Last night, the PFL returned for their fourth event of the 2023 season. In this event, the featherweights and light heavyweights took center stage as eight men were looking to book their tickets to the 2023 playoffs.
In the main event, 2022 featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane (27-5) was taking on Jesus Pinedo (21-6-1). Loughnane was a massive betting favorite and by the end of the night, just needed a decision win to get into the playoffs.
Chris Wade (23-9) won by first round submission to earn six points so the only way Pinedo was going to get into the playoffs was a first round finish before the 4:51 mark. Loughnane was more than a -700 favorite when the fight started and everyone expected him to win.
However, Pinedo was not phased by the steep odds. Just over a minute into the first round, the two men clinched and it looked like Pinedo was throwing a body kick. However, at the same time, he brought his knee up and landed flush on the chin of Loughnane.
Loughnane went down and Pinedo finished him off with ground and pound. A shocking upset win by Pinedo. Pinedo’s win earned him a spot in the PFL playoffs while eliminating Chris Wade and eliminating last year’s champion Brendan Loughnane.
PFL 4
In the co-main event of the evening Movlid Khaybulaev (21-0-1) submitted Tyler Diamond (12-3) in the second round. The 2021 champion looks poised to make a serious run towards capturing his second season title and making it known that he’s the best featherweight in the promotion.
Bubba Jenkins (21-6) earned the top seed in the playoffs with a first round submission earlier in the evening. After a knee injury, Josh Silveira (11-1) earned the top spot in the light heavyweight division. A division that has been marred by the positive PED tests throughout the season.
One other notable result was Marlon Moraes’ (23-13-1) fight earlier in the evening. Moraes was knocked out in the first by Gabriel Braga (11-0). Moraes retired after the bout and after a 0-3 stint in the PFL. Moraes went 0-7 in his final seven professional bouts getting finished in all of them.