014 Champion		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 delija2022
Delija		 scheffel2022
Scheffel		 leal2022
Leal
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
135-80		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 ferreira2022
Ferreira		 adams2022
Adams		 sy2022
Sy
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
132-83		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 ferreira2022
Ferreira		 adams2022
Adams		 sy2022
Sy
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
131-84		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 ferreira2022
Ferreira		 adams2022
Adams		 leal2022
Leal
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
130-85		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 delija2022
Delija		 scheffel2022
Scheffel		 leal2022
Leal
Nolan King
@mma_kings
127-88		 taylor2022
Taylor		 delija2022
Delija		 scheffel2022
Scheffel		 leal2022
Leal
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
126-89
trophy copy 2017 Champion		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 delija2022
Delija		 scheffel2022
Scheffel		 leal2022
Leal
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
117-98		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 ferreira2022
Ferreira		 adams2022
Adams		 leal2022
Leal
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
104-111		 macdonald2022
MacDonald		 ferreira2022
Ferreira		 adams2022
Adams		 leal2022
Leal

The PFL is back for the second of three sets of playoff semifinals. This week, welterweights and heavyweights are on the docket.

The 2022 PFL Playoffs 2 event takes place Saturday at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+ and ahead of post-lim qualifiers on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, No. 1 welterweight seed and former Bellator champion [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] (23-9-1) meets late replacement [autotag]Dilano Taylor[/autotag] (9-2). Taylor stepped in for Magomed Umalatov on Thursday after Umalatov had visa issues. MacDonald is -205 at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Taylor is +155. All but one of our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are siding with MacDonald to move on to the final.

At heavyweight, No. 2 [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (21-5) takes on No. 3 [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] (9-3). It’s a pick’em fight at the betting window, and it’s close with our staff members, as well. Delija has the slimmest possible 6-5 lead in the picks.

In the other heavyweight semifinal, [autotag]Juan Adams[/autotag] (10-4) stepped in Thursday as a late replacement for No. 1 seed Denis Goltsov. He’ll take on [autotag]Matheus Scheffel[/autotag] (16-8), who himself was an alternate. Adams is a big -250 favorite, despite his late notice, but it’s Scheffel with a 6-5 narrow edge from our staff members.

And in the second welterweight semifinal on the main card, No. 2 seed [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag] (11-6-2) takes on [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] (17-3). Sy is a slim favorite at -120, but Leal has a major lead in the picks at 9-2.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, MacDonald (76 percent), Ferreira (52 percent), Adams (51 percent) and Leal (67 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2022 PFL Playoffs 2.

2022 PFL 3: Best photos from Arlington

Check out these photos from 2022 PFL 3 which took place at Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Check out these photos from 2022 PFL 3 which took place at Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL)

2022 PFL 3 results: Carlos Leal dominates, snaps Ray Cooper III’s lengthy winning streak

Carlos Leal accepted the fight approximately a week ago. Friday, he upset the defending, two-time PFL champion.

Perhaps fight fans weren’t overly familiar with the name [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] as they entered 2022 PFL 3. One dominant victory later over two-time PFL champion [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag] and things might’ve changed.

At 2022 PFL 3, Leal (17-3) battered Cooper (24-8-1) en route to a unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27). The fight served as the co-main event for the event, which was held Friday at Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Leal, 29, entered the matchup against Cooper approximately one week ago, on a short-notice basis. His entry into the season came on the heels of back-to-back wins for PFL Challenger Series since Feb. 25.

From the opening bell, Leal didn’t look the slightest bit out of place. He actually showed evidence of the contrary. As the fight progressed, so did Leal’s dominance. He pummeled Cooper with knees and elbows in the clinch. His hands were heavy. Leal stunned Cooper in Round 2 and nearly finished the fight in the first half of Round 3.

Cooper showed resilience and even had his moments late in the fight. However, the damage was done as Leal swept the judges’ scorecards.

With the victory, Leal earns three points in the 2022 PFL welterweight standings. He has won 11 fights in a row, including an LFA welterweight title win in July 2021. His streak stretches all the way back to 2014.

Meanwhile, Cooper has his six-fight winning streak snapped. His most recent victory prior to Friday came in July 2019 when he was knocked unconscious by UFC alumnus John Howard. Ahead of 2022 PFL 3, Cooper missed the welterweight limit by 5.4 pounds.

The up-to-the-minute 2022 PFL 3 results include:

  • Carlos Leal def. Ray Cooper III via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)
  • Anthony Pettis def. Myles Price via submission (mounted triangle) – Round 1, 4:17
  • Rory MacDonald def. Brett Cooper via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:23
  • Larissa Pacheco def. Zamzagul Fayzallanova via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:25
  • Dilano Taylor def. Joao Zeferino via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Genah Fabian def. Julia Budd via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Sadibou Sy def. Nikolay Aleksakhin via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
  • Jarrah Al-Silawi def. Gleison Tibau via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Olena Kolesnyk def. Abigail Montes via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Martina Jindrova def. Vanessa Melo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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2022 PFL 3 faceoffs video: Kayla Harrison vs. Marina Mokhnatkina, Anthony Pettis, Rory MacDonald, more

Watch the pre-fight staredowns and check out the photo gallery from the 2022 PFL 3 weigh-ins.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Fighters competing at 2022 PFL 3 went face-to-face at ceremonial weigh-ins ahead of their bouts on Friday.

The 2021 PFL champion [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (12-0) squared off with [autotag]Marina Mokhnatkina[/autotag] (6-2) Thursday. The two competitors are set to meet in the main event of Friday’s event, capping off the first event of the season including the women’s lightweight division.

In the co-main event, 2021 welterweight champion [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag] (24-7-1) will face PFL Challenger Series newcomer [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] (16-3) to close out the first event featuring 170-pound fighters.

The main card for PFL Championship airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET following the prelims on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET.

Check out the pre-fight faceoffs in the video above and the photo gallery from the weigh-ins below.

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Photos: 2022 PFL 3 ceremonial weigh-ins and faceoffs

Check out these photos from the 2022 PFL 3 ceremonial weigh-ins.

Check out these images from the 2022 PFL 3 ceremonial weigh-ins and faceoffs at Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photos by Matthew Wells, MMA Junkie)

2022 PFL 3 weigh-in results: Two fighters, including two-time champ, come in heavy

The weigh-ins are in the books for the PFL’s third event of the season, but not everyone hit the mark for Friday’s bouts.

ARLINGTON, Texas – The weigh-ins are in the books for the PFL’s third event of the season, and there was some drama on the scales.

The event features welterweights and women’s lightweights, including 2021 champions [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] and [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag]. Former UFC champion [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] also competes on the card against [autotag]Myles Price[/autotag] in the lone men’s lightweight bout.

Harrison (12-0) weighed in at 155 pounds and her opponent, [autotag]Marina Mokhnatkina[/autotag] (6-2) stepped on the scale at 154.2 pounds, making the main event bout official.

The co-feature bout was met with issues, as two-time welterweight season winner Cooper III (24-7-1) came in heavy at 176.4 pounds. He will be deducted one point in the welterweight standings and cannot earn points, regardless of the outcome of his bout on Friday. His opponent, [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] (16-3) made weight, recording 169.9 pounds.

[autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] also had troubles on the scale, as she weighed in at 160.8 pounds for her lightweight bout against [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag]. Fabian (4-2) will also lose a point and cannot earn points regardless of the result of the bout. Budd (16-3) made weight at 154.4 pounds.

The 11-fight PFL 2022, Week 3 event takes place Friday at Esports Arena in Arlington, Texas. The main card airs on ESPN2 following prelims on ESPN+.

The complete 2022 PFL 3 weigh-in results include:

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

  • Kayla Harrison (155) vs. Marina Mokhnatkina (154.2)
  • Ray Cooper III (176.4) vs. Carlos Leal (169.6)
  • Anthony Pettis (155.4) vs. Myles Price (154.8)
  • Rory MacDonald (171) vs. Brett Cooper (169.8)
  • Larissa Pacheco (155.4) vs. Zamzagul Fayzallanova (153.4)

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

  • Dilano Taylor (170.6) vs. Joao Zeferino (170.8)
  • Julia Budd (154.4) vs. Genah Fabian (160.8)
  • Nikolay Aleksakhin (170.2) vs. Sadibou Sy (170.8)
  • Jarrah Al-Silawi (170) vs. Gleison Tibau (169.6)
  • Olena Kolesnyk (155.2) vs. Abigail Montes (154)
  • Martina Jindrova (155.4) vs. Vanessa Melo (155.8)

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