The final event of the Professional Fighters League season is in the books. PFL 7 went down last night in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The card turned out to be one of the best of the season, featuring fighters who couldn’t make their second bouts earlier in the Summer due to injury layoffs. That meant there was a mix of weight classes rather than just two on a card, as was the case with other PFL events. It also means all fighters were rested and healed up, and the end result was a number of impressive finishes.

Among those, Emiliano Sordi’s sixteen second uppercut knockout of Jason Butcher, and Anderson Ferreira’s twenty second swarming of Paul Bradley, which ended in a TKO. Not to mention Alexandre Bezerra scoring a crushing flying knee knockout of Magomed Idrisov in the first round of their main card fight.

The Brazilian Buzzsaw roars into the Playoffs! @Alexandre_popo defeats Magomed Idrisov by KO in Round 1 earning 6 points. #PFL7 pic.twitter.com/D8FslnEP5Y

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 31, 2018

Speaking of the main card, four of five fights ended in stoppages (and seven of ten fights total), with the main event being an all-out war for two rounds. With both Smealinho Rama and Jamie Abdallah needing a finish within two rounds to make the playoffs, it looked like they’d be on the outside, looking in after the bell to end the second sounded. However, between rounds the cageside doctor determined that Abdallah could not continue, resulting in a second round TKO via doctor’s stoppage for Rama, the former WSOF heavyweight champ who had moved down to 205lbs for the tournament.

What a fight to the finish! @SuperSmealinho defeats Jamie Abdallah by TKO in Round 2 earning 5 points #PFL7 pic.twitter.com/aVCXrJCkMO

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 31, 2018

Check out a few highlights from the action below, courtesy of the Professional Fighters League!

The post PFL 7: Rama vs. Abdallah Gallery appeared first on Cageside Press.

The final event of the PFL’s regular season took place Thursday in Atlantic City, NJ. With former WSOF heavyweight champ Smealinho Rama facing Jamie Abdallah in 205lb action, the main event promised fireworks. As did the light heavyweight co-main event, which saw Bazigit Atejev take on Sean O’Connell.

One key bout, however, did not make it to Fight Night. Jason High, who went 0-2 during the regular season with two technical submission losses, was granted a third chance to make the playoffs. However the lightweight failed to make weight for his bout against Johnny Case, sending Case through to the next round by default.

Check back come fight time for results and highlights from PFL 7!

Caio Alencar vs. Mike Kyle

A left hand by Kyle clipped and dropped Alencar in the first minute of this heavyweight bout. Kyle, however, let Alencar up after he threatened with upkicks. That allowed Alencar to secure a takedown of his own, getting on top, and mounting. Kyle nearly managed to scramble free, and at least managed to get Alencar back in guard. Another scramble, however, and Alencar was briefly back in mount, and again threatening with ground and pound. A head and arm triangle choke followed. It was in for a while, but somehow he survived, only to wind up with Alencar again in mount. Alencar then tried yet another choke only for Kyle to reverse and get on top.

After Kyle threatened with his hands to open the second round, Alencar again took the smaller man to the ground. This time he wound up reversed with Kyle in half guard. Kyle couldn’t get much done on the feet, and stood the up – which led to a messy restart with the ref breaking them up and restarting again. Kyle then opted to clinch and drag Alencar down, but the bigger man landed on top. They’d then go to a third round.

Both men were exhausted to start the third, winging punches that didn’t have enough on them to finish. Alencar then got the fight down again, but he had no more energy there than he did standing up. With little action the ref took a good look, considering a standup, but it didn’t come. Instead they went to the bell, and based on the heavyweight rankings, no matter who won, neither man would go to the post season.

Close but no cigar for the Playoffs! @CaiaoMMA defeats @Mak4afight by Decision in Round 3 earning 3 points. #PFL7 pic.twitter.com/ah51a4Ppfz

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 31, 2018

Caio Alencar def. Mike Kyle by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Paul Bradley vs. Anderson Ferreira

Anderson Ferreira swarmed right off the opening bell, and this welterweight contest was over before Paul Bradley knew what hit him. Bradley was swarmed with punches and down. Ferreira Went with a kick to the liver, with some follow-up hooks. As Bradley went down he covered up but Ferreira was on him, Bradly on his knees, with punch after punch.

Anderson Ferreira def. Paul Bradley by TKO, Round 1, 0:20

Alexandre Bezerra vs. Magomed Idrisov

The opening round of the main card’s middle bout (at featherweight) saw Bezerra moving forward consistently. Idrisov has on his horse, circling out of the way. Bezerra would ultimately stalk him down and clip him with a bunch. Idrisov ate that well. He did not, however, eat the flying knee that came later in the round well. At all. With Idrisov backed up against the cage, Bezerra unleashed the knee that connected right on the chin of his opponent. Idrisov had been dropping to change levels, and was out instantly.

The Brazilian Buzzsaw roars into the Playoffs! @Alexandre_popo defeats Magomed Idrisov by KO in Round 1 earning 6 points. #PFL7 pic.twitter.com/D8FslnEP5Y

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 31, 2018

Alexandre Bezerra def. Magomed Idrisov by KO (flying knee), Round 1, 3:24

Bazigit Atajev vs. Sean O’Connell

Sean O’Connell was already in the playoffs, but looking to shoot up the rankings at PFL 7. After eating a couple jabs, he went to the body with a kick. O’Connell was then floored by a left hand! He spun around, and grabbed on to a leg, trying desperately to recover. Avoiding a knee to the head on the way up, he made it back to his feet, though bloodied. The pair were then trading in close. O’Connell was rocked again, and narrowly avoided a high kick. They’d tie up along the fence for a bit, but as the action got underway, the ref brought the doctor in to check out the cut on O’Connell. They were allowed to continue, and a spinning back kick to the body took the fight out of O’Connell. He tried to push through it the dropped down, with the ref quickly coming in to make the save.

Packing a punch and into the Playoffs! Bozigit Ataev defeats @realocsports by TKO in Round 1 earning 6 points. #PFL7 pic.twitter.com/hl2SSACo14

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 31, 2018

Bazigit Atajev def. Sean O’Connell by TKO, Round 1, 3:30

Smealinho Rama vs. Jamie Abdallah

The main event needed a second round stoppage for either man to make it to the post season. Rama Landed a right early then connected with a high kick. Abdallah managed those well and tied the action up, only for Rama to take control. Rama, however, was bloodied, but coming off the break landed a straight left. The pair were both firing some heavy hots by the ninety second mark, clearly aware of the need for a finish. A cross set up by a jab landed for Rama next. Rama’s long arms were allowing him to connect, but slip away from the counters of Abdallah. Rama continued to get the better of the exchanges as the round hit the final minute, but neither would get the finish, and they’d go to the second.

A slip by Abdallah saw Rama looking for a guillotine, but it didn’t last. Lucky for Rama, however, he was able to get back to his feet without being stuck on bottom long. Rama then continued to pursue a different approach, taking the back of Abdallah, flattening him out, but Abdallah managed to turn over. Rama was looking for a choke, but the canvas and his opponent was gushing blood from ground n’ pound and far too slick. They got back to the feet with two minutes remaining. Rama would get Abdallah back down and try for a rear-naked choke only for Abdallah to get back up and land a number of standing knees and even a jumping knee to end the round! Bloody, violent action – but with no finish by the end of the round, neither man would make the playoffs. Not for lack of effort.

However, before the third could start, the doctor ruled Abdallah unfit to continue! As the bell never rang, the fight was ruled over in round two, and Smealinho Rama made the playoffs after all!

Smealinho Rama def. Jamie Abdallah by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 5:00

PFL 7: Rama vs. Abdallah Results:

Smealinho Rama def. Jamie Abdallah by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 5:00
Bazigit Atajev def. Sean O’Connell by TKO, Round 1, 3:30
Alexandre Bezerra def. Magomed Idrisov by KO (flying knee), Round 1, 3:24
Anderson Ferreira def. Paul Bradley by TKO, Round 1, 0:20
Caio Alencar def. Mike Kyle by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Preliminary card (Facebook Watch)

Sadibou Sy def. Caio Magalhães by knockout, Round 1, 2:06
Emiliano Sordi def. Jason Butcher by knockout, Round 1, 0:16
Umar Nurmagomedov def. Saidyokub Kakharamonov by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Ramazan Kuramagomedov def. Robert Hale by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Mo De’Reese def. Leroy Johnson by knockout, Round 1

The post PFL 7: Rama vs. Abdallah Results and Recap appeared first on Cageside Press.

Brandon Halsey notoriously referred to PFL 2 opponent Smealinho Rama as “Smelly Rama” prior to their light heavyweight bout in Chicago on Thursday. When Halsey was nearly finished at the end of the first round, and ate a head kick from the Canadian in the second, it seemed like Halsey might be eating his words. Yet in a come-from-behind victory, Halsey would go on to dominate the second round, opening up a nasty cut on Rama in the process.

The doctor stopped the fight between rounds, and Halsey had the win. Plus a bonus point for the finish, under the PFL tournament’s scoring system. Just one point, mind you, after the Illinois Athletic Commission ruled the fight ended at 0:01 of the third round, rather than 5:00 of the second.

Halsey addressed the craziness of the bout speaking to the media afterward. “That’s what fighting’s about though, right?” he opined. However, he wasn’t too happy with how the win came about. “It’s always enjoyable when you get the win, but the fashion I did it in wasn’t too pleasing to me.”

“I came in a little too heavy” he admitted in regards to his preparation for the fight, promising to change things up for the next round. “Come in a lot lighter, that way I’m a little bit more quicker” he promised.

As for getting the win, “I knew what I had to do. I knew I had to implement my pressure on him. It was a little bit of a slow start,” he accepted, adding “I felt a little sluggish. But I knew my wrestling and my positioning would overcome, and I saw that opening, opened him up, and just went for the kill.”

What Halsey didn’t get from the fight was that extra point, since the fight in reality stopped before the third round. “I don’t understand that, he didn’t even answer the bell in the third round. So I just don’t know how they justify that one second into the third round when he didn’t answer the bell,” Halsey said. “That was a little strange, hopefully they do it a second round stoppage like it was.”

“There’s no way you could say he went a second into the third, because he didn’t answer the bell,” Halsey added.

Watch the full PFL 2 post-fight interview with Brandon Halsey above!

The post Brandon Halsey Reflects On Downright Crazy Win at PFL 2, Lost Point appeared first on Cageside Press.

The promotion announced the event, Professional Fighters League: Daytona, in a press release earlier today. Fitch vs. Foster will be for the #1 seed in the PFL 2018 tournament. All bouts on the card will play a part in the league rankings. The card will air on NBCSN.

Jon Fitch (29-7-1) was last seen defeating Jake Shields to defend his WSOF welterweight title at WSOF 34 at MSG in New York City this past December. After the victory, Fitch hinted at some possible health issues that might send him into retirement. For the time being, however, it appears he’s staying the course.

Brian Foster (26-9) is a former WSOF lightweight tournament winner who lost to Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title bout at WSOF 29. He bounced back at WSOF 33 with a triangle choke submission of Luiz Firmino.

Four bouts have been announced for the inaugural PFL event:

Jon Fitch vs. Brian Foster
Smealinho Rama vs. Ronny Markes
Joao Zeferino vs. Herman Terrado
Jason High vs. Caros Fodor

Carlos Silva, PFL President, Event Production and Business Operations, said in the press release that “This is the first in a series of innovative and groundbreaking league initiatives from the Professional Fighters League, and we’re proud to kick it all off at one of racing’s most iconic venues.” The cost of admission will be included with tickets to the race.

The company also noted that “the final champions of the World Series of Fighting will be honored at an event this fall.” Meanwhile, for those who made it to the PFL 2018 post-season, a million dollar purse is on the line.

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