Bantamweight, Gamzat Magomedov (6-1)

This was a huge win for Russia’s Magomedov, handing Mochamed Machaev his first career loss. In an exchange, Magomedov caught Machaev with a right hand flooring him. Machaev rolled and as he got back to the feet he was still throwing, which is when Magomedov caught him with a left hand. That dropped him and the follow-up shots put him out cold. All that happened in under a minute and moved the win streak to four for Magomedov.
Grade: A-

Welterweight, Benoit Saint-Denis (8-0)

Saint-Denis blazed through his opponent with an easy first-round stoppage. He got a quick double leg takedown to start the fight. It was not long before Saint-Denis got into the mount to land some good ground and pound. The second time he got into mount he locked in an arm-triangle and his opponent tapped. One-way traffic.
Grade: A

Featherweight, Inglesson de Lara (4-0)

This was a frantic fight between Lara and his opponent Alex Sombra. Lara asserted himself right away landing a good combination. He was taken down but it wasn’t long before he got back up. Lara dropped Sombra briefly with a left hand as he got back up. When they separated Lara started to let loose. He landed a nice left hook to the body, a good right hand-knee combination, and a right-left that dropped Sombra. The follow-up shots put Sombra out.
Grade: C

Middleweight, Brunno Ferreira (4-0)

Ferreira took his opponent down with an outside trip. When he got the takedown, Ferreira landed right into side control. He transitioned into the mount, took the back, and sunk in the RNC for the submission win. Ferreira remains undefeated and still holds his 100% finish rate.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Damon Wilson (2-0)

In round one Wilson showed a diverse attack landing a lot of combinations from a lot of angels. He took a lot of good shots but landed a lot of volume. In round two in only 18 seconds Wilson blitzed forward and a power right landed. It dropped his opponent and the follow-up punches sent the ref in. I was impressed with the striking and output of Wilson.
Grade: C+

Lightweight, Zac Pauga (4-0)

Despite being dropped and mounted in round one Pauga looked good. He got the takedown in each round but it was his striking that set him apart. Pauga landed a lot with his lead left hook and right hand. He landed that right hand many times with the hook, overhand, and the uppercut. He was landing everything from his right hand to a knee and in the clinch landed a few good elbows. Pauga looked good.
Grade: B+

Featherweight, Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu (14-3-1)

Uulu fought a tough opponent in Ruslan Yamanbaev, who fought behind in this fight for the most part. Yamanbaev was cruising on the outside throwing a lot of kicks going to the body and legs. He started to take over in round one before Uulu slipped a punch and countered with a right-left. That put Yamanbaev on skates and Uulu landed a lot of shots to the jaw. In round two it was still a competitive fight as both were throwing heat. A right hand from Uulu and a flurry sat Yamanbaev down. It was a weird ending but Uulu showed good composure and picked his shots.
Grade: C+

Flyweight, Mansur Malachiev (10-0)

Russia’s Malachiev fought another good prospect in Rashid Vagabov who won his last five fights prior to this one. Malachiev threw an overhand to grab a leg to chain to a double leg to get a takedown. He had his arm trapped in a modified omoplata but was able to spin out. In a scramble, he locked in a ninja choke for the dub.
Grade: A-

Featherweight, Abdurakhman Gitinovasov (8-1)

Opponent Viktor Mitkov fought pretty carelessly in this fight, shooting in blindly against a much better wrestler in Gitinovasov. Round one and two were easy for Gitinovasov as he just defended a takedown and dominated with top control. In round three Mitkov threw a sloppy spinning back fist and Gitinovasov took the fight down. Mitkov was able to get back to his feet but Gitinovasov used a trip to a double leg for a beautiful takedown. A dominant showing from Gitinovasov.
Grade: B-

Welterweight, Imam-Shapi Mukhtarov (10-0)

Mukhtarov let his hands go in this fight throwing with volume while going to the body and head. He kept up the forward pressure lunging forward with two punches at a time. He landed at the same rate with both his hands while mixing in some kicks as well. His opponent changed levels for a takedown in round three. He left his neck exposed and Mukhtarov sunk in a ninja choke. It was in there good and it put the guy out cold face first. Just a nasty finish to the fight.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Shakhban Alkhasov (5-0)

This fight was nothing but domination for Alkhasov. With his long reach, he pawed with straight punches, head kicks, and even a wheel kick before he closed the distance. He used a strong body lock to get the takedown. When he landed in half-guard that’s where he finished it posturing up and putting his opponent out cold with the von flue choke.
Grade: A-

Bantamweight, Jean Matsumoto (9-0)

Matsumoto who is the SFT flyweight champion, moved up to bantamweight and won that title as well in August. His opponent Wanderley Junior was the champ and this fight was a back and forth scrap. Both men had a knockdown in round one. Matsumoto was dropped with a punch and he dropped Junior with a head kick. Both landed tons of volume with leg kicks, bodywork, and head strikes. Both scored takedowns and had submission attempts. Matsumoto just had more moments.
Grade: B+

Bantamweight, Francesco Patron Manzo (8-0)

Manzo looked outstanding here to keep his undefeated record. He marched his opponent down chopping the legs and throwing punches in bunches. He let go with his offense and was landing a lot of volume. At one point Manzo almost secured a kneebar finish. Manzo landed a left hook to the body to a right leg kick putting his opponent down. He jumped on the back and from there locked in an armbar for the tap. Excellent and beautiful transition to a submission.
Grade: A

Strawweight, Tania Torres (5-0)

LUX held an eight-women strawweight tournament and in the end, it was down to Torres and Saray Orozco. This fight was a war that came down to determination and heart. Torres was dropped with a head kick in round two but survived and bit down on her mouth guard and fought back. Torres, when she let her hands go, was ripping combinations to the body and head. She found the target frequently with her hands and threw a lot of knees as well. On the other side she took a lot of damage but just had more bright moments herself.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Ryan Kuse (4-0)

Kuse showed a good skillset overall in a second-round stoppage. On the feet he maintained distance very well landing at will with kicks and long punches. He got a takedown in round one and dominated in top position. He got a takedown in round two and that’s where he found the finish. Kuse went between the mount and the back multiple times before the ground and pound sent the ref in.
Grade: B

Featherweight, Tom Pagliarulo (2-0)

The 6’0″ Pagliarulo is a real problem and he showed that in this fight. He had good movement and was snipping on the outside with his punches and landed two glancing head kicks. Pagliarulo was landing at will and picking his shots. His opponent threw a blind leg kick and Pagliarulo caught it and countered with a straight right. The initial shot put the guy out cold and the ref stepped in. Brutal finish and perfectly set up.
Grade: A

Lightweight, Eddy George (4-0)

His opponent came out with some type of jumping wheel kick which missed by a mile. George responded with a combination to an easy takedown. He quickly got into mount and unloaded with ground and pound. George unloaded with elbows and even though his opponent was covering up he wasn’t moving. The ref eventually stepped in.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Andreeas Binder (3-0)

Binder breezed past his opponent with a first-round stoppage. He opened up with a few hard outside leg kicks and looping hooks. He used a body lock to get the takedown into side control. Binder got into mount and went off with smashing ground and pound. Some punishing short elbows sent the ref in. Dominant showing and showed a bit of everything.
Grade: C

Flyweight, Andres Luna Martinetti (11-0)

In under 30-seconds Martinetti took the fight down. From there he put his opponent through a lot. While staying busy with ground and pound at a point he was in the mount. When he got on the back he even attempted a suloev stretch. When that didn’t work in a scramble he landed a ground shot that had his opponent cover up. Martinetti went after the finish and landed big punches until the ref came in.
Grade: B

Lightweight, Elvin Espinoza (6-0)

Espinoza made his PFL debut and fought his toughest test to date in Hopeton Stewart. Espinoza didn’t treat it as his toughest test as he had a spotless performance. He quickly took Stewart down. He got right into mount and had the back but Stewart escaped. Espinoza used a throw to get the fight down again and an adjustment got him in top position. Right back into mount and on the back, he sunk in an RNC and put Stewart to sleep.
Grade: A

Welterweight, Michael Lombardo (12-2)

Lombardo is someone that’s pretty conservative in his fights but he went after it in this one. He fought another Contender Series veteran in Kyron Bowen. It was a competitive fight but Lombardo was landing more impactful shots. He was doubling up on the jab and coming through with the right hand. Lombardo was landing a few leg kicks that were visibly bothering Bowen. He sat Bowen down with a hard leg kick and again a second time. As Bowen threw another kick to the leg as Bowen was down he grabbed his leg in agony and the ref stepped in.
Grade: B+

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PFL 2021 | US | Thursday

Lightweight, Kayla Harrison (10-0)

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Featherweight, Lucas Brennan (5-0)

Brennan came into this fight as a known submission threat and an overall good jiu-jitsu fighter. That didn’t stop his opponent from shooting for a takedown on a level change early on. He did pay for it right away going right into a front choke. Brennan had a tight d’arce choke and although his opponent squirmed to get out of it he eventually tapped. 21-years-old and still an untouched record.
Grade: B

Featherweight, Aaron Pico (8-3)

This was a career performance from Aaron Pico, beating a tough guy in Aiden Lee. Pico put on a wrestling clinic between three rounds scoring nine takedowns. Pico was all over Lee and never let up with trying to finish him. Round one alone he had two d’arce chokes in and an armbar. He kept at it in round two and in round three he finally got the d’arce choke that tapped Lee. Pico looked outstanding.
Grade: A+

Lightweight, John Mitchell (3-0)

Mitchell dominated this fight from start to finish. Right away he took his opponent down. He took him down three times in round one and dominated with top control. Multiple times he worked his way into dominant positions. Mitchell didn’t land heavy ground and pound but kept active and landed slicing elbows creating a cut. The takedowns continued in round two and Mitchell fired constant punches while in mount and on the back. Thanks to all the damage, after the second round the doctor called a stop to the fight.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Daniel Skibiński (18-5)

At the beginning, I was impressed with Skibinski. Through the middle of the fight, I wasn’t. But at the end, he drew me back in with a spectacular finish. Skibiński fought a guy in Acoidan Duque who was 16-2 and hadn’t lost a fight in nine years. Skibinski in the first round dropped Duque with a beautiful uppercut. His opponent survived and Skibinski was just in cruise control throwing very little and riding out positions. At the start of round three, he landed a perfectly placed flying knee. While standing over Duque, Skibinski landed some nasty hammer fist as Duque just crumbled. The fight was stopped with Duque’s legs behind him.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Bakhtovar Yunusov (5-0)

Yunusov fought a game opponent in Artem Lukyanov and Yunusov put on a beatdown. Yunusov got the fight down early and while he almost finished with an arm triangle he didn’t complete it. He landed a barrage of ground and pound but Lukyanov escaped to round two. Yunusov got the takedown right away in round two. Lukyanov did get top position briefly but right away Yunuson used a triangle to get the top position back. Yunuson got into mount and continued raining down punches until the ref stepped in.
Grade: A

Light-heavyweight, Vadim Rolich (3-1)

I came in with little expectations of Rolich but came out impressed. Rolich fought a smart tactical fight on the outside showing his wushu sanda background. Rolich threw a lot of leg kicks and was landing combinations from the outside. He was drawling his opponent in and countering when he pressed forward. Rolich threw a spinning kick to the liver a few times and that’s what he finished within the second round. Off a missed spinning back fist Rolich followed up with that spinning kick to the body and it crumbled his opponent. Rolich was taken down quite easily twice and was slowing down so they’re concerns.
Grade: C+

Strawweight, Anastasia Feofanova (8-1)

Feofanova started the fight off marching across the canvas with straight punches to close the distance. She got the takedown early and beat her opponent up in the crucifix position. After some shots landed she threw up her leg and set up an inverted triangle. She rolled to her back and the crank had her opponent tap out.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Abdul Karim Badakhsh (5-0)

Badakhsh was an unknown fighter at the time and fought a highly touted prospect in Aydemir Kazbekov. Kazbekov took Badakhsh which was expected. Badakhsh was moving well off his back and as soon as he controlled a wrist he locked in a tight triangle so fast. Kazbekov tried to escape but it wasn’t long until he was put to sleep and was handed his first loss.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Denis Maher (8-0)

Maher fought another undefeated fighter in Rinat Sagyntay handing him his first loss. He fought real smart and was picking his shots. It was a tactical fight, as it was a chess match at the very beginning. Out of nowhere, Maher landed a beautiful uppercut that dropped and finished Sagyntay. Nicely set up and perfectly executed.
Grade: B-

Lightweight, Nic Ouellet (1-0)

Quellet is a jiu-jitsu ace so he wanted this fight down as soon as possible. From an attempted throw he ended up on his back. Quickly he used a heel hook to get top position. He went right after submissions. Quellet had a kimura locked in briefly and then later went to a guillotine. With the guillotine in Quellet locked in a tight triangle. While still having the triangle locked in he locked in a nasty kimura forcing his opponent to tap. Excellent chain-submissions.
Grade: B+

Bantamweight, Gerico Platon (2-0)

Platon put on a frantic pace from the start of the fight. He opened up with combinations coming from his hands and outside leg kicks. It was a left hook coming off a leg kick that dropped his opponent. His opponent got back to his feet and attempted to take down Platon. While defending against the cage Platon sunk in an RNC and then got the hooks and his opponent tapped.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Preston Parsons (9-2)

Parsons is usually a wrestler/jiu-jitsu guy but his striking was on full display here. While it was competitive at first on the feet Parsons took over pretty quick. Parsons put on a striking clinic landing volume while using some good head movement. It was it the clinch where he shined,  landing excellent combinations to the body and head while landing damaging elbows as well. He did all that while mixing in a few takedowns. Parsons was taken down in the second round but locked in an armbar to get the win.
Grade: A

Bantamweight, Justin Wetzell (7-1)

This was a career performance taking out Askar Askar who was on UFC’s radar. Wetzell was aggressive right away and in every exchange on the feet, Wetzell was beating Askar to the punch. In every exchange, Wetzell was never getting fazed. Askar did get a takedown in round one but Wetzell set up a beautiful triangle and if there was more time in the round he would’ve finished. Wetzell got a single leg takedown in round two and Askar was spent. Wetzell landed a lot of unanswered punches and the ref stepped in.
Grade: B+

Featherweight, Edwin Cooper Jr (4-1)

Robson Junior had some hype coming into this fight. He was 3-0 with three first-round finishes. Cooper wasted no time showing the young man that he’s on a different level. Cooper got a single-leg takedown right away in the fight. Even though he had to fight through a few armbars Cooper was composed. Cooper dominated top position and landed active ground and pound. Junior opened up round two with a takedown and Cooper defended and got top position. Cooper continued to land punches until the ref stepped in. Such a dominant one-sided fight.
Grade: A+

Bantamweight, Steve Erceg (7-1)

This was an awesome scrap between Ecreg and another good prospect in Cody Haddon. It was also a very close fight where Ecreg won in just seconds of two rounds. Haddon was getting the best of Ecreg on the feet. Ecreg did land some good shots on the feet but his wrestling kept him in the fight. He was timing his shots and showing some excellent chain wrestling between three rounds. Round one Ecreg got the back and had an RNC in at the bell. Round three Ecreg closed out the fight with a takedown and got to mount and that won on the scorecards.
Grade: B+

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