Nashville, TN — It’s back to another PFL tournament final for Jesus Pinedo, who will meet fellow former featherweight champ Movlid Khaybulaev later this summer, looking to win the PFL World Tournament, after having won the league’s 2023 season as well.
To make it to the finale this year, Pinedo (25-6-1) finished rival Gabriel Braga, in the rubber match of the pair’s career series. Pinedo put the fight away via TKO barely a minute into the opening round.
“It’s what we expected,” Peru’s Pinedo told media outlets including Cageside Press following his win at PFL Nashville. “We expected a fast finish, and that’s what we got. It’s good to see our labour, being able to showcase it in front of all these people.”
Asked about putting the rivalry with Braga behind him, Pinedo reiterated what he had said all Fight Week, that he didn’t recognize his 2023 regular season loss to the Brazilian. “It’s been 3-0. I won the first fight, I’m convinced about that, and now he’s in the past. Now my next target is Movlid, and that’s our next fight.”
When it comes to Khaybulaev, Pinedo has had his sights set on the Dagestani for a while. “When the tournament started, that was the guy that I wanted to fight,” he noted. And despite Khaybulaev’s wrestling pedigree, “training the same,” Pinedo added. “It’s going to be MMA training whether it’s him, whether it’s Braga. We’re going to be striking, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, nothing changes for us.”
The 2023 PFL champ also touched on the change in format this year. Gone is the “regular season” and “points” to make the playoffs. It’s a single elimination grand prix now, and Pinedo has won his first two fights. And finished them.
“For me the format doesn’t really change much. I’ve finished every fight in the PFL except my first one. My goal is always to finish, and to be honest nothing really changed with the new format.”
Watch the full PFL Nashville post-fight media appearance by Jesus Pinedo above.
