Shamil Musaev def. Magomed Umalatov at 2024 PFL Championship: Best photos

Check out these photos from Shamil Musaev vs. Magomed Umalatov at 2024 PFL Championship, a welterweight title bout with a $1 million prize.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Shamil Musaev[/autotag]’s knockout victory over Magomed Umalatov to win $1 million at 2024 PFL Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photos by Jose Peñuela, PFL MMA)

 

2024 PFL Championship: Shamil Musaev bludgeons Magomed Umalatov for $1 million knockout

Magomed Umalatov did not make it to the decision reading thanks to Shamil Musaev’s missile-like punches.

[autotag]Shamil Musaev[/autotag]’s violent highlight reel now includes a $1 million knockout.

At 2024 PFL Championship on Friday, Musaev (20-0-1) knocked out previously unbeaten [autotag]Magomed Umalatov[/autotag] (17-1) to win the promotion’s welterweight title. The stoppage came at 1:44 of Round 3. The event took place at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A feint right hand followed by a massive left hook dropped Umalatov to start the finishing sequence. Musaev threw a series of bombs thereafter the snatched Umalatov’s consciousness. Presumably due to the damage absorbed, Umalatov was not present for the official decision’s reading.

The knockout was Musaev’s third in four PFL appearances. A relative unknown entering the season, Musaev knocked out Logan Storley and Murad Ramazanov, before he rematched Ramazanov and won by unanimous decision.

Umalatov loses for the first time as a professional. Prior to this defeat, Umalatov was 8-0 under the PFL banner including three 2024 wins over Andrey Koreshkov, Brennan Ward, and Neiman Gracie.

[lawrence-related id=2789475]

Up-to-the-minute 2024 PFL Championship results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.

Magomed Umalatov vs. Shamil Musaev prediction, pick, start time for 2024 PFL Championship

A pair of unbeaten welterweights battle for $1 million in Saudi Arabia.

[autotag]Magomed Umalatov[/autotag] and [autotag]Shamil Musaev[/autotag] meet Saturday for the welterweight $1 million title at the 2024 PFL Championship. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup.

Magomed Umalatov vs. Shamil Musaev 2024 PFL Championship preview

PFL 9: Washington DC Playoffs at the The Anthem in Washington D.C., Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Cooper Neill / PFL)

The road to his first PFL championship bout included a decision win over former Bellator champion Andrey Koreshkov in April, an anaconda choke finish of Brennan Ward and a decision over Neiman Gracie for Magomed Umalatov (17-0).

Shamil Musaev def. Murad Ramazanov – 2024 PFL 6: Sioux Falls at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Friday, June 28, 2024. (Cooper Neill / PFL)

Shamil Musaev (19-0-1), just 30, burst onto the PFL scene in April when he upset Logan Storley with a second-round knockout. He followed that with a 5-point second-round TKO of Murad Ramazanov. He met Ramazanov again in the semifinals and outworked him to get his $1 million shot.

Magomed Umalatov vs. Shamil Musaev 2024 PFL Championship odds

Musaev is as much as a 3-1 favorite in the fight. The return on Umalatov has been in the +200 range.

Magomed Umalatov vs. Shamil Musaev 2024 PFL Championship expert pick, prediction

2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Magomed Umalatov vs Shamil Musaev during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Our staff members picked Musaev at a 7-4 clip, showing there’s still a camp whose members think Umalatov is a live ‘dog.

Magomed Umalatov vs. Shamil Musaev 2024 PFL Championship start time, how to watch

As the third fight on the main card, Umalatov and Musaev are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 2:45 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.

2024 PFL 6 video: Brennan Ward retires from MMA after submission loss to Magomed Umalatov

Bellator veteran Brennan Ward announced his retirement following his submission loss at 2024 PFL 6.

[autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] has decided to call it quits on MMA.

The Bellator veteran announced his retirement from the sport following his first-round submission loss to [autotag]Magomed Umalatov[/autotag] on the main card of 2024 PFL 6, which went down on Friday at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

It was a quick night for Ward (17-9), as Umalatov (16-0) took him down early in the fight and then worked his way to an anaconda choke, which produced the tap. With this result, Umalatov now advances to the 2024 PFL welterweight playoffs.

You can watch Ward’s retirement announcement along with Umalatov’s submission win in the video below:

Ward, 35, fought for Bellator for over a decade. He made his debut for the promotion in 2012 and stayed with the company through it’s purchase by PFL this past November. He won the Bellator season 9 middleweight tournament, and went on to challenge for the undisputed title, in a fight he lost to then champion Alexander Shlemenko. Ward retires on a two-fight losing streak.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030792]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2024, Week 6.

Magomed Umalatov happy to defeat Russian ‘legend’ Andrey Koreshkov, vows PFL ‘takeover’

Magomed Umalatov looks to run the PFL’s welterweight division after picking up a big win over former Bellator champ Andrey Koreshkov.

CHICAGO – [autotag]Magomed Umalatov[/autotag] didn’t walk away from a big win over Andrey Koreshkov unscathed, but is happy with the end result.

In the 2024 PFL 3 main event, Umalatov (15-0 MMA, 6-0 PFL) kept his unbeaten record intact by picking up a unanimous decision win over Koreshkov (27-5 MMA, 0-1 PFL), earning three points in the welterweight standings.

The fight meant more to Umalatov than just getting his hand raised, as he added a name to his resume that he has looked up to throughout his career.

“He’s a famous guy in Russia, a former Bellator champion,” Umalatov told reporters during a post-fight news conference. “Even me, when I was amateur, I was watching his fights. He’s a legend and I’m happy to beat him today. After this fight, I will be more confident. I’m 15-0, undefeated. I beat a very strong guy, and I’m just (looking) forward.”

Don Madge and Murad Ramazanov both picked up first-round finishes worth six points, while Shamil Musaev earned five for his second-round stoppage. Umalatov has three points along with Goiti Yamauchi, which will make for a tight race in the second round of fights in June.

Umalatov came out of the fight with damage to his right arm, as he held an ice pack to his limb while fielding questions to reporters. He did not seem too concerned with the injury, however, as he delivered a haunting message to future opponents this season:

“Just be ready, I’m coming for takeover.”

[lawrence-related id=2735573,2735146]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2024, Week 3.

Magomed Umalatov def. Andrey Koreshkov at 2024 PFL 3: Best photos

Check out these photos from Magomed Umalatov’s victory over Andrey Koreshkov in the 2024 PFL 3 main event in Chicago.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Magomed Umalatov[/autotag]’s unanimous decision victory over Andrey Koreshkov in the 2024 PFL 3 main event, which took place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. (Photos courtesy of PFL MMA)

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.

2023 PFL 3 video: Magomed Umalatov blasts Dilano Taylor in first-round KO

Magomed Umalatov made quick work of Dilano Taylor at 2023 PFL 3.

It didn’t take long for [autotag]Magomed Umalatov[/autotag] to get his six points for PFL’s 2023 season.

Umalatov (13-0) needed less than two minutes to dispatch his opponent [autotag]Dilano Taylor[/autotag] in the opening bout of 2023 PFL 3 on Friday night. The event took place at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas and aired on ESPN and ESPN+.

Just as both fighters were getting settled, Umalatov wobbled Taylor (10-4) with a right hand, sending him to the canvas. The Russian only needed a few extra follow-up shots to get the referee to waive off the action. With the first round finish, Umalatov scores six points in PFL’s 2023 welterweight season.

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

[lawrence-related id=2633584]

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