Headlining the PFL Championship 2024 card on Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were featherweights Brendan Loughnane and Timur Khizriev, who had a tough act to follow.
Acts, in fact. All five PFL Global championship bouts had ended in finishes, with Dakota Ditcheva claiming her first million dollar purse in the co-main event. As for Loughnane, he was looking to earn his second world title, but had a tough opponent across from him in Dagestan, Russia’s Khizriev.
Khizriev was by far the more active fighter early, peppering Loughnane with kicks. It was about 90 seconds before Loughnane really got a bit of offense going, but it paled in comparison, and Khiziev underscored that with a spinning kick to the midsection. Loughnane tried to answer with one of his own, but Khizriev then exploded forward, landing a takedown and making Loughnane pay for the flashy kick.
Loughnane shrimped back to the fence, but Khizriev was active, and when Loughnane found a bit of space for a scramble, Khizriev grabbed a body lock, and got one hook in, controlling the back. Loughnane did make it back to his feet, only to be toppled again by a Khizriev trip. Not the opening round Brendan Loughnane was looking for, and Khizriev mixed in some big elbows in the final minute – a new twist on the PFL format, with championship bouts allowing elbows for the first time, including 12-6 elbows under the newly updated Unified Rules of MMA.
Round two saw another spinning kick to the midsection early, followed by a combination that seemed to have the British fighter hurt. Khizriev added a kick to the thigh, then flashed one straight up the middle that fell short. The Russian had been in control nearly the entire fight, with Loughnane looking to course correct, but finding little in the way of an opening. A right overhand landed for Khizriev. Loughnane fired a combination in response, but Khizriev moved back, easily avoiding those punches. Another right, and a left jab, connected for Khizriev. Loughnane, bloodied, did manage to clip Khizriev with a check hook in the final minute, his best moment of the fight.
Round three saw Khizriev drive into a takedown early. Loughnane nearly gave up his back, then got caught by a knee before dropping into position as a downed opponent. This time, however, Loughnane was able to fend off the takedown. His face, however, was further bloodied care of the knee, with damage by the eye adding to a nose that had already been leaking blood.
Khizriev, meanwhile, fired kicks at Loughnane’s lead leg; his movement had become hampered, either through the kicks, or some unseen injury that had left him compromised. Loughnane landed a right hand, trailing his jab, but Khizriev was quicker, more mobile, and much more accurate. An uppercut knocked Loughnane’s mouthpiece out, and Brendan then fired a spinning back kick that again saw Khizriev duck under and land a takedown. With just over 90 seconds on the clock, Khizriev tried to get active while Loughnane attempted to tie him up, losing his mouthpiece in the process. Loughnane dropped a few elbows and managed to stand up after about a minute, losing his mouthpiece for a third time in the round.
Heading into the championship rounds, Brendan Loughnane was almost certainly down, likely 3-0, and in need of a finish, or at least a 10-8 rounds. Given his mobility issues and damage, that was a tough ask, made more difficult by Khizriev landing a takedown 30 seconds or so in. Loughnane worked to his knees, but had to worry about Timur Khizriev taking the back. Loughnane did escape out, with Khizriev firing a spinning kick shortly after. Loughnane did land a solid right hand, but was countered.
Khizriev slipped off a spinning back kick at the halfway mark of the round, but Loughnane couldn’t take advantage. Khizriev then fanned on an uppercut that had a whole lot of weight behind it. A left hand landed for Khizriev, more of a forearm strike.
Round five gave Loughnane five minutes to land a Hail Mary finish. Khizriev however was the much fresher, more mobile fighter. He stepped into an uppercut, followed by another, just over a minute in. A step in elbow came next, but Loughnane was hip to it. Still, Khizriev was landing at a far better clip than Brendan Loughnane. A right hand did connect for Loughnane, while Khizriev connected with a slapping left. With under half a round remaining, Khizriev changed lefts, exploding into a takedown. Loughnane kicked him off, but Khizriev stayed on the takedown. Loughnane gave up his back getting to his feet, leaning on the cage to do so. He would turn out with 90 seconds left in the fight. Loughnane fired off a combination, connecting. A takedown attempt by Khizriev failed. Loughnane would stay in the Russian’s face to the bell, and credit to him for toughing it out, but the clear win went to Timur Khizriev.
Official Result: Timur Khizriev def. Brendan Loughnane by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
