Last night, the PFL took over Hollywood, Florida with their playoff event and four fighters punched their tickets to this fall’s world championship event. Light heavyweights and lightweights took center stage and in the main event, Impa Kasanganay (18-4) took on Josh Silveira (13-4) for a second time.
This playoff matchup was actually a rematch of the PFL World Championship fight from last year. The fight started out much different with Silveira marching forward throwing big power shots. He looked much improved but Kasanganay traded with him and overall, I thought the defending champion got the better of things.
Throughout the next two rounds, Silveira was game, but it just felt like Kasanganay was in control of the matchup. By the end of the fight, there was little doubt as to who the winner was. Impa Kasanganay picked up the decision win and secured his spot in the finals where he’ll go for a second straight PFL world title.
Heading into the evening, I thought that Kasanganay would win and would take on the 2022 champion Rob Wilkinson (19-3) in the finals. Wilkinson was unbeaten in the PFL but he had a tough test in front of him in Dovlet Yagshimuradov (24-7-1). The fight went the distance and it was Yagshimuradov who picked up the win and he’ll be the one taking on Kasanganay with one million dollars on the line.
PFL Playoffs
Before the light heavyweights closed the show, it was the lightweights who kicked off the playoff action last night. In the first playoff matchup of the evening, last year’s runner-up and promotional favorite Clay Collard (25-14) took on the top seed entering the playoffs in former Bellator champion Brent Primus (15-3).
Usually, you can’t say that there’s a boring Clay Collard fight. However, last night’s matchup was not exciting at all. Primus really did a great job of controlling the fight for the full fifteen minutes and cruised to a unanimous decision win and he earned a spot in the championship finals.
In his first PFL world championship opportunity, Primus will be taking on Gadzhi Rabadanov (23-4-2). Rabadanov took on Michael Dufort (13-6) and in the second round, he floored him with a vicious left hook. He followed up with big shots and secured the lone finish of the four playoff matchups last night.