Tag: Carlos Leal

Former BRAVE CF champion Jarrah Al-Silawi joins welterweight cast of PFL Challenger Series

Jarrah Al-Silawi will lead a list of surging welterweight prospects in the second episode of PFL’s new Challenger Series.

[autotag]Jarrah Al-Silawi[/autotag] will lead a list of surging welterweight prospects in the second episode of PFL’s new Challenger Series.

Al-Silawi (16-3), a former BRAVE CF super welterweight champion, will take part in PFL Challenger Series 2, which features welterweights including NCAA wrestling standout [autotag]Mark Martin[/autotag] and LFA 170-pound champion [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] (14-3).

Also taking part in the welterweight episode is returning Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace [autotag]Lucas Barbosa[/autotag] (2-1), [autotag]Dilano Taylor[/autotag] (7-1), [autotag]Michael Lilly[/autotag] (7-6), [autotag]Troy Green[/autotag] (4-1) and [autotag]Socrates Pierre[/autotag] (12-6).

PFL’s new Challenger Series officially kicks off Feb. 18 at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla., with light heavyweights on tap for Episode 1. The second episode takes place a week later.

The new series airs exclusively on Fubo Sports Network and sees athletes gunning for a PFL contract that could either serve as a developmental deal or see them enter directly into the promotion’s regular season and its $1 million prize. One fighter each week will earn the contract.

Jordan’s Al-Silawi headlines the welterweight talent. Winner of 11 of his past 12, two-time BRAVE CF champ Al-Silawi holds notable wins and finishes over UFC welterweight Carlston Harris, French prospect Abdoul Abdouraguimov and ex-UFC welterweight Ismail Naurdiev.

Al-Silawe explained he wanted to get his feet wet before entering the 2022 season and the PFL Challenger Series is the perfect opportunity for him to do that.

“I’m excited to compete for the PFL before the season,” Al-Silawi told MMA Junkie. “The plan was to join the season right away, but this fight in February, I wanted to take. I’m very excited for my first fight in the PFL. I prepared very well for the fight. I’ve been training for a while, so God willing, this fight will be different.

“It’s my first time to go to America and fight there, so I’m very excited for that. It’s a different place. I’m also excited to show everyone the level in the Middle East. I always say we don’t have too many fighters in the Middle East, but we carry a message. We want to prove to the world that we can compete at the highest level, and this is a big opportunity for me to prove this point.”

LFA 112 results: Improbable one-night tournament final leads to new welterweight champion

When three fighters were deemed unable to progress to the second round, an alternate bout loser advanced to the tournament final.

A new LFA welterweight champion was crowned as the promotion held a four-man, one-night tournament Friday – but the road to get there was winding, long, and unusual.

In the end, [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] (14-3) took home the title at LFA 112 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil when he defeated [autotag]Junior Marques[/autotag] (11-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). While Leal’s road to the top was typical, the opposing side of the bracket was the furthest thing from normal.

The tournament began with two quarterfinal fights of three three-minute rounds. The first matchup was a back and forth brawl, in which [autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag] (11-0) finished [autotag]Brenner Alberth[/autotag] (8-1) via punches at 0:38 of Round 3. On the other side of the bracket, Leal only needed 69 seconds to finish [autotag]Diego Dias[/autotag] (13-4) with a violent knockout punch.

Bonfim vs. Real was lined up for the tournament final – until it wasn’t. Due to concussion like symptoms, Bonfim was removed from the matchup and the promotion turned to two alternates, [autotag]Quemuel Ottoni[/autotag] and [autotag]Wendell Giacomo[/autotag], who won on the non-broadcasted prelims.

However, neither Ottoni and Giacomo received medical clearance. In an unusual turn of events, Marques, who lost to Ottani, was named the No. 3 alternate and was placed into the final against Leal.

While he lasted all three rounds, Marques ultimately lost his second fight of the night when he was swept on all three judges’ scorecards by Leal.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Otto Rodrigues[/autotag] snapped [autotag]Carlos Augusto da Silva[/autotag]’s eye-popping 17-fight winning streak via a unanimous decision that earned six 10-8 rounds across the three judges’ scorecards. Prior to the bout, Rodrigues had not competed since April 2017.

The most violent finish, perhaps occurred when [autotag]Kayan Krushewsky[/autotag] brutally knocked out [autotag]Junior Luiz[/autotag] with a pair of punishing punches. The stoppage came 62 seconds into the fight.

Also on the main card, hyped flyweight standout [autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag] (6-0) made his long-awaited return to the cage when he won a fairly one-sided unanimous decision over [autotag]Jefferson Oliveira[/autotag] (5-1).

Check out the full LFA 112 results below:

MAIN CARD (UFC Fight Pass)

  • Carlos Leal (14-3) def. Uyran Carlos (11-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Otto Rodrigues (13-1) def. Carlos Augusto da Silva (19-3) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-24)
  • Rafael Ramos (10-0) def. Filipe Esteves (7-1) via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 2:19
  • Kayan Kruschewsky (11-1) def. Junior Luiz (7-4) via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:02
  • Carlos Mota (6-0) def. Jefferson Oliveira (5-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Dayane Souza (8-1) def. Elaine Lopes (4-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:45
  • Carlos Leal (13-3) def. Diego Dias (13-4) via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:39 – welterweight tournament semifinal
  • Gabriel Bonfim (11-0) def. Brenner Alberth (8-1) via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 0:38 – welterweight tournament semifinal

DARK PRELIMS (Not broadcasted)

  • Quemuel Ottoni (10-3) def. Junior Marques (9-3) via unanimous decision – welterweight tournament alternate bout #1
  • Wendell Giacomo (9-2) def. Uryan Carlos (11-5) via unanimous decision – welterweight tournament alternate bout #2
  • Gabriel Alves Braga (6-0) def. Jonathan Cordeiro (5-2) via TKO (strikes)
  • Brena Cardozo (5-0) def. Vania Caceres (3-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

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