Top-seeded welterweight Glaico Franca advanced to the semi-finals with a win over Andre Fialho at PFL 7 2019 in Las Vegas Friday night.
PFL 7 2019’s second welterweight quarterfinal bout featured Glaico Franca and Andre Fialho, the first and eighth seeds in the post-season at 170lbs. The pair were the final fight on the ESPN+ prelims, and would battle for two-rounds or less, the first of two fights in a night for the winner.
Fialho landed an uppercut early in the first, and stayed outside, circling. Franca would jab, change levels, and shoot for a takedown. But Fialho answered that with a volley of hammerfists. Punishing, but Franca was still able to finish the takedown. They’d spend the bulk of the remaining time on the ground, with Franca working on a submission attempt toward the end of the frame. While he couldn’t finish, he ended the round on top, always a good sign. Especially in a two-round fight.
Round two had Franca landing early, but moments later, the number one seed himself was caught, rocked, and in danger of being finished! Fialho tagged him with an uppercut, then another, and Franca changed levels for a takedown out of sheer desperation. He’d land it, a massive opportunity to regain his composure. He’d do more than just rest, however. Franca would look to lock in a head-and-arm choke; when that failed, there was more ground n’ pound.
In the end, that was enough to take home the victory.
Glaico Franca def. Andre Fialho by majority decision (20-18, 20-18, 19-19)
