While Impa Kasanganay left nothing to chance, knocking out Marthin Hamlet in the first of two light heavyweight semifinals at Friday’s 2023 PFL 7 card, the featherweight division was a different story.
The San Antonio-based card saw longtime PFL vet Chris Wade paired up with Brazil’s Gabriel Braga, with the pair leaving it to the judges — and the judges leaving just about everyone wondering what fight they had watched. Following three hard-fought, closely contested rounds, a split decision was rendered, with scores of 30-27 for Braga, 30-27 for Wade, and 29-28 for the eventual winner, Braga.
That two judges in Texas watched fights that were apparently diametrically opposed would be surprising if it weren’t for the ongoing issues with judging in the sport. Close fights should be close, and split decisions will happen. Contrasting scorecards like that are another matter.
One fight later, #1 light heavyweight seed Josh Silveira made sure the judges were not required. Towards the end of the opening round of his semifinal with Ty Flores, Silveira initiated a clinch that allowed him to fire knee after knee until Flores was simply done; at least six knees landed before it came to an end. The son of American Top Team coach Conan Silveira was eliminated in the semifinal round a year ago; this year, the former LFA double champ has landed in the million dollar finale, opposite Kasanganay.
Likewise, Jesus Pinedo left nothing to chance in his PFL 7 main event scrap with Bubba Jenkins, the second featherweight semifinal of the event. Pinedo, who had missed weight for the fight, rocked Jenkins repeatedly in the opening round. It was only being saved by the bell after being dropped that allowed Jenkins to make it back to his corner. The battering would continue in the second, but a key reversal on the ground allowed Bubba to get on top — for a time anyway. Back on the feet, Pinedo would again begin lighting up the American wrestler, with the ref eventually waving off the fight as Jenkins stumbled and struggled to avoid taking damage.
Your first two 2023 PFL finals are set as follows:
- Josh Silveira vs. Impa Kasanganay — light heavyweight
- Jesus Pinedo vs. Gabriel Braga — featherweight
