Brendan Loughanne was admittedly a bit nervous while the scores were being read following his fight with Kai Kamaka III at PFL Washington on Friday – but once he heard a 30-27, he new he had the win.
“Very nervous. I’ve been robbed on splits before. I didn’t really know, it’s hard when you’re in the moment,” Loughnane (30-5) told media outlets including Cageside Press at The Anthem in Washington, DC. “You don’t really know what’s happening, so you’re like ‘did I win it? Didn’t I win it?’ But my coaches were confident.”
“As soon as I heard 30-27, I knew they couldn’t have given him that first round, so I was like ‘thank God.'”
The split decision victory over Bellator vet Kamaka lands Loughnane in a final with yet another Bellator fighter in Timur Khizriev, an undefeated talent out of Russia. It’s clear Loughnane is bullish on the match-up, while believing he has the abilities necessary to overcome the challenge.
“Who’s excited for that fight? Me and Khizriev? That’s going to put PFL on the map, that fight,” stated Loughnane. “Two real, real elite featherweights, like top of the tree. 30-5 versus 17-0. On paper, it’s tasty isn’t it? Exciting.”
Having trained with a number of Russian fighters in Thailand, “I’ve got the utmost respect for the style, but I know that style. I know that style, I’ve fought it before, fought Movlid [Khaybulaev], got a split decision with a broken hand.”
“I can beat that style. I’m a nightmare to take down, and I’m an even bigger nightmare to hold down. You’ve got to deal with me on the feet, you’ve got to deal with my cardio, you’ve got to deal with my experience. Experience, 30-5, man. 30-5 with 16 KOs, it’s a tough night for anyone in world mixed martial arts.”
Brendan Loughnane would later address the situation one of his teammates, Muhammad Mokaev, finds himself in- cut from the UFC despite an undefeated record, and recently shunned by the PFL before one exec did a flip-flop on signing the 23-year old.
“I see Pete [Murray, PFL CEO] did a U-turn on it and said Muhammad’s great,” observed Loughnane. “Listen, let me tell you something about Muhammad Mokaev. I was there when he first walked into an MMA gym. I know that kid from young, young, young. He is the nicest human ever. He did not deserve what happened to him, and I’ve got that kid’s back all the way to the end. I love that kid, and if he comes over here, I’ll be so happy for him.”
Watch the full PFL Washington post-fight press conference with Brendan Loughnane above.
