This past Friday night from Salt Lake City, Utah, the PFL returned for their fifth event of the 2024 Regular Season. Spots in the playoffs were on the line for both lightweights and light heavyweights. In the featured light heavyweight bout of the evening, last year’s champ Impa Kasanganay (17-4) took on Jakob Nedoh (8-3).
This fight was the best fight of the evening in my opinion. All five light heavyweight winners from the first event earlier this year scored first round finishes so they all had six points. That meant that if one of them lost and a guy like Jakob Nedoh could score a quick first round stoppage, he could make his way into the PFL Playoffs.
Nedoh fought like that in the first round. He was able to hurt Kasanganay and even dropped him. However, last year’s champion was able to survive to see a second round. It was back-and-forth but late in the second, Nedoh was exhausted and hurt by Kasanganay. Kasanganay never let up and finished him right at the buzzer for round two scoring the TKO win and getting five points. Those five points secured him the top spot in the PFL Playoffs with 11 total points.
PFL Playoffs: Light Heavyweights
The most intriguing matchup featured last year’s runner-up Josh Silveira (13-3) and 2022 champion Rob Wilkinson (19-2). Wilkinson had never lost in the PFL but a positive drug test took him out of the season last year. Meanwhile Silveira was looking to continue his momentum after defeating Sadibou Sy in the first fight of the season.
It was a very close fight between these two with both men having success. Wilkinson had previous ran through all of his opponents in the PFL, but Silveira really pushed him to the limit and made it close. Ultimately, Wilkinson won a split decision securing three points and the second seed in the playoffs.
That said, Silveira ended up making the playoffs himself. Silveira was ahead of Antonio Carlos Junior (16-6) entering Friday night due to his quicker finish in the first round. All Carlos Junior needed to do was secure a win in anyway to make the playoffs. However, he lost a decision to Alex Polizzi (11-4) which secured Silveira’s spot.
The third seed was given to Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (23-7-1) who won a decision getting nine points total for the season. Yagshimuradov’s finish wasn’t as fast as Wilkinson’s in the first round so he doesn’t get the second seed. However, that really doesn’t matter because now the two will fight in the PFL Playoffs. With the Playoffs set, the matches are as followed:
- #1 Impa Kasanganay vs. #4 Josh Silveira
- #2 Rob Wilkinson vs. #3 Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov
