Matheus Scheffel – Page 2 – Syndication Server

2022 PFL Championships: A look at the 12 finalists

A dozen 2022 PFL finalists will compete in championship bouts this November, including Kayla Harrison, five UFC alums and an alternate.

Dozens of fighters started out in the 2022 PFL season with the goal of fighting for the championship – and million dollar prize that comes with it.

In the back half of 2022, only two fighters in each weight class remain, totaling a dozen overall. Some suffered losses during the season and rebounded. Others were inserted mid-season, rallied, and capitalized. One fighter even won two short-notice outings as an alternate to clinch his spot in the final.

Each finalist had their own unique journey and now are on the verge of becoming millionaires with a single punch or kick – or a 15-minute all-out war. Fate is in their hands.

2022 PFL Championships are scheduled for Nov. 25 at a yet-to-be-announced location in the U.S.. Scroll below to see who the 12 finalists are and learn about their 2022 journeys toward the finals.

Matheus Scheffel def. Juan Adams at 2022 PFL Playoffs 2: Best photos

Check out these photos from Matheus Scheffel’s TKO win over Juan Adams in the heavyweight semifinals in the 2022 PFL Playoffs.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Matheus Scheffel[/autotag]’s TKO win over [autotag]Juan Adams[/autotag] in the heavyweight semifinals at the 2022 PFL Playoffs 2 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photos courtesy of PFL)

TUSCALOOSA, AL – NOVEMBER 10: Xavier McKinney #15 of the Alabama Crimson Tide knocks down a pass by Nick Fitzgerald #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Nov 23, 2019; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Xavier McKinney (15) returns an interception for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Western Carolina Catamounts at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 7, 2019; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Xavier McKinney (15) reacts at a press conference after the 2019 College Football Playoff Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 1, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Xavier McKinney (15) runs through smoke prior to their game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

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

Matheus Scheffel in for Bruno Cappelozza vs. Denis Goltsov in PFL heavyweight playoffs

The PFL heavyweight playoffs have gotten a shakeup next month in Wales.

No. 4 seed [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] (15-6) is out of his semifinal bout against top seed [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] (29-7). Stepping in for Cappelozza will be the man who beat him in the regular season, [autotag]Matheus Scheffel[/autotag] (16-8). PFL officials announced the change Thursday.

The PFL’s second playoff event, which features heavyweight and welterweight semifinals, takes place Aug. 13 at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. The main card airs on ESPN.

Scheffel was knocked out by Ante Delija in his first fight of the regular season, but rebounded in June for a unanimous decision over Cappelozza. That gave him 3 points in the regular season, which left him on the outside of the four-man playoff bracket. But now he gets his shot as an alternate.

With the change, PFL’s second playoff event lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN, 1 p.m. ET)

Rory MacDonald vs. Magomed Umalatov – welterweight semifinal
Ante Delija vs. Renan Ferreira – heavyweight semifinal
Denis Goltsov vs. Matheus Scheffel – heavyweight semifinal
Sadibou Sy vs. Carlos Leal – welterweight semifinal

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 11 a.m. ET)

Josh O’Connor vs. Emran Sakhizaada
Mohammad Fakhreddine vs. TBA
John Mitchell vs. Chris Mixan
Szymon Bajor vs. Hatef Moeil

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)

Kenneth Bergh vs. Will Fleury
Nathan Kelly vs. TBA
Vojto Barborik vs. Maxim Radu
Moktar Benkaci vs. Francesco Nuzzi

2022 PFL salaries from Atlanta: Anthony Pettis tops disclosed payouts despite loss; Kayla Harrison second

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.

Dana White’s Contender Series 37 weigh-in results, live video stream (12 p.m. ET)

MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Monday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 37 fighter weigh-ins, which kick off at 12 p.m. ET.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Monday’s official Dana White’s Contender Series 37 fighter weigh-ins, which kick off at 12 p.m. ET.

Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions.

In the featured bout, a pair of international light heavyweights clash with Brazil’s [autotag]Matheus Scheffel[/autotag] (14-6) against undefeated Russian [autotag]Azamat Murzakanov[/autotag] (9-0). The pair boasts 23 career wins between them, with 16 coming by way of knockout.

The early weigh-ins take place at the UFC host hotel in Las Vegas. The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams on ESPN+.

The full Dana White’s Contender Series 37 weigh-in results include:

Matheus Scheffel () vs. Azamat Murzakanov ()
Joanderson Brito () vs. Diego Lopes ()
Victor Altamirano () vs. Carlos Candelario ()
Leonardo Damiani () vs. A.J. Fletcher ()
Lukasz Brzeski () vs. Dylan Potter ()

Dana White’s Contender Series takes on international theme, 10 fights added to upcoming season

Ten fights are on the docket for Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series.

The lineup for Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 5 is slowly coming to form. Contracts are going out and fighters are putting their names on the dotted lines.

The upcoming installment has a different flare than recent years, with a large percentage of the roster coming from outside North America. The majority are from Brazil, Russia and beyond. Of the fights that have surfaced thus far, only a few Americans are set to partake in Season 5, which is set to begin in August.

Portions of Dana White's Contender Series S5 roster have leaked. Many international fighters and it's not a coincidence, I'm told. That was the intent from the start.#UFC was looking to increase talent level anyway, but this also offsets limited international signings in 2020.

— Nolan King (@mma_kings) May 26, 2021

The first known event date is Aug. 31. The series will extend at least through mid-October, with the latest event on the schedule currently set for Oct. 12.

A number of fights have leaked prior to the UFC’s official announcements. Scroll below to see the fights MMA Junkie has confirmed thus far.