CHICAGO: The Professional Fighters League on Friday returned for its third Global Season event of 2024 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, with Brendan Loughnane emerging the big winner of the night to top the featherweight standings.
The 12-fight card, featuring combatants in the welterweight and featherweight divisions, was the final event of the first half of the 2024 PFL Global Season.
Loughnane, the “Pride of Manchester,” stepped into the PFL SmartCage on a mission. The 2022 PFL featherweight champion secured a first-round TKO victory over Pedro Carvalho. The victory gives Loughnane six points in the featherweight standings and the 15th knockout of his career, and he is now one step closer to a return to the PFL Playoffs.
The evening’s main event featured a strategic battle between Andrey Koreshkov and Magomed Umalatov in a highly anticipated welterweight bout. Both combatants showed their technical prowess, with Umalatov pulling away and securing a unanimous decision, keeping his perfect record intact.
Logan Storley matched up with Shamil Musaev in more welterweight action. Musaev put on an impressive display and dispatched Storley in the second round via KO. The result improved Musaev’s record to 17-0-1 with 10 wins by KO, and earned five points in the division.
2023 PFL featherweight runner-up Gabrial Braga unleashed a flurry of strikes against Justin Gonzalez, resulting in an emotional first-round knockout and a gain of six points. Braga dedicated the victory to his father, Diego, whom he lost in January.
“Tonight was a fitting end to the first half of the 2024 PFL Global Season, the toughest test in MMA, with the best welterweights and featherweights providing unrivaled action to fans worldwide,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “As we head into the second half of the 2024 PFL Global Season, fighters and fans alike know what it will take to clinch a PFL Playoff berth and continue the million-dollar journey. It is time to win or go home.”
“The PFL athletes provided another spectacular night of fights as we wrap up the first half of the 2024 PFL Global Season,” said Ray Sefo, president of fighter operations at PFL. “The PFL’s season format provides the best action and highest stakes in all MMA.”
Goiti Yamauchi and Neiman Gracie went toe-to-toe for three rounds in other welterweight action. Yamauchi won a hard-fought unanimous decision, improving his career record to 29-6 and earning three points in the standings.
Kai Kamaka and Bubba Jenkins showcased skill and determination in the featherweight division. Kamaka topped Jenkins via a unanimous-decision victory and earned three points, bringing his winning streak to four.
Adam Borics and Enrique Barzola duked it out in featherweight division action with the bout going the three-round distance. The judges awarded Borics the unanimous decision and three points in the PFL Global Season standings.
In other PFL Global Season featherweight action, Timur Khizriev and Brett Johns stepped into the PFL SmartCage. Both men traded blows for three rounds, but it was Khizriev who earned the unanimous decision and three points in the division.
Welterweight action continued with Laureano Staropoli facing Murad Ramazanov. After a brief back-and-forth exchange, Ramazanov submitted Staropoli with a rear naked choke in the first round and was awarded six points.
The first PFL Global Season welterweight bout featured Don Madge and Brennan Ward. Madge used his exceptional wrestling technique to secure the win by submitting Ward in the first round and earned six points.
In a PFL featherweight alternate bout, Tyler Diamond collided with Otto Rodrigues. Both men left it all in the PFL SmartCage, but ultimately Diamond came away victorious via a unanimous decision.
Starting the night was a PFL welterweight showcase bout between Romain Debienne and Thad Jean. Jean ended the fight quickly, knocking out Debienne at 2:07 in the first round.
