Check out these photos from [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag]’s victory over Martina Jindrova at 2023 PFL 5 at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)
Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out these photos from Julia Budd vs. Martina Jindrova at 2023 PFL 5 in Atlanta.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag]’s victory over Martina Jindrova at 2023 PFL 5 at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)
Check out these photos from Amber Liebrock’s victory over Martina Jindrova at 2023 PFL 2 in Las Vegas.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Amber Liebrock[/autotag]’s victory over Martina Jindrova at 2023 PFL 2 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill/PFL)
Kayla Harrison keeps dominating and will fight for a third consecutive PFL championship.
[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] just keeps winning.
The two-time PFL women’s lightweight champion and two-time Olympic judo gold medalist maintained her undefeated status Saturday at 2022 PFL 3 Playoffs. Harrison (15-0) defeated [autotag]Martina Jindrova[/autotag] (6-3) with an arm-triangle submission a little over three minutes into the first round.
With the victory, Harrison is set to take on Larissa Pacheco in a trilogy bout in the women’s lightweight final, expected to go down in November. Pacheco punched her ticket to the final earlier with a first-round win over Olena Kolesnyk.
As many expected, Harrison’s win came quickly. After a short feeling-out process, Harrison took the fight to the ground. From there, she advanced to mount, locked in an arm-triangle and shortly after got the tap.
After the bout, Harrison declared herself queen of women’s MMA and took a not-so-subtle shot at Amanda Nunes, Cris Cyborg and Pacheco.
Kayla Harrison was in a zone after advancing to the women's lightweight final at 2022 #PFLPlayoffs 3. 👑pic.twitter.com/L5nbmtWZHN
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 20, 2022
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With this result, Harrison continues her dominance. The 32-year-old has been steamrolling her opposition ever since she began her journey in MMA. Harrison remains undefeated and will advance to her third consecutive PFL final in hopes to win a third belt along with its $1 million prize.
Complete 2022 PFL Playoffs 3 results:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 2 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET)
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The 2022 PFL Playoffs 3 event takes place Saturday, join us for official results.
The 2022 PFL Playoffs 3 event takes place Saturday, and you can join us for official results.
The event takes place at Copper Box Arena in London. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+ and ahead of post-lim qualifiers on ESPN+.
In the main event, two-time women’s lightweight season winner [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (14-0) takes on [autotag]Martina Jindrova[/autotag] (6-2). Harrison is the No. 2 seed; Jindrova is No. 3. In the other semifinal, No. 1 seed [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (17-4) fights No. 4 [autotag]Olena Kolesnyk[/autotag] (7-4).
At featherweight, No. 1 [autotag]Chris Wade[/autotag] (22-7) meets No. 4 [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (24-4) in a highly anticipated fight between two heated rivals. On the other side of the bracker, No. 2 [autotag]Ryoji Kudo[/autotag] (11-3-1) meets [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] (18-5).
Official 2022 PFL Playoffs 3 results include:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 2 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET)
POSTLIM CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)
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Check out our staff members’ picks for the PFL Playoffs 3 semifinals at women’s lightweight and featherweight in London.
Harrison vs. Jindrova |
Wade vs. Loughnane |
Pacheco vs. Kolesnyk |
Kudo vs. Jenkins |
|
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 134-86 |
Harrison (87%) |
Wade (57%) |
Pacheco (83%) |
Jenkins (84%) |
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 149-76 2018 Champion |
Harrison |
Loughnane |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 143-82 |
Harrison |
Loughnane |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 141-84 2014 Champion |
Harrison |
Wade |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 139-86 |
Harrison |
Wade |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 135-90 |
Harrison |
Wade |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Simon Samano @SJSamano 135-90 |
Harrison |
Loughnane |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 134-91 |
Harrison |
Loughnane |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Nolan King @mma_kings 132-93 |
Harrison |
Wade |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Brian Garcia @thegoze 130-95 2017 Champion |
Harrison |
Loughnane |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 122-103 |
Harrison |
Wade |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 107-118 |
Harrison |
Wade |
Pacheco |
Jenkins |
The PFL is back for its third and final set of playoff semifinals. This week, women’s lightweights and featherweights are on the docket.
The 2022 PFL Playoffs 3 event takes place Saturday at Copper Box Arena in London. 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, two-time season winner [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (14-0) is not the No. 1 seed. She’s No. 2 against No. 3 [autotag]Martina Jindrova[/autotag] (6-2). But she’s still a massive -5000 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Jindrova is +1200. Not surprisingly, all of our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Harrison to move on to another $1 million final.
At featherweight, there’s a lot of heat and trash talk between No. 1 seed [autotag]Chris Wade[/autotag] (22-7) and No. 4 [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (24-4). Wade is a -260 favorite, but our pickers have him with the slimmest possible 6-5 lead in the picks. His fight is the only contentious one among our pickers.
In the other women’s lightweight semifinal, [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (17-4) is the No. 1 seed against [autotag]Olena Kolesnyk[/autotag] (7-4). Pacheco is a huge favorite at -850 and is another of our unanimous picks.
And in the second featherweight semifinal on the main card, No. 2 seed [autotag]Ryoji Kudo[/autotag] (11-3-1) takes on No. 3 [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] (18-5). Jenkins is a big -350 favorite at the betting window and has the support of all 11 of our pickers.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Harrison (87 percent), Wade (57 percent), Pacheco (83 percent) and Jenkins (84 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 3.
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The lineup is set for the PFL’s third and final set of playoff fights next month in London.
The lineup is set for the PFL’s third and final set of playoff fights next month in London.
Two-time women’s lightweight season winner and No. 2 seed [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (14-0) will headline the card against No. 3 [autotag]Martina Jindrova[/autotag] (6-2) in one of two semifinal fights in the division.
The other half of the bracket features No. 1 [autotag]Larisa Pacheco[/autotag] (17-4) vs. No. 4 [autotag]Olena Kolesnyk[/autotag] (7-4). Pacheco, who lost to Harrison in the 2019 final, finished both her regular season fights in the first round for 12 points to earn the top seed. Harrison and Jindrova finished the regular season with 9 points, while Kolesnyk had 6 for the fourth playoff spot.
The event also features the two semifinal playoff bouts at featherweight. No. 1 seed [autotag]Chris Wade[/autotag] (22-7) takes on No. 4 [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (22-7) and No. 2 [autotag]Ryoji Kudo[/autotag] (11-3-1) meets No. 3 [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] (18-5).
The PFL’s third set of playoff fights take place Aug. 20 at Copper Box Arena in London. The four-fight main card of playoff matchups airs on ESPN. A four-fight set of prelims and four fights after the main card stream on ESPN+.
The playoffs open two weeks prior in New York with lightweights and light heavyweights. Then welterweights and heavyweights meet Aug. 13 in Cardiff, Wales.
“Heading to London is huge for the expansion of the league,” PFL president Ray Sefo stated. “We are bringing our brand of MMA to the U.K. and I’m sure they are going to be as excited as I am to see elite fighters like Kayla Harrison, Chris Wade and Brendan Loughnane compete with so much on the line.”
Harrison won the second of her two judo Olympic gold medals at the 2012 Games in London. Now she returns to the city a decade later.
In addition, the PFL announced the signing of muay Thai standout Dakota Ditcheva (5-0), a prized free agent from Manchester, England. The three-time muay Thai world champion is unbeaten early in her MMA career and is considered one of the sport’s top female prospects. Her mother, Lisa Howarth, was a world kickboxing champion.
“We are excited to add Dakota to the global PFL talent roster,” Sefo stated. “Dakota’s outstanding skill set and ability, along with her natural charisma, fit perfectly with the PFL brand of MMA. We believe the PFL is uniquely placed to take her journey forward on a global scale. Coming from a line of elite muay Thai practitioners, we have confidence in Dakota to go to the very top with the PFL and continue her family’s legacy.”
The PFL 2022 Playoffs 3 card includes:
POSTLIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 3 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET)
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This marks the first time that PFL salaries have been revealed in 2022.
The back half of the 2022 PFL regular season recently took place in Atlanta with three cards in three weeks at Overtime Elite Arena.
Each card spotlighted two specific divisions. PFL 4 took place June 17 and featured men’s lightweights and light heavyweights. One week later, PFL 5 featured featherweights and heavyweights. Last Friday, PFL 6 consisted of welterweights and women’s lightweights.
On Wednesday, MMA Junkie acquired a list of disclosed show and win purses from the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, the regulatory body that oversaw the events.
Former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] ($750,000) led all paydays despite a submission loss to [autotag]Stevie Ray[/autotag]. Two-time PFL season winner [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] ($500,00) was second on the list, followed by former UFC title challenger and Bellator welterweight champion [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] ($250,000).
[autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag], [autotag]Lance Palmer[/autotag], [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag], [autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag], and [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag] also received six-figure disclosed payouts.
It’s important to note that the figures given do not reflect potential “locker room” bonuses, streaming points, or promotional sponsorship payments.
Scroll below to see the complete payouts for the most recent three PFL events.
Check out these photos from 2022 PFL 6 which featured Kayla Harrison, Rory MacDonald, Ray Cooper III, and more.
Check out these photos from 2022 PFL 6, which took place at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, and was headlined by Kayla Harrison vs. Kaitlin Young. (Photos courtesy of PFL) (Gallery updated throughout the event.)
Check out these photos from the 2022 PFL 6 weigh-ins at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta.
Check out these photos from the 2022 PFL 6 weigh-ins at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. (Photos courtesy of PFL)
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.
With a spotlighted free agency behind her, Kayla Harrison (@KaylaH) is set to welcome Marina Mokhnatkina to her house tomorrow. 🏠#2022PFL3 | https://t.co/nF3L5ocZob pic.twitter.com/FxmGu84PCX
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) May 6, 2022
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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