Orlando, FL — Former Bellator champ and current PFL welterweight Jason Jackson’s victory over Andrey Koreshkov at PFL 1 on Thursday didn’t come without its share of controversy.
While Jackson earned a technical submission victory in the second round, shortly before the finishing sequence he split open a cut on the back of Koreshkov’s head, in a burst of offense that saw several illegal blows connect. The ref would halt the fight for Koreshkov to recover and be checked out by the doctor; action was allowed to continue, with nothing more than a stern warning to Jackson.
Following the fight on the Universal Studios backlot, Jackson (19-5) clarified that the elbows landing where they did was anything but intentional, but apologized nevertheless.
“I rained down a few good elbows, and I think from him turning away, the blow went to the back of the head. But it wasn’t intentional because I prayed for him and myself so we could both make it home to our families safe,” Jackson said, speaking with media outlets on site including Cageside Press. “It’s a sport, I don’t wish bad on no one. I’m sorry.”
As for any concerns about either a point deduction or the fight being stopped, Jackson later told Cageside Press that “if they would have deducted a point, I knew the fight would have continued. And if they didn’t deduct a point, that means they would have went to the scorecards.”
Jackson was of the belief that he was up on the scorecards anyway, and didn’t sweat it. And had the fight carried on with a point deduction, “I’m going to dominate him,” continued Jackson. “if I don’t submit him, I’m going to knock him out.”
Submit him he did, with Koreshkov going to sleep before tapping. Now, Jason Jackson can look ahead to the semifinal round, where he is set to meet Thad Jean.
“A strong finish like that, you know I’m going to be winning this whole thing. So guess what, every single competitor in this tournament, they better get ready. Especially Thad Jean,” Jackson exclaimed. Asked whether he had caught Jean’s own performance on Thursday, that saw him upset Mukhamed Berkhamov, Jackson apparently had, but wasn’t all that impressed.
“I don’t think nothing of it because he won’t do that to me,” promised Jcakson. “I’ve got the athleticism, and I’m better than him. I know how to do it all, he don’t. We’ve seen him under pressure, how he reacts. So we know, we know who he is.”
Watch the full 2025 PFL 1 post-fight press conference with Jason Jackson above.
