Michael Dufort had suggested he’d be taking risks and hunting a finish at PFL Hollywood on Friday, but it was opponent Gadzhi Rabadanov who did just that.
The lightweight semifinal, the second of the night, arrived after a yawn-inducing, three-round snoozer between Brent Primus and Clay Collard that saw Primus grapple his way to victory, then apologize for the low action fight. Rabadanov, however, woke the crowd up with a thunderous knockout of Dufort early in the second round.
A blistering left hand knocked the Canadian down, with follow-up strikes sealing the deal. Rabadanov now advances to November’s final, where the PFL’s lightweight championship and a million dollars in prize money awaits.
Gadzhi Rabadanov is headed to the #PFLChampionship with this EMPHATIC stop. #PFLHollywood #PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/BszGn7qxc7
— Mike Pendleton (@MP2310) August 17, 2024
Rabadanov, a 31-year old from the Dagestan region of Russia, first appeared under the PFL banner in a one-off fight in 2019. He then made his way to Bellator MMA, winning five straight fights and making himself a contender prior to the promotion being scooped up by the PFL late last year.
That opened the door for Rabadanov to appear in the PFL season. It’s now two Bellator alums, one in Primus a former champ, who will face off in the 2024 lightweight finale.
Official Result: Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Michael Dufort by KO, Round 2, 1:51
