Atlantic City, NJ — Jordan Johnson left the UFC on a four fight win streak last year, unable to come to terms on a new deal with the promotion. After fighting out his contract, Johnson landed with the PFL, where he has a chance to win a million dollars. Though he’d dropped to middleweight in his final UFC bout, Johnson moved back to light heavyweight for the PFL, and at PFL 6 2019 in Atlantic City, he won his way into the post-season.

His first fight hadn’t gone as well. Johnson suffered the first defeat of his career at PFL 3 earlier this year, before bouncing back against Sigi Pesaleli at the sixth and final regular season show. However, the pressure of making the playoffs isn’t something Johnson ever dwelt on, he told Cageside Press and other reporters following his win over Pesaleli, a unanimous decision.

“One thing, whoever needs to hear it, you cannot think like that,” Johnson said post-fight.
“Every time I fought prior, the question I always got is, ‘you’re undefeated, are you scared to lose?’ It was just non-stop. And I never once was scared to lose.”

“And then with this one,” he continued, “it’s ‘hey if you don’t do good, you’re not going to get into the playoffs. Are you scared to not get in the playoffs?’ And if you have that kind of mindset, you’re never going to accomplish anything. Because there’s so many things that can go wrong day-to-day, and if you’re sitting around going ‘oh f*ck, what if this happens?’ you’re going to have a real poor quality of life.”

“It was never an issue. In the last fight, it was never an issue being undefeated, I never really cared about that,” Johnson reiterated. “Obviously it was nice being undefeated, because it’s a reflection of my hard work, but never scared of it. Getting into the playoffs, the only time that ever crossed my mind is when someone asked me, ‘are you scared of not getting in the playoffs?’ No.”

It might sound like Johnson is pitching the power of positive thinking. But, in all fairness, he makes a valid point. For Johnson, it’s a never-ending cycle. Getting to the playoffs, getting to the finals, winning the belt, defending the belt, there’s always that sort of question. So why worry about it?

One thing he may have to worry about is the short opening-round fight in the post-season. Two rounds, with the first round serving as tie-breaker if the fight goes the distance.

“The short fights, you’ve got to finish the fight, you’ve got to win those fights, you’ve got to win the first round. So I’m going to have that in my mind,” he admitted. “But the thing is, I’m going to tell you, and I’m being 100% honest, I’m just going to let it flow. Whatever happens. I’m not going to go sprint across the cage and try to knock anyone out. If it’s there, if I notice the dude walks out and keeps his hands down for the first 15 seconds of the round, then hell yeah I’m going to try to do it. But I’m just going to do my thing. And if I do the things I’m good at, I can be very successful.”

We’ll find out in October. Jordan Johnson faces second seed Maxim Grishin in the opening round of the PFL 2019 post-season, which takes place in Las Vegas.

The post PFL 6 2019: Jordan Johnson Was Never Worried About Making Post-Season appeared first on Cageside Press.

Atlantic City, NJ — Last season in the Professional Fighters League, former UFC athlete Vinny Magalhaes went all the way to the final — only to be stopped by Sean O’Connell. A cool million bucks dangled tantalizingly, then snatched up when Magalhaes’ corner called it a night following the third round.

So you had better believe Magalhaes is extra motivated this year — but the 2019 season started on a sour note. Magalhaes found himself finished via TKO at this year’s PFL 3 show. He bounced back, however, at PFL 6 2019 in Atlantic City, not just getting back in the win column and onto the scoreboards, but into the post season as well.

Which means the BJJ ace’s plan is back on track for the time being. Magalhaes talked about his goals with media outlets including Cageside Press following his arm-bar submission of Rakim Cleveland at PFL 6.

“Since I actually signed with PFL, not [just] for this year,” he started, “I set a goal, a long term goal. It’s not just win one season and retire. My goal is to maybe go three seasons back-to-back, make that million dollars three times, in a row if possible.”

The plan was chugging along nicely last year, until he ran into O’Connell. “I had my first chance, missed the shot.” Then came his loss to Emiliano Sordi back in May. “When I lost the first fight this season, it kind of sucked. It had been a while since I had lost two fights back-to-back. Especially the way it happened, too. Also it’s the first time I’ve been finished in two fights back-to-back.”

For Magalhaes, the finish in his season opener never sat well with him. Still, “even though I don’t agree with the finish, that doesn’t matter. It’s the first time I’ve been finished back-to-back. So it was a little frustrating.”

Magalhaes knew it was time to adjust. “I started to watch my fights. I sat down with my coaches, and I started to look at things, what has gone wrong with my training, my preparation? Not just in the gym, but also like fight day, what have I been doing wrong, what about when I get in the cage?”

“First, I feel like I was overdoing in the locker room,” Magalhaes continued. “I was starting warm-ups one hour before, and go like crazy, like I was getting into fights in the locker room. Then by the time the fight comes, I’m tired. Not an excuse, just it happens. Things I had to keep more under control. It was not the reason I lost those fights, but it’s more of those things, I could fix that, try to make things better.”

Magalhaes also felt his was making poor decisions in the cage. “During the fights too, I am better. It’s not about like bragging or anything, but I am better than any of these guys when it comes to ground game. And I am, it’s just a fact. When it comes to credentials, the way they perform on the ground, I am better than these guys. So why would I perform in a sloppy way? Why would I be spazzing out when I take the fight to the ground? So it’s just like, well, I have to be more patient.”

“If I stay calm, I can display 100% jiu-jitsu, and I’m going to be able to beat these guys,” he continued. “In the previous fights, I was able to get my opponents down, but instead of actually working on like guard pass, control, working the submission patiently, I was throwing punches with no power. So what was I really getting from that? Nothing, I was just getting myself tired, losing control.” When the fight eventually went back to the feet, “now I’m not bringing my A-game anymore.”

Ultimately, “there was a lot of changes I was able to make for this fight, and hopefully we’re going to make this even better for the playoffs.”

One key number was highlighted following Vinny Magalhaes win over Cleveland in Atlantic City: Five. Five first round finishes, all five of which came in under two minutes. That’s an impressive  feat by the submission ace. The motivating factor of the PFL’s points system is a big part of that.

And at PFL 6, “for this it was a lot more important for me to get the first round or second round finish. That was my goal, I got to get here today and get that first round or second round finish.” Because, Magalhaes explained, “I felt like with five or six points, I was guaranteed to qualify for the playoffs. I was not thinking of three points, four points. I was thinking about five and six, it’s guaranteed.”

Magalhaes’ prediction proved accurate, and now, he’ll face Rashid Yusupov in October, at home in Las Vegas. Another chance for the talented Brazilian to score a million bucks.

Watch the full PFL 6 2019 post-fight press scrum with Vinny Magalhaes above!

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Atlantic City, NJ — Maxim Grishin, who has been training with the Strong Style team out in Ohio of late, is one of three fighters in the Professional Fighters League’s light heavyweight division to win both their regular season fights. In Grishin’s case, a knockout win at PFL 6 in Atlantic City earned him six points, bringing his total to nine — by the end of the night, good enough to clinch second seed heading into the playoffs.

The knockout, forty-eight seconds into his fight with Mikhail Mokhnatkin, seemingly came out of nowhere. Speaking to reporters including Cageside Press following the fight, Grishin said that “when I felt the punch on the feet, I saw when he was falling down, I saw he was out already.” So at least one person wasn’t surprised. A couple of follow-up strikes came next, but they were barely necessary. As Grishin pointed out, however, “it’s our job, we’ve got to do our job until the referee stop the fight.”

Asked if it was luck or skill, landing that particular blow, Grishin said it was something he trained. “I was preparing for my fight in Cleveland, at Strong Style, it’s my second family in the U.S. They prepared me for that shot.”

“It wasn’t a lucky punch, they were preparing [me] for that.”

Now, as he moves to the post-season, Grishin is sitting pretty. He’ll face Jordan Johnson, who won earlier in the night, in the opening round. But when it comes to opponents, he has no preference. “I don’t care,” he told Cageside Press, “but I want to say that every fighter in our division is a very tough guy, so I’ll be ready for everyone, anyone.”

As for how he’ll spend the million dollars, “I don’t think about that, but nowadays it’s not that much,” he deadpanned. His translator was quick to add “but it will help.”

Training out of Strong Style, Grishin has been on hand to see Stipe Miocic prep for his rematch against Daniel Cormier. Asked about how he see that fight going, Grishin answered that “Stipe is very very ready for that fight, he wants that very much, he’s looking for revenge. It’s a very high quality fight. Both of them are tough, tough guys. Let’s just wait and enjoy the fight. Anything can happen.”

Watch the full PFL 6 2019 post-fight press scrum with Maxim Grishin above!

The post PFL 6 2019 Winner Maxim Grishin: Nowadays, Million Dollars Isn’t That Much appeared first on Cageside Press.

Atlantic City, NJ — Muhammed DeReese isn’t in it for the glory. But should he make it all the way through the PFL 2019 tournament, he’ll get that anyway. What he is in the game for, is the money — but not for the reason you might think. DeReese (8-1), who came back from a low blow to finish off Valdrin Istrefi at PFL 6 2019 in Atlantic City, wants to give back to his community.

Speaking to reporters including Cageside Press following his latest win, heavyweight DeReese sounded like a man on a mission. “It’s the money. I’m poor, I grew up most of my life poor,” he began. “If I can help people around me succeed, and start these programs, working on starting here with The Fighting Edge (a non-profit gym in Titusville, FL that does backpack drives, and helps people to stop fighting on streets) — so if I can put back to that, that’s the first thing I’m going to put back to. And a couple other start-up programs we have in the area.”

“I didn’t come up with a lot of material things, but I had strong family, and they always taught me to give back,” DeReese explained. “So if I can win this money and give back and help out people where I’m from, then that’s more important. Not necessarily money, but what I can do with that money.”

He certainly has a chance, and it’s a commendable goal. Though not an easy one, clearly, as was on display in Atlantic City.

Right from the get-go at the weigh-in before PFL 6, Istrefi “was looking at me all crazy. And I was like ‘what is your problem?’ Whatever,” DeReese recalled.

“So we get in the cage, and he’s eyeing me down, he’s looking, like okay whatever, they normally do,” he continued. “Then when he hit me on the nuts, right on the nuts, I ain’t gonna lie, that hurt, but whatever I’m not going to take the whole five minutes, then he had the nerve to run at me. I’m like, ‘what the hell are you thinking, man?'”

Yes, that’s right. In lieu of an apologetic glove touch, Istrefi took a run at DeReese when the fight was restarted. It didn’t sit well with DeReese, for obvious reasons. “All that pissed me off, so I came with that right hand, and I came with the vengeance of god. I finished it the same way.”

Asked if he’d ever seen anyone take a run like that off a low blow, DeReese answered “Naw, I’ve never seen that. He felt some kind of way I guess. He didn’t think he hit me in the nuts, but he did. He set himself up for destruction. He shouldn’t have ran at me. His best thing he could do is keep his range, but he got in my range. I got these heavy hands right here, I don’t care who you are, you’re going to sleep if I touch you.”

Now, it’s on to the post season, where DeReese will face Jared Rosholt. But there’s a few other names he’d like to meet at some point. “I want to see [Kelvin] Tiller again, because he gave me my lone loss. I was dominating that fight, I got caught slipping, so I want to make amends for that.”

Then there’s his pal Alex Nicholson. “I want to see my boy Spartan at some point, hopefully the million dollar fight.” It’s not that he necessarily wants to fight him, but for a chance at a million dollars, why not meet in the finals?

Ultimately, however, Muhammed DeReese will take “anybody. There’s a lot of tough guys.”

Watch the full PFL 6 2019 press scrum with Muhammed DeReese above!

The post PFL 6 2019: If He Wins It All, Muhammed DeReese Plans On Giving Back to Community appeared first on Cageside Press.

The PFL’s final regular season show has come and gone, and the playoff brackets are set for the big men. PFL 6 2019 saw heavyweight and light heavyweights throw down, with a number of big finishes. Alex Nicholson, after losing his first fight of the season to Francimar Barosso, was among the big winners, knocking out Zeke Tuinei-Wily in the first round. That sets up a rematch with Barosso in the post season.

Vinny Magalhaes also got back in the win column in a big way, and into the post-season. Magalheas submitted Rakim Cleveland in just under two minutes to earn six points, and ensure he’ll have a shot at a million dollars, should he make it through the playoffs.

Full results and standings are below, as well as a gallery of highlights from PFL 2019 Week 6!

PFL 6 2019 Results:

Main Card (ESPN+)

Heavyweight: Jared Rosholt def. Satoshi Ishii by unanimous decision decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Light Heavyweight: Vinny Magalhaes def. Rashid Cleveland by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:56
Light Heavyweight: Viktor Nemkov def. Rashid Yusupov by unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Heavyweight: Ali Isaev def. Carl Seumanutafa by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Light Heavyweight: Maxim Grishin def. Mikhail Mokhnatkin by knockout, Round 1, 0:48
Heavyweight: Muhammed DeReese def. Valdrin Istrefi by TKO, Round 1, 2:06
Bantamweight: Umar Nurmagomedov def. Sidemar Honorio by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Heavyweight: Francimar Barroso def. Ben Edwards by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary Card (ESPN2)

Heavyweight: Denis Goltsov def. Kelvin Tiller by submission (neck crack), Round 2, 3:40
Light Heavyweight: Emiliano Sordi def. Bozigit Ataev by knockout, Round 1, 1:22
Heavyweight: Alex Nicholson def. Zeke Tuinei-Wily by TKO, Round 1, 3:07
Light Heavyweight: Jordan Johnson def. Sigi Pesaleli by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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Atlantic City, NJ — It’s been a rocky road for former UFC athlete Alex Nicholson heading to the PFL 2019 post-season. Last year, ‘The Spartan’ was knocked out of the playoffs by Josh Copeland, who would go on to compete in the finals. Opening up the current regular season, Nicholson was taken to the scorecards by Fancimar Barosso, and wound up on the wrong side of a decision, in a fight that saw him nearly finish his fellow UFC alum.

At PFL 6 2019 on Thursday in Atlantic City, Nicholson corrected course. He’d predicted a first round finish against Zeke Tuinei-Wily, and got just that. “If I tell you something it’s the truth,” he told reporters including Cageside Press afterward. “I can’t let my friends, family, and fans down. I can’t let the press down.”

Recapping the fight, Nicholson said that “I hit him with a nice kick to the liver. I kept my distance, I didn’t rush it, he’s a big dangerous strong guy, as all us heavyweights are at this level. I faked another body shot, he didn’t want to feel it, then I cracked him with that right hand to the jaw.” Bob’s your uncle. Tuinei-Wily went down, Nicholson swarmed.

Now, it’s on to the post-season, and a rematch with Barosso. “If there was anybody on the roster I wouldn’t want to fight, it would be myself,” said Nicholson. “But Francimar, he’s got to see me again. He didn’t even want to come to the press conference to talk about it. I think if he was here right now, we’d see it all over his face. I was one punch away from finishing that guy, and I’m going to make sure that punch is delivered in October. Trick or Treat boy.”

It’s the ideal playoff pairing for Nicholson, given how the fight went earlier this year. “He hurt my rib, and I’m ready to break his face. I don’t play games. He was efficient, he did what he had to do. He’s a smart fighter.” But that said, “we all know he’s going to try to hold me on the ground,” Nicholson added. “He’s not going to be able to do that. I’m going to be in there, I’m going to be healthy, I’m going to be 100%, I’m going to be vicious, strong, I’m going to be fast, and I’m going to whup his ass.”

Having been through the playoff format once before, Nicholson knows what to expect. But he doesn’t really see much difference either way. “Every fight’s just another fight. Whether we get in a fight at the gas station, or locked in a cage in front of millions of people, I’m fighting for my life. That’s how serious I take it. Some guys say it’s just a sport, some guys say it’s just a fight, but I’m trying to get through the night. Sorry I’ve got to keep rhyming, but that’s just how it is.”

“I take it very serious, now especially [since] I’ve got a little boy,” he added. Family has become a huge motivator for him. And this is how he supports them. “Before I was making big cheques, I was fighting twice a month just to pay my rent. How many guys can say that? A lot of guys are professional fighters, but they have another job. So you’re not really a professional fighter. You have a different job, and this is a hobby. This isn’t a hobby, I made it my life, and I take it very seriously.”

As for the two fights in one night during the playoffs, “all two fights in one night does is excite me. I love this, I live for this. Its pretty obvious I could have gone again tonight.” In the end, Alex Nicholson added, “it’s a savage life, it’s a savage sport, and I like to do savage things.”

Watch the full PFL 6 2019 post-fight press scrum with Alex Nicholson above!

The post PFL 6 2019’s Alex Nicholson: Fighters with Jobs Aren’t Professional Fighters, It’s a Hobby appeared first on Cageside Press.

Atlantic City, NJ — Argentina’s Emiliano Sordi is your surprise number one seed in the PFL light heavyweight division heading into this year’s playoffs. Sordi, who was with the league last season, shocked MMA fans by finishing Vinny Magalhaes is his opening fight of the regular season. On Thursday in Atlantic City, he added another six points to his tally, knocking out Bozigit Ataev in under 90 seconds.

It was the pair’s second meeting, as Ataev eliminated Emiliano from the post-season last year. Speaking to reporters including Cageside Press following the fight Thursday, Sordi said that “it was the rematch I was looking for, and it was the best way I think. I thought it was going to be points, but it finished in the best way. We both trust our power, so we went to exchange.”

He know Bozigit was hurt immediately. “The first punch, [I] saw his eyes going all over the place, so [I] realized it was going to be about time to finish him.” It didn’t take long. Bozigit went down, and a couple of punches were perfunctory at most.

The pair are now 1-1 in their career series, and will both head to the playoffs. While the seedings are set, events could transpire to see them fight again. But that’s not a pairing that interests Sordi. “Honestly no, because it’s a tournament with a lot of fighters. Fighting with the same guy three times doesn’t make sense.”

Sordi’s an interesting specimen, an talented fighter out of Argentina, a nation that has yet to truly put itself on the MMA map. As a kid, Sordi said, he “didn’t think about being a fighter.” Instead, Sordi was looking at different sports. When he started training, he “dreamed to fight in Brazil.” The nearby South American nation is, of course, a mecca for MMA. Now he’s fighting “in one of the biggest events in the world.”

Next up is a potential million dollar prize, but Sordi is fighting “because he loves it.” He wants to win the title, though the money, should it come, he’ll gladly accept it.

Heading into the playoffs, Sordi is happy to be sitting in first place. It sets him up for a favorable match-up, at least. Like Alexander Gustafsson, Sordi has a tattoo representing his wins in MMA. The field of stairs trailing a fist, however, is no longer being added to, as at 19-8, he has too many wins. However, should he win at all, he joked, he’ll tattoo the championship.

For more from Emiliano Sordi, watch the full PFL 6 2019 post-fight press scrum above!

The post PFL 6 2019: Emiliano Sordi Not Interested in Trilogy Fight with Bozigit Ataev appeared first on Cageside Press.

Atlantic City, NJ — Umar Nurmagomedov improved to a perfect 11-0 at PFL 6 on Thursday in Atlantic City. The sixth show of the league’s 2019 season featured heavyweights and light heavyweights — plus Nurmagomeodv, cousin of UFC lightweight champ Khabib, in a featured bantamweight fight against Sidemar Honorio.

The unanimous decision win was a decisive one for Umar, and while Honorio isn’t a household name, the bout aired on ESPN+, which is also home to the UFC — meaning the potential for plenty of eyeballs on the 23-year old fighter.

Following the bout, Nurmagomedov was seen icing his knee as he spoke to media outlets including Cageside Press. Not to worry though. “Just need time, and ice. One week, and I can train,” he said, referring to it as a muscle problem, rather than something more serious, like a knee injury.

Asked about whether he felt he had to live up to the Nurmagomedov name, Umar said that “before yes.”

“Before everybody think it was interesting,” he said, in regards to the family fighting. In addition to Khabib and Umar, Abubakar Nurmagomedov also competes in MMA, as does Said Nurmagomedov, who Khabib has referred to as brother, but is not a blood relative.

With bigger fights coming his way, however, Umar added “Now it’s okay.”

“We train all the time together. This training camp, like before,” he added in regards to training with Khabib. “It was nothing new [for me]. Another fight in my career.”

Despite the Honorio fight being just a regular fight, Nurmagomedov was rather harsh on his performance. “I need more training, I’m not impressed with my performance,” he told reporters. “Not my best performance. I see some gaps in my style. I need more boxing, I need to train more.”

Moving forward, he’d be interested in joining a PFL tournament. “If they include my weight,” that is. Bantamweight does not currently feature in the PFL. For now, the plan is to fight one more time this year, though as to when, Nurmagomedov wasn’t sure.

The post Umar Nurmagomedov On Training with Khabib, Living Up to Expectations appeared first on Cageside Press.

Japanese Olympian and heavyweight Satoshi Ishii was a big signing for the PFL in 2019, and he came through in his season-opening fight, picking up three points toward the post-season. At PFL 6 2019 in Atlantic City on Thursday, Ishii, now training with Mirko Cro-Cop, and a Croatian citizen to boot, was in action against former UFC athlete and standout wrestler Jared Rosholt.

With a touch of the gloves, the main event was underway on Thursday, with Ishii and Rosholt going through a feeling out period. Ishii was on the outside, and Rosolt launched a kick that was blocked. Ishii then moved in, threw a bunch, and easily avoided a counter. The pace then slowed again, but this time, it was Rosholt on the outside. On an exchange, he initiated a clinch, and landed a knee on Ishii, but the Japanese fighter was no worse for the wear.

Rosholt, known for his wrestling, didn’t try for a takedown on the Olympian until later in the round, and didn’t get anywhere with it. The first frame finished with Ishii driving the American into the fence.

After not resorting to the takedown much in round one, Rosholt went right for it in the second. Ishii, however, was right back up. Later, it was Ishii taking the American down, ever so briefly. He’d then press Rosholt into the cage, until Rosholt broke free, and in a bit of an explosive moment, took the back, and got Ishii down. He’d add a little bit of offense in the way of punches while still controlling the back, but not much.

Round three saw a bit more action, with both men throwing at points. Problem being, both men were also tired, drenched with sweat. It likely would come down to who had more left in the tank. In the final two minutes, both were trading, albeit mostly single strikes, and nothing was landing clean enough to put the other down. Ishii would initiate a clinch, but Rosholt pushed him off, then re-engaged on his own terms.

In the end, it would go to the scorecards, and Rosholt would take the victory. Both he and Ishii will move to the post-season, in the final two playoff spots.

Jared Rosholt def. Satoshi Ishii by unanimous decision decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

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Vinny Magalhaes was the favorite in last year’s light heavyweight tournament, right up until he ran into Sean O’Connell. In 2019, things went from bad to worse, as Magalhaes was finished in his season opener against Emiliano Sordi. Thursday night in Atlantic City, NJ, at PFL 6 2019, it was do or die for Magalhaes against Rakim Cleveland. The bout was a rematch from the pair’s post-season meeting last year.

It was a key fight for Magalhaes, who really was one of the best light heavyweights in the PFL. He made the most of things on Thursday, however, in a fight that could not have gone better for the BJJ expert.

The pair started out swinging. Magalhaes fired a high kick. He tried to grab a leg in a risky move, but was forced to let it go, lest he open himself up to a knockout blow. Another high kick by Vinny followed. Magalhaes would eventually secure the takedown, and work to isolate an arm, then move to side control. From there, he expertly set up an arm-bar, wrenching the limb back. Cleveland was forced to tap, and Magalhaes had a much-needed six points!

Vinny Magalhaes def. Rashid Cleveland by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:56

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