Kicking off a busy weekend for MMA’s biggest promotions, the PFL put on its final event of the year in Washington Thursday, and for a good cause.
The Professional Fighters League touched down in Washington, D.C. for their final event of 2017 on Thursday. The card took place as part of the annual Fight Night charity event, with proceeds going to Fight For Children, a D.C. area children’s charity. Headlining the card was a heavyweight showdown between Blagoy Ivanov and Caio Alencar. Hosted at the Washington Hilton, the four fight PFL event also featured featherweight standout Lance Palmer taking on Steven Siler.
You can catch the live stream of the event below, free, courtesy of the Professional Fighters League!
If you have any difficulties with tonight’s stream, it can also be viewed via http://www.professionalfightersleague.com/
Check back come fight time for a recap and results from the final PFL card of 2017! PFL: Fight Night kicks off at 8:30 PM EST.
Josenaldo Silva vs. Timur Valiev
Opening the action at PFL: Fight Night was a bantamweight scrap between Russia’s Timur Valiev and Brazil’s Josenaldo Silva
Silva held the center of the cage early, but Timur Valiev closed the distance looking for a takedown. He’s keep at it, and finally take it to the ground, only for Silva to jump right back to his feet. Valiev would take the back and drag Silva back down, looking for a choke. When that wasn’t open, the Russian landed some heavy shots that forced Silva to look for a way out. He’d make it up, only to be taken back down via a belly-to-back suplex. Once the aftershock wore off, Valiev went to work inside Silva’s closed guard. Valiev postured up and picked his shots, then managed to open his guard. He’d finish out the round from there, looking to do damage from the top, with Silva unable to escape.
Round two saw Timur Valiev once again impose his will, grinding and wearing down Silva. By the midway point of the round, he’d move into full mount, with Silva trying to hand on. Silva would survive however, and Valiev would wind up with a half nelson, controlling his opponent, who risked giving up his back if he tried to escape. Elbows and forearm smashes did a considerable amount of damage, and later in the round, some big right hands began to land for the Russian. Silva, however, would escape the round.
Bloodied by the ground and pound in round two, Josenaldo Silva looked to battle back in round three, and he was able to connect early with a right hand. Valiev, however, soon had a single leg secured. One there, short shots re-opened the cut on Silva from round two, and Valiev was then able to take the back. Before long, he had the rear-naked choke, and the tap!
Timur Valiev def. Josenaldo Silva by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 3, 2:12
Daniel Gallemore vs. Mike Kyle
Heavyweight action was up next. Off the opening bell, Kyle whiffed with a left hook but touched Gallemore with a jab. Kyle would then land a solid uppercut. Gallimore seemed to suddenly retreat back against the cage, perhaps losing a contact lense after eating the uppercut. Either that, or it did enough damage for him to switch to defensive mode. That allowed Kyle to land a number of follow-up shots. Gallemore survived momentarily, but against the cage just seconds later, Kyle landed a number of big knees and an elbow, leading to a stoppage as the ref came in to wave it off!
Mike Kyle def. Daniel Gallemore by TKO, Round 1, 1:01
Lance Palmer vs. Steven Siler
Lance Palmer opened the action in the co-main event with a teep kick that didn’t connect followed by a leg kick that did. From there, he took Siler to the ground. Siler stayed active on the bottom with a butterfly guard, and looked for a gogoplata. Palmer would continue to stay heavy on top and avoid the submission attempts. A big left knocked down Siler as he recklessly charged in just under the three minute mark, and Palmer added a number of shots to his opponent while he lay on his back. Ref Mario Yamasaki took a good look, but let the fight continue. Palmer, who might have punched himself out a little, moved into Siler’s guard. After a standup in the dying moments of the round, Siler’s jumping knee was caught, and he’d go back down as the round ended.
Siler did a better jump of staying off his back in the opening moments of round two, with Palmer instead relying on inside leg kicks to do damage. The takedown would come eventually for Palmer, however, about ninety seconds in. From there, Palmer would land blows from the top, while Siler would again look for a gogoplata and later an omoplata. Spending so much time off his back, however, Siler would have to secure a finish for a win heading into the third.
No doubt aware of needing the finish, Siler went straight for a guillotine to start the third, but Palmer was able to escape. From there the fight because a mirror image of much of the first two rounds, with Palmer staying heavy on top, and Siler looking for a submission off his back. He’d mix things up a little more this round, trying for an arm bar at one point, but it was Palmer at the end of the round on Siler’s back, looking for a finish. Siler would escape, and it would go to the scorecards, with little question as to the result.
Lance Palmer def. Steven Siler by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Blagoy Ivanov vs. Caio Alencar
In he evening’s heavyweight main event, Caio Alencar connected first with an outside leg kick, but there was little action early as the pair of big men went through a feeling out period. This continued through the first two minutes, as Ivanov worked to figure out the puzzle of the larger, longer Alencar. Soon Ivanov would walk the bigger man down as he circled out of harm’s way. A low blow by Alencar, however, would pause the action. Once back underway, Ivanov would continue to walk down his opponent only to eat a right hand while leaning in. He’d shake it off, and continue to press forward. With ninety seconds to go Alencar would go on the offensive and connected with a right on Ivanov. Ivanov would battle back and continue to move forward, but still couldn’t find away inside.
In round two, the action continued at a trickle, with neither fighter wanting to stray from their gameplan. As Alencar tired a little, Ivanov found more success moving in with his left hand. In the final minute, Ivanov finally opened up, connecting with lefts and rights as Alencar covered up and retreated. He’d then answer back, and it looked like Ivanov could be in danger, as his chin was up just a little. He’d bring the fight once more as the seconds ticked down, doing more damage to a bloodied Alencar.
In the third, the big question was who had more in the tank — and if either fighter was a little wobbled.
An overhand right by Ivanov would just miss early, and Alencar would answer the next barrage with a knee. Alencar, after taking more damage in round three, would try to initiate a takedown about two minutes into the third, but a combination of Ivanov’s defense and Alencar simply being tired saw the attempt fail. A big left by Ivanov with just over a minute remaining may have been the biggest shot of the fight, but Alencar continued to successfully escape by circling out. Alencar would later connect with a left of his own, and Ivanov would return the favor in the dying seconds of the round. Going to the scorecards, how did the judges see it?
Blagoy Ivanov def. Caio Alencar by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)
