This weekend the PFL hosted their first playoff event of the 2023 season. The light heavyweights and featherweights took center stage trying to punch their ticket to the million dollar finals. In the main event, Jesus Pinedo (22-6-1) took on Bubba Jenkins (21-7).
Early in the week, it felt like all the attention was on Bubba Jenkins. However, Pinedo came into the bout off a first round knockout over defending champion Brendan Loughnane. He proved this weekend that the win wasn’t a fluke as he battered Bubba Jenkins and stopped him in the second round.
It was a massive statement that punched his ticket to the finals. He’ll face a very familiar foe in the finals. Gabriel Braga (12-0) and Chris Wade (23-10) squared off earlier on the card and it was a back-and-forth scrap. It felt pretty clear that Braga won, but it ended up being a split decision. Braga still won punching his ticket to the finals.
Pinedo and Braga met earlier this year in the first event of the season. Braga won that fight by split decision. Pinedo responded with two massive finishes and now these two will square off once again in the PFL finals.
PFL Light Heavyweight Final Set
Kicking off the playoffs was a light heavyweight bout between Impa Kasanganay (14-3) and Marthin Hamlet (12-5). This fight produced one of the highlights of the night as a massive two punch combination from Kasanganay put Hamlet to sleep against the fence. A massive statement and a huge way to punch his ticket to the finals.
In the co-main event, we saw the other light heavyweight final that also produced a first round finish. Josh Silveira (12-1) utilized a brutal knee attack along the fence to shut the lights off for Ty Flores (13-5). Silveira and Kasanganay are both PFL fan favorites and it promises to make for a huge final.