Tag: PFL: Battle of the Giants

PFL: Battle of the Giants results: Cris Cyborg damaged, but victorious vs. Larissa Pacheco

Cris Cyborg was sliced and diced but victorious.

[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] is officially the queen of PFL.

In a battle of two of the world’s best women’s featherweights, Cyborg (28-2) defeated [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (23-5) by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46). The bout was the co-main event of PFL: Battle of the Giants at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The bout was carnage-filled. Both women possessed power not often seen. Even though Cyborg was victorious, she sported nasty gashes above each eye that the Mohegan Sun Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation officials repeatedly checked between rounds.

The fight mostly took place on the feet. Both women paced themselves, siding with quality over quantity. Cyborg landed some big shots in Round 1, but Pacheco shook off the cobwebs and kept going.

Midway through Round 2, Pacheco pulled for a guillotine on Cyborg. It was tight, but from half guard. Cyborg escaped and the fight progressed forward.

For the final three rounds, Cyborg and Pacheco traded barbs. Both women absorbed brutal strikes, but largely maintained their poker faces – even if they were covered in blood.

Upon the official decision, Cyborg swept the scorecards and maintained her spot as one of the toughest women to ever competed inside a cage.

Cyborg’s win comes in her first competition since October 2023. She was outspoken against her inactivity heavily since the PFL-Bellator merger. The victory was her eighth in a row.

Pacheco has a 10-fight winning streak snapped. Prior to Saturday, she had not lost since a 2019 defeat to Kayla Harrison.

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Up-to-the-minute PFL: Battle of the Giants results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

PFL: Battle of the Giants watch-along and prelims live stream with MMA Junkie Radio

Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live-streamed watch-along of PFL: Battle of the Giants in Riyadh.

PFL: Battle of the Giants goes down Saturday with three title fights atop the bill, including the return of one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live-streamed watch-along right here at 1:30 p.m. ET. 

In the main event, former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] makes his highly anticipated return to the sport against 2023 PFL season winner [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag]. And in the co-main event, Bellator women’s featherweight champ [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] meets two-time PFL champ [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag]. At stake in both bouts are the first PFL Super Fights title belts.

Also featured on the card is a Bellator middleweight title-fight rematch between champ [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] and [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag]. Eblen won their first fight in September 2023.

PFL: Battle of the Giants takes place at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, with a main card that streams on pay-per-view (ESPN+, DAZN). As part of the watch-along, the full preliminary card will stream in the video above. 

Below is the complete PFL: Battle of the Giants lineup:

PFL: Battle of the Giants main card

  • Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira – for heavyweight super fights title
  • Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco – for women’s featherweight super fights title
  • Champ Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards – for Bellator middleweight title
  • Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen
  • A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes

PFL: Battle of the Giants preliminary card

  • Marcos Breno vs. Raufeon Stots
  • Dedrek Sanders vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov
  • Nacho Campos vs. Ibragim Ibragimov
  • Taha Bendaoud vs. Tariq Ismail

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

PFL: Battle of the Giants results: Johnny Eblen suffocates Fabian Edwards to retain title in rematch

Johnny Eblen closed out his chapter with Fabian Edwards in definitive fashion to defend the Bellator middleweight title.

[autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] closed out his chapter with [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] in definitive fashion.

Eblen (16-0) out-grappled Edwards (13-4) for a unanimous decision win to retain his Bellator middleweight title at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Round 1 started with both men exchanging leg kicks. A straight right by Eblen stumbled Edwards back. Eblen charged forward with a combination and stacked Edwards against the cage. Edwards broke free, but Eblen nicely timed a double leg takedown and got him down. He slammed Edwards down a couple of times, but struggled to keep him down as the round ended.

Eblen took Edwards down early in Round 2 and controlled him for the majority of the five minutes. Edwards eventually made his way back up and landed a nice left hook in a flurry as time wound down.

Edwards looked much sharper on the feet to start off Round 3. Midway through the round, Eblen shot for a takedown and was successful. Eblen tried to take Edwards’ back, but Edwards defended well. Edwards scrambled back to his feet and landed a nice left. Eblen shot for another takedown, as he stacked Edwards against the cage.

In Round 4, Edwards found a home for the left counter twice. Eblen continued to stalk him as he eventually landed a takedown two minutes in. Eblen rode out back control for the rest of the round, before Edwards broke his grip, and charged forward with a combination to end the round.

Just 20 seconds into Round 5, Edwards landed a body kick, followed by an accidental eye poke. Moments later, Edwards committed another inadvertent foul by landing a low blow. The action resumed as both fighters traded. Edwards continued to attack the body. Eblen shot for a takedown, but was stuffed.

A tired Eblen drove Edwards against the cage with about a minute left in the fight. Edwards broke free as his corner urged him to press forward. This was easily Edwards’ best round, but his high output wasn’t enough to take out Eblen.

https://twitter.com/PFLMMA/status/1847760493038940205

All three judges had it 48-47 for Eblen, who has now defeated Edwards twice in title fights.

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Up-to-the-minute results of PFL: Battle of the Giants include:

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

Paul Hughes def. A.J. McKee at PFL: Battle of the Giants: Best photos

Check out these photos from Paul Hughes vs. A.J. McKee at PFL: Battle of the Giants in Riyadh.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag]’ unanimous decision victory over A.J. McKee at PFL: Battle of the Giants at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photos courtesy of PFL MMA)

PFL: Battle of the Giants results: Paul Hughes edges out A.J. McKee, calls out Usman Nurmagomedov

Paul Hughes’ striking proved to be too much for A.J. McKee in the main card opener of PFL: Battle of the Giants.

[autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag]’ striking proved to be too much for [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag].

Hughes (13-1) dropped McKee (22-2) early and fended off his grappling en route to a split decision win (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). The lightweight bout was the main card opener at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In Round 1, McKee backed Hughes to a corner with a flurry. Hughes broke free and almost landed a flying knee. McKee grabbed a hold of him and worked for a takedown. Hughes broke free again and threw another big knee. It was clear what McKee’s game plan was as he attempted another takedown. Hughes reversed and wound up in top position. McKee worked for a leg lock. As he got up, Hughes landed a big knee, followed by a big overhand right which dropped McKee.

The pace slowed down in Rounds 2 and 3 as McKee pressed Hughes against the cage. Hughes broke free and threw a flurry. An accidental low blow by McKee caused a break in the action. Hughes attempted a big knee and slipped, allowing McKee to capitalize by grabbing a hold of him and keeping him down. Hughes spent the rest of the fight trying to fend off McKee’s grappling, but he outstruck him throughout and caused more damage for the win.

With the win, Hughes made it seven straight and proceeded to call out Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

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Up-to-the-minute results of PFL: Battle of the Giants include:

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

Video: Ex-Bellator champ Raufeon Stots taps Marcos Breno on PFL: Battle of the Giants prelims

It was far from a walk in the park for the former titleholder, but Raufeon Stots got another highlight for his reel.

It was far from a walk in the park for the former titleholder, but [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] got another highlight for his reel.

Stots (21-2) closed out the PFL: Battle of the Giants prelims with a third-round submission of [autotag]Marcos Breno[/autotag] (15-4) in their bantamweight bout Saturday at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Stots’

Stots was tested on the feet in the first round, and Breno, despite being a heavy underdog, had more than his share of moments. In the second, Stots settled in a bit, particularly in the ground game. And that continued in the third, when Stots was able to take Breno’s back with a rear-naked choke.

It didn’t take long after Stots fell back with it for Breno to tap, no doubt knowing the choke was deep.

Stots, a former Bellator interim bantamweight champ, got his first submission in more than four years.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

What time is Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco fight? Walkout time for PFL: Battle of the Giants co-main event

Here’s when to expect Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco to make their cage walks at PFL: Battle of the Giants.

[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] and [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] are ready to square off in a champion-vs.-champion showdown. This women’s featherweight bout scheduled for five rounds is taking place Saturday, Oct. 19 at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Cyborg (27-2) and Pacheco (23-4) co-headline PFL: Battle of the Giants with the promotion’s super fights women’s featherweight title belt at stake.

Cyborg, the reigning Bellator women’s champion at 145 pounds, is competing for the first time in a year, when she defeated Cat Zingano by first-round TKO at Bellator 300. Cyborg, 39, is a former UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta FC champion. She enters on a seven-fight winning streak, which includes five consecutive defenses of her Bellator title. Cyborg hasn’t lost since a December 2018 first-round knockout against Amanda Nunes at UFC 232.

Pacheco, 30, is coming off back-to-back PFL championship seasons at lightweight and featherweight. She brings a 10-fight winning streak into the matchup with Cyborg, which includes her 2022 lightweight title win over Kayla Harrison.

When does PFL: Battle of the Giants fight card start?

  • The PFL: Battle of the Giants lineup consists of nine fights, with prelims starting at 1:30 p.m. ET and the pay-per-view main card at 4 p.m. ET.

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco walkout time

  • As the co-main event, Cyborg and Pacheco are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 6:15 p.m. ET.
  • The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view in the U.S. and DAZN pay-per-view internationally.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

When does Francis Ngannou fight? Walkout time for PFL: Battle of the Giants headliner vs. Renan Ferreira

Here’s when to expect Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira to make their cage walks at PFL: Battle of the Giants.

[autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] will finally make his highly anticipated return to mixed martial arts against [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag]. This heavyweight bout scheduled for five rounds is taking place Saturday, Oct. 19 at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ngannou (17-3) and Ferreira (13-3) headline PFL: Battle of the Giants with the promotion’s super fights heavyweight title belt at stake.

Ngannou, 38, hasn’t competed in MMA since successfully defending the UFC heavyweight championship against Ciryl Gane on January 22, 2022, which would turn out to be his final fight with the UFC. Roughly one year later, Ngannou left the UFC to sign with the PFL, which granted him permission to pursue his desire to compete in boxing.

Ngannou fought Tyson Fury and lost a split decision after stunningly knocking down boxing’s heavyweight king in October 2023. Ngannou followed up that sterling performance by taking on Anthony Joshua this past March, a fight in which he was dominated and lost by second-round knockout. That result signaled his time to return to MMA, where he’s won six fights in a row dating back to November 2018, with five finishes during that span.

Ferreira, 34, is the reigning 2023 PFL heavyweight champion after scoring three knockouts last season. Ferreira is coming off a 21-second dismantling of Bellator heavyweight champ Ryan Bader this past February.

When does PFL: Battle of the Giants fight card start?

  • The PFL: Battle of the Giants lineup consists of nine fights, with prelims starting at 1:30 p.m. ET and the pay-per-view main card at 4 p.m. ET.

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira walkout time

  • As the main event, Ngannou and Ferreira are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 7 p.m. ET.
  • The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view in the U.S. and DAZN pay-per-view internationally.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

PFL: Battle of the Giants cold open touts Ngannou vs. Ferreira as ‘the biggest heavyweight fight of our time’

Watch the PFL: Battle of the Giants cold open with behemoths Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira, who clash Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

“The biggest heavyweight fight of our time.”

That’s what the man voicing over the PFL: Battle of the Giants cold open says of the highly anticipated showdown between [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] and [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag].

Hyperbole aside, it could be the biggest MMA fight of the year as it marks Ngannou’s highly anticipated return to the sport. The former UFC heavyweight champion hasn’t competed in the cage in nearly 1,000 days. One year after his last UFC fight, he decided to leave as the promotion’s heavyweight champion to sign with the PFL.

Now, after two high-profile boxing matches with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Ngannou will be welcomed back by Ferreira, the 2023 PFL season winner who’s emerged as a force to be reckoned with.

The magnitude and scope of Ngannou vs. Ferreira is underscored in the cold open, which you can watch in the video above.

PFL: Battle of the Giants takes place Saturday at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event’s main card streams on ESPN+ and DAZN pay-per-view, with prelims available during MMA Junkie’s watch-along.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.