Zach Juusola – Syndication Server

PFL lists its top 5 fights of the 2023 season

Relive the PFL’s best fights of the year with this video ranking the top 5.

In 2023, MMA delivered some top-notch fights, and several of those went down under the PFL banner.

From a wild, standup battle between [autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag] and [autotag]Shane Burgos[/autotag], to [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag]’s close loss to [autotag]Gabriel Braga[/autotag], which kicked off his incredible championship run, PFL was home of some barn burners. Now with the season over, the promotion ranked its best knockouts as the following:

1. Clay Collard def. Shane Burgos via unanimous decision
2. [autotag]Zach Juusola[/autotag] def. [autotag]Brandon Jenkins[/autotag] via unanimous decision
3. Magomed Umalatov def. Nayib Lopez via unanimous decision
4. Gabriel Braga def. Jesus Pinedo via split decision
5. [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] def. [autotag]Marina Mokhnatkina[/autotag] via unanimous decision

You can watch the replay of the highlights of the top 5 PFL fights in the video above.

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2023 PFL 3 predictions: Two unanimous picks from welterweight, lightweight openers

Check out our staff members’ picks for 2023 PFL 3 in Las Vegas, which features season-opening fights at welterweight and lightweight.

	Sy vs. Al-Silawi	Egli vs. Magomedkerimov	Ray vs. Schulte	Manfio vs. Martinez	Lopez vs. Mitchell	Amir vs. Miranda	Jenkins vs. Juusola
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 45-33	Sy (69%)	Magomedkerimov (95%)	Schulte (72%)	Manfio (88%)	Lopez (72%)	Miranda (76%)	Jenkins (82%)
Nolan King @mma_kings 48-30	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Matt Erickson @MattE 48-30	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 48-30	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Juusola
Simon Samano @SJSamano 47-31	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Ray	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 45-33	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Mitchell	Miranda	Jenkins
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 44-34	Al-Silawi	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Amir	Jenkins
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 44-34 2018, 2022 Champion	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Ray	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 44-34	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Ray	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 43-35 2014 Champion	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Brian Garcia @thegoze 43-35 2017 Champion	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Ray	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 41-37	Sy	Magomedkerimov	Schulte	Manfio	Lopez	Miranda	Jenkins

The PFL wraps up its Las Vegas three-event residency this week with the start of the lightweight and welterweight regular seasons.

PFL 2023, Week 3 takes place Friday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

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In the main event, 2022 welterweight season winner [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag] (13-6-2) takes on former Brave CF champion [autotag]Jarrah Al-Silawi[/autotag] (18-4). Sy is nearly a 2-1 favorite at the betting window, and our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have him as a near-unanimous pick at 10-1.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag] (30-6) is by far the biggest favorite on the card at more than 12-1 in his welterweight bout against [autotag]Ben Egli[/autotag] (14-4). Not surprisingly, Magomedkerimov is one of two unanimous picks on the main card.

Also on the main card, two-time (2018, 2019) lightweight season winner [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] (23-5-1) is back to take on [autotag]Stevie Ray[/autotag] (25-11). Schulte is a 4-1 betting favorite, but Ray has a pocket of support that leaves Schulte with just a 7-4 picks lead.

[autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] (16-4), the 2021 lightweight winner, takes on [autotag]Alexander Martinez[/autotag] (10-3) to open his 2023 regular season. Even though Martinez is the slight -150 favorite at the betting window, Manfio is our staff members’ other unanimous pick a 11-0.

[autotag]Shane Mitchell[/autotag] (13-4) takes on the unbeaten [autotag]Nayib Lopez[/autotag] (15-0) at welterweight. Lopez is a -250 favorite and is a near-unanimous pick at 10-1. And -150 lightweight favorite Bruno Miranda (14-3) is a 10-1 pick over Ahmed Amir (12-3-1).

To open the main card, [autotag]Brandon Jenkins[/autotag] (16-9) is a slight favorite at welterweight against [autotag]Zach Juusola[/autotag] (13-9), and he’s got a big 10-1 picks lead.

In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Sy (69 percent), Magomedkerimov (95 percent), Schulte (72 percent), Manfio (88 percent), Lopez (72 percent), Miranda (76 percent) and Jenkins (82 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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

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Photos: 2023 PFL Challenger Series 1 weigh-ins and faceoffs

Check out these photos from the 2023 PFL Challenger Series 1 official weigh-ins in Orlando, Fla.

Check out these photos from the 2023 PFL Challenger Series 1 official weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs in Orlando, Fla. (Photos courtesy of PFL)

LFA 96 results: Maycon Mendonca bests Batsumberel Dagvadorj in thriller, claims vacant belt

An all-out war in the LFA 96 main event might be a late candidate for “Fight of the Year” consideration.

[autotag]Maycon Mendonca[/autotag] and [autotag]Batsumberel Dagvadorj[/autotag] gave it their all in Friday night’s LFA 96 main event.

With the vacant LFA welterweight title on the line, Mendonca (10-4) and Dagvadorj (7-0) engaged in a five-round, all-out war. In the end, Mendonca earned a unanimous decision over Dagvadorj, with 50-45, 49-46, 49-46 scores that don’t do justice to the tenacity with which Dagvadorj fought.

The tempo was set early in the fight. Mendonca had his moments and Dagvadorj returned fire with a flooring blow. Through the second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds, both men slowed at times, but always found a way to accelerate once again.

Dagvardorj came forward with reckless abandon and sought takedowns while he flung punches. Mendonca, on the other hand, found his technical striking and plum clinch knees his most successful weapon. Mongolia’s Dagvardoj, battered and bruised, displayed a strong chin and ability to reset himself when needed.

For those who haven’t already tallied their 2020 superlative votes, the bout might be a late candidate for “Fight of the Year” consideration.

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In the co-main event, Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus [autotag]Anthony Romero[/autotag] (9-0) kept his undefeated record alive when he defeated a gritty [autotag]Zach Juusola[/autotag] (11-7) via unanimous decision.

Earlier on the card, Stipe Miocic teammate [autotag]Mo Miller[/autotag] (5-0) added another highlight-reel finish to his resume. The suplexes worked for Miller all night. To finish the fight, he slammed and knocked out [autotag]Regivaldo Carvalho[/autotag] (5-3) in Round 2.

LFA 96 took place Friday at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan. The card streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

Full LFA 96 results:

Maycon Mendonca def. Batsumberel Dagvadorj via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) – for vacant LFA welterweight title
Anthony Romero def. Zach Juusola via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Mo Miller def. Regivaldo Carvalho via knockout (slam and punches) – Round 2, 2:57
Mark Martin def. Matthew Colquhoun via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28)
Lisa Mauldin def. Mitzi Merry via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
William Starks def. Slava Borshchlev via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Joseph Holmes def. Ryan Leininger via knockout (knee) – Round 1, 1:38

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