Sarah Kaufman was a favorite to win it all in the PFL women’s lightweight tournament, but Brazil’s Larissa Pacheco had other ideas Friday in Las Vegas.
Top seed Sarah Kaufman, a former Strikeforce and Invicta FC champion, took on Larissa Pacheco in the women’s lightweight semifinals at PFL 7 2019 on Friday. The Las Vegas event, the first of three playoff shows, was a chance for Canada’s Kaufman to punch her ticket to the million dollar finals on New Year’s Eve.
Due to Roberta Samad missing weight at PFL 4 2019, Kaufman had only entered the PFL cage once during the regular season.
Pacheco opened up with a two-punch combo, and the Brazilian immediately began touching Kaufman up with a number of strikes. Kaufman would land a couple of blows of her own, but was eating more than she was landing. Pacheco’s 1-2 was finding success; she soon caught a Kaufman kick, dumping the Canadian on her back. Kaufman early swept, however. Pacheco re-established control on top, while Kaufman employed a butterfly guard, then worked back to the fence and wall-walked up. Only for Pacheco to take her right back down. Pacheco would move to side control, and soon enough began landing some heavy punches. She’d finish the ground on top, with several more bursts of ground n’ pound.
Suffice to say, Pacheco won the opening round. In the second, she landed early, and Kaufman appeared to have slowed a step. She was also cut above the ear. Pacheco landed a hard right hand. Kaufman would continue to walk forward, landing at times, including an overhand right of her own. But Pacheco’s counters were doing more damage, and Kaufman’s nose was opened up as well. That was a waterfall of blood, but Kaufman was still in the fight. However, Pacheco would land a takedown right at round’s end, and head to the third up by two.
Round three had Kaufman landing early with a right. Once again, she was leading the dance, moving forward. However, when she did land, it wasn’t doing much to hurt the Brazilian. Pacheco’s size advantage, and strength advantage, was clear as day as the fight progressed. Kaufman would land another right, and Pacheco opted to lock things up with a clinch, trying to take her opponent down. A trip finished the job, and Kaufman was in a bad spot, needing a finish with 90 seconds remaining, but on the ground. She’d work her way to Pacheco’s back, but slip off, eliminating any real threat.
Official Result: Larissa Pacheco def. Sarah Kaufman by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
