“It feels so good. After that last one like coming in here and getting that win specially for back home,” Inaba told reporters including Cageside Press at her post-fight scrum.

“Maui’s been through a lot and I feel like we all won in that fight.”

Inaba (7-1) was coming off her first career loss last November. Getting back in the win column is big for her coming into her first action in PFL.

“It’s different from Bellator, but getting the switch up and just a whole new change and coming home with a win it feels so good,” she said.

She may not have entered PFL in time to get into the tournament, but Inaba can’t wait to get involved in it next season.

“Just getting my feet wet with this one and watching the tournament play out this year it’s amazing. There’s so many tough girls and just watching tonight play out I think it’s going to be awesome,” Inaba said.

“I’m ready for the next tournament. If anything happens I’m ready to jump right back in. I’m good right now.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Sumiko Inaba above.

The post Sumiko Inaba Wins Big For Maui, ‘Feel like we all won that fight’ appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I just wanted to wash away the loss from the last one. Came into this fight injured, little banged up, banged up on my finger,” Velasquez told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator at her post-fight scrum.

“Didn’t pull out. Just wanted to win so badly. Stuck with the fight and good thing it worked out.”

Velasquez (13-3) still ended up on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff standings. Snapping the losing streak, all three against Liz Carmouche, was a big deal and it was nice to fight someone new for a change.

“It was better, but at the end of the day I’m a competitor. This is my job so anyone they put in there, not for it being Liz or anyone else, it was nice being able to see a different face and compete against someone that’s a fresh one,” she said.

For now the name of the game is train, wait, and be ready for a potential call should someone pull out of the flyweight tournament.

“Yep absolutely,” she said.

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Juliana Velasquez above.

The post Juliana Velasquez Staying Ready In Case PFL Calls appeared first on Cageside Press.

‘Highlight’ might be too strong a word. Johnson suffered a very nasty shot to the groin at the exact same time as he landed a big left hook dropping Marques to the ground. What ensued was a confusing couple of minutes.

WOAH! 1st time I see this in MMA! That was NUTS!#PFLRegularSeason LIVE NOW
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“I haven’t been hit in the groin like that ever. In practice, in a fight, that was a instant,” Johnson told reporters including Cageside Press on Thursday.

“I ate two good kicks from Danilo. That body kick and that really…I thought I was going to go down it took a lot for me to stay on my feet.”

Johnson (18-9) then took the shot to the groin and everything was just painful at that point.

“It was a instant pain, didn’t even know I rolled, didn’t even know that I landed a shot until everybody was talking about it afterwards. Hopefully that doesn’t happen again. Don’t like that,” Johnsons said with a smile.

At the end of the day alls well that ends well with Johnson scoring the finishing TKO shortly after the groin shot.

“After absorbing the shot it kind of motivated me, it kind of pissed me off a little bit, maybe worked out,” he said.

Now he’s in the playoffs and set to take on Denis Goltsov in August.

“Hopefully no injuries or (anything) too bad and things line up score wise. I got to skip half of it,” he said.

“Don’t have to wait till next season to maybe sneak my way into a million dollars. Hopefully I found a home (PFL), and able to stay here. Give it actual real try one more time.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Tim Johnson above.

The post Tim Johnson Details Groin Shot, Hopes To Be With PFL Longterm appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I wouldn’t call it pressure, but I was just itching to go back to the winning streak,” Joanne told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator at her post-fight scrum.

“That’s what God put me on this planet for.”

Joanne (12-9) fought her second fight for PFL on Thursday night and she’s enjoyed the experience in the promotion so far.

“Very happy. Very grateful for this opportunity. PFL they do everything for you. They take care of the athletes,” she said.

Missing out on the playoffs scoring only 3 points in the regular season Joanne still has opportunities to fight in 2024.

“I just want to fight. I love what I do. It’s what I was put on earth to do,” she said.

“Whatever’s the soonest opportunity. Sign me up.”

Snapping a losing streak is a big deal in the MMA world as it can be a slippery slope when a fighter starts one.

“Just worked a lot on my mental game. Putting myself in the right mental space to do this,” said Joanne.

“To come out here and put on a good show. Have faith in God.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Ilara Joanne above.

The post Ilara Joanne Glad To Snap Losing Streak At PFL 4 appeared first on Cageside Press.

“You almost said finish right? You seen that,” Fortune joked with reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“It feels good. Anytime you get back in the cage and get a win, specially after 14 months, I’m not used to having this much time off in the cage. I was at a point where I was fighting four times a year. I’m just excited to get back here and get back in the cage and get a win.”

Fortune (14-2) nearly finished the fight int he first round which would have netted him more points, but it likely would have left him on the outside of the playoffs.

“You’ve got to let it go. I got to get ready to get back in there and he’s going to try and get that finish too. It just like let it go, I didn’t get it, the ref said it wasn’t that. You can’t let your mind go too far,” he said.

“I think he thought I got his ass out of there, you know what I’m saying? Everybody in here thought he was done. It was kind of like nerve-wrecking real quick to see. Never had that happen before. You’ve got to let it go and get back to work.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Tyrell Fortune above.

The post Tyrell Fortune Thought He Had First Round Finish Victory appeared first on Cageside Press.

Uncasville – PFL heavyweight Oleg Popov clinched a spot in the playoffs with a win over Davion Franklin at PFL 4 on Thursday night leaving the possibility of facing teammate Valentin Moldavsky at some point.

“Honestly I only think about the fight as it’s coming up so I didn’t really think about it,” Popov told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator at his post-fight scrum.

“I was concentrating on this fight 100%. I don’t want to think about it. Few days to think things over and just reset again. You have to work your ass off to get to the finals.”

Popov (18-1) took a decision victory over Franklin who showed very good takedown defense throughout the fight.

“Honestly even Moldavsky has better defense. He was way bigger than I am. I didn’t have any problems,” he said.

Training with the famed Fedor Team led by MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko the standard is set very high for their fighters. Popov wasn’t happy with the performance, but knew the win was the important thing.

“Sometimes you prepare 100%, you’re ready for the fight, you get inside the cage, and something goes wrong. Was one of those days where something went off, not according to plan, and I apologize to my fans,” he said.

“The fight was pretty boring I think. I’ll try to do it better next time.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Oleg Popov above.

The post Oleg Popov Not Thinking About Moldavsky Matchup appeared first on Cageside Press.

“As much as we knew about her grappling and how good she was, seeing it and feeling it, it’s a little different,” Santos told Cageside Press among other media at her post-fight scrum.

“I don’t want to say I was underestimating her, but it was not what we were expecting.”

Santos (21-3) got a very tough fight from Bishop having at one point to defend the rear naked choke attempt. In a tournament, however, a win is a win.

“I’m of course pretty happy with the win, but this is just halfway through. I’m here to win the whole thing. Not really concerned about this win. I’m worried about winning the whole thing,” she said.

“Back to the gym and get working because we have a date now for our next (fight).”

Back to the gym and to prepare for her matchup with fellow UFC vet Liz Carmouche in the first round of the playoffs.

“I’m happy that I passed another phase of the tournament. Now I’m fighting on the actual thing,” she said.

“I didn’t come here for the single fights. I came here to win the whole thing. That’s what we’re here for, that’s what we’re working for, and by the end of the year, everything goes according to plan, we’ll be PFL champions.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Taila Santos above.

The post Taila Santos Happy With Win, ‘Here to win the whole thing’ appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I’ve got stuff I need to work on, but I’m excited for a new opponent, a new location, and just to be able to continue with this organization,” Carmouche told Cageside Press among other media at her post-fight scrum.

Carmouche (22-7) finished Watanabe in the third round with an arm bar after trying over and over to find a submission on the ground. Even with the arm bar in Carmouche wasn’t sure what was going to happen.

“I didn’t actually know how much time was left. I kept seeing an opportunity. Clipper her, I felt like I had the ultra kimura, but she tucked her hand in a little bit tight. Almost was able to transition to a triangle, and I just kept feeling like these opportunities kept presenting themselves,” said Carmouche.

“Before she stood up I felt, when she brought her hand under, that she actually tapped, but I wasn’t sure if it was her trying to grab her own arm or an actual tap. I knew the ref didn’t pull me off so I was like whatever I have to do… I’ve got to get this arm. I got to take it home with me.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Liz Carmouche above.

The post Liz Carmouche Details Submission Finish, Talks Playoffs appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I’m excited to get straight back into the gym. I literally live for this sport,” Ditcheva told Cageside Press among other reporters at her post-fight scrum on Thursday.

“For me obviously getting a quick finish like that, I’ve got no injuries and stuff, so I can get straight back into the gym. Life in Florida at ATT is absolutely amazing and I enjoy every second of it so I’m excited.”

Ditcheva (12-0) gets Jena Bishop next round, who lost to Taila Santos at PFL 4, but made the playoffs.

“It’s going to be a tough matchup. I feel like it’s opposite styles so it’s like I’m going to probably want to keep it stood up. She’s probably going to want to go to the ground, but I think we’ll both be ready for both ends,” she said.

“I’ve shown my grappling in previous fights, she’s shown her striking even tonight, I thought she did really well. I was really impressed with her so I’m excited for a good matchup.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Dakota Ditcheva above.

The post Dakota Ditcheva Reacts To Making Playoffs, Talks Bishop Matchup appeared first on Cageside Press.

Vassell (25-9) earned a split decision victory over Moldavsky, but still fell short of entering the playoffs with a total of 3 points this season. A loss to Denis Goltsov in the first round put Vassell in a hole he couldn’t dig out of without a first round finish and some luck.

“I’m gutted that I’m not through, but I’m more happy that I got the win. I finished the trilogy, so we’ll see what happens in the next couple of weeks I guess,” Vassell told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

With the seeding set for the start of the playoffs Vassell finds himself on the outside looking in. A seed of hope remains however as MMA is a violent game where injuries are common place. If a heavyweight withdraws from the playoffs he could be on the short list to get a call up.

“We all know what happens. Heavyweights are pulling out left, right and center aren’t they,” he said.

“Maybe get a call from PFL you know? We’ll see. Maybe get a super fight or something. I’ll go back and lick my wounds for a bit, and go back to training.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Linton Vassell above.

The post Linton Vassell ‘Gutted’ To Be Out Of Playoffs appeared first on Cageside Press.