2023 PFL 2 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Marina Mokhnatkina (146) vs. Yoko Higashi (144.8)

Round 1

The second of three shows inside of The Theater at Virgin Hotels – formerly known as The Joint at the Hard Rock – in Las Vegas is about to begin. This week, the PFL kicks off its yearly tournament’s regular season with heavyweights and women’s featherweights on display, as the lightweight division for ladies was dissolved after tonight’s headliner upset Kayla Harrison last year. The night begins with the women’s division, as 2022 lightweight and savvy grappler Mokhnatkina (8-3, 2-1 PFL) welcomes DEEP Jewels vet Higashi (8-2, 0-0 PFL) to the ranks of the promotion. In an interesting clash of styles, the Russian has never before landed a knockout, while the 37-year-old PFL newcomer has never performed a submission. The first assignment of the night goes to referee Chris Tognoni, and the evening’s hostilities begin without a glove touch. Higashi immediately comes out firing, throwing hands and chasing her Russian adversary back. Mokhnatkina releases her own swarm of hands in response, and the two slug it out until Higashi ties her foe up. Sensing nothing will come from it, she lets go, and Mokhnatkina pops her in the chops with a few combinations. One such one-two from Mokhnatkina allows her to drive Higashi back to the wire, where she looks to change levels and is stood up. Mokhnatkina pursues a single-leg takedown, and elects to just lift the Japanese woman’s leg off the ground and dump her on the mat. Higashi climbs back up without taking any blows, and she spins Mokhnatkina around and jams her into the wall. Mokhnatkina drives a knee to the solar plexus, earning a trip attempt from Higashi that comes up short. Higashi holds on from the side as they look to employ countering sambo and judo styles against one another, and this results in them breaking apart. Mokhnatkina lets fly a head kick that slaps off the guard, and Higashi steps in with a solid right hand down the pipe. Higashi walks face-first into a few fists, and she seems no worse for wear as Mokhnatkina connects. Mokhnatkina reaches her with an overhand right, and she tries for a one-two to follow suit only to get caught by a responsive flurry. Mokhnatkina rings Higashi’s bell with a solid right hand, but it is one-and-done as she lets Higashi reset. They sling hands at the same time, and Mokhnatkina drops down for a double-leg takedown to put Higashi to the floor. Higashi turns to her knees and starts taking fire, with Mokhnatkina unloading with a steady stream of right hands. Mokhnatkina secures a mat return when Higashi stands, and she chases Higashi to the mat and takes her back in a hurry. The Russian sets up a rear-naked choke and presses her forearm on the jaw, with more of a face crank than a choke from the position. Higashi toughs it out until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mokhnatkina
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mokhnatkina
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Mokhnatkina

Round 2

The second round kicks off with both women initiating early offense. As Higashi bears down on her, Mokhnatkina intercepts her adversary with a head kick. Higashi takes it on the chin and keeps walking forward, but Mokhnatkina times her movement to quickly drop to her knees and hit a double. Higashi’s defense does not hold up, and Mokhnatkina steps over calmly to the side. Mokhnatkina rains down right hands and opens a cut on Higashi’s eye, and she aims to isolate Higashi’s left arm for a crucifix. Mokhnatkina continues to pound on Higashi with unguarded right hands, and blood leaks into the Japanese fighter’s eyes. Mokhnatkina keeps on slugging, and Tognoni asks for Higashi to fight back. As Higashi is trapped in the crucifix, she cannot block her face, and there is a lot of time left in the round to take punishment. Seeing that Higashi has no way out and is starting to grow a crimson mask from the punches, Tognoni calls a halt to the fight. Mokhnatkina is now on the board first for any female fighter, picking up five points while notching her first career knockout.

The Official Result

Marina Mokhnatkina def. Yoko Higashi R2 1:29 via TKO (Punches)

Evelyn Martins (145.8) vs. Karolina Sobek (145.6)

Round 1

Keeping to the women’s 145-pound weight class for two more fights, 2023 Challenger Series graduate Martins (4-0, 2-0 PFL) claimed a place in the tourney with two victories in February and March. She meets fellow unbeaten Sobek (4-0, 0-0 PFL), who has not fought stateside but has competed under bright lights, as her last outing took place under the Ares FC banner. Someone’s 0 is about to go, and referee Jerin Valel is here for it. The touch of gloves kicks off the match, and Martins leads off with a quick leg kick. She lands a few more early on as Sobek is already cautious of them, and the Polish woman tries to get punches going. As Martins kicks, Sobek trips her up and tackles her to the ground. Martins scrambles wildly and nearly gets out, but Sobek climbs back on top and moves to half guard. Sobek threatens with an arm-triangle choke, but Martins recovers the full guard and breaks the submission up. Martins ties up the neck and suddenly grabs hold of a guillotine off her back, and Sobek struggles to yank her head out but is in a tough position. Sobek stands to try to free her neck, but Martins is fresh and her grip is extremely strong. Martins continues the squeeze as Sobek pushes off the elbow and twists to escape, and Sobek succeeds in pushing on Martins’ face to stop the choke around her throat. Martins nullifies Sobek from getting off any offense, clinging on tight with a closed guard and at least one arm behind Sobek’s neck. Martins throws her legs up briefly to make Sobek think about a triangle choke, but Sobek stays tightly pressed to her opponent to not allow any space. Sobek continues to grind while Martins wriggles to get out, and the round ends with Sobek punching Martins a few times.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sobek
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sobek
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sobek

Round 2

The ladies clap hands to start off Round 2, and they proceed to slug one another in the chops with mirroring right hands immediately after. Martins closes in and attempts an inside trip takedown, but the stronger Sobek pushes her foe back to the wall. Sobek hunts for a throw, but Martins pushes away before it can result in anything. Sobek flashes out a few jabs, and she follows one with an uppercut that makes Martins back off. Sobek follows her, where she pushes Martins again the chain links again. Sobek knees the body once, and Martins grabs it and dumps Sobek to her back. The Brazilian moves to top position, where she is quick to take the side. Martins maintains heavy shoulder pressure on the jaw and neck to make Sobek grimace, and she looks to pass to mount but is temporarily rebuffed. Martins stays tight to Sobek, but she is pushed off by Sobek’s legs to force her upright. Sobek bursts back to her feet, and they start trading. Sobek’s mouthpiece flies out when getting tagged, and it falls through the links of the fence and makes Valel have to pause the fight to search for it. The corner locates it and she replaces it, and the two get right back to business. Martins gets caught with a few punches, drawing some blood on her right cheek, and she is jammed up again when Sobek punches her way into a clinch. Martins turns her about and staves off a throw from the Polish woman, and settles to stay glommed onto her opponent until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Martins
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Martins
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Martins

Round 3

The glove touch opens up the final frame, and Sobek wades into action and punches her way forward defenselessly. The sheer aggression of Sobek leads to them getting tied up again, and Martins spins her foe around and presses tightly. Martins drops down for a single, and Sobek spins her around in a hurry and even threatens briefly with a standing choke. They continue to jockey for position against the wire until Martins hunts for another single. Sobek keeps her balance after the attempt, and they both try to impose their wills on one another. They separate, and Sobek pushes the pace and pops Martins in the chops a few times before clinching. Martins once more immediately spins her around, and she plants a few light knees on the body. Sobek does the same while trying to fight out of the position or hunt for underhooks, and this results in a stalemate. “Spartan” muscles her way into a body lock takedown, landing on top of her opponent and maintaining the position. Sobek looks for a high guard and sweeps Martins over to her seat, but Martins takes advantage of this to hunt for a heel hook. Sobek pushes off without concern, but she cannot gain enough space to keep Martins from moving on top of her again. Sobek gets away with an upkick to the face of a ground fighter, and she explodes back to her feet and knees the Brazilian in the chin. Sobek throws a barrage of punches and knees to the body and head, and Martins ties her up one last time and holds on to the bell. One of these 4-0 fighters is about to suffer their first loss, and the other will pick up three points in the featherweight division.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Martins (29-28 Martins)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Martins (29-28 Martins)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Martins (29-28 Martins)

The Official Result

Evelyn Martins def. Karolina Sobek via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Martina Jindrova (145.6) vs. Amber Leibrock (145.6)

Round 1

The last women’s bout on the prelims comes between 2022 standout Jindrova (6-3, 3-1 PFL) – who reached the playoffs at lightweight only to get throttled by Harrison – and Bellator expat Leibrock (6-4, 0-0 PFL). The latter left her last promotion, racked up three quick wins over three years to bump her record above .500, and is one of 10 women vying for the $1 million prize in the PFL. This featherweight matchup will draw officiating from referee Jason Herzog, who stands back as the ladies touch ‘em up. The two keep a healthy distance from one another, not willing to commit on a strike for the first 35 seconds. Jindrova eventually lands with an overhand right, and Leibrock responds with a low kick. Jindrova crashes the pocket and drives Leibrock to the wall, but Leibrock quickly shoves her away and they return to striking range. Jindrova attempts another overhand right, and Leibrock snipes her with a quick counter. Leibrock keeps her guard high to anticipate the oncoming right hook from her opponent, and her low kicks miss the mark. A body kick slams into the forearm of Jindrova, and she backs off to celebrate her work. Leibrock measures her opponent, steps in and launches a missile of a left leg square into Jindrova’s forehead. The Czech fighter collapses to the mat, and Leibrock leaps on top and delivers some finalizing ground-and-pound hammerfists to drive her in and out of consciousness. Herzog rushes in to stop the fight, and a confused Jindrova sits up and does not know what happened or possibly what day it is. Leibrock runs off to celebrate, dancing and shimmying as she racks up six points to take the pole position at 145 pounds. The rest of the featherweight bracket is officially on notice.

The Official Result

Amber Leibrock def. Martina Jindrova R1 2:19 via KO (Head Kick and Punches)

Danilo Marques (249.2) vs. Yorgan De Castro (264.4)

Round 1

The organization set the lineup of this event so that it led off with three women’s featherweight tilts, and now it will bring three straight heavyweight rumbles. The first for the big men happens to be the heaviest of all the matches on the billing, as Marques (13-4, 1-0 PFL) and De Castro (9-3, 0-0 PFL) combine for just about 515 pounds of meat in the cage – not counting referee Herb Dean. Finish rates of 85% and 78%, respectively, mean that Dean should be ready while the judges just might get to take this one off. It begins with a sporting glove touch, and Marques is quick to chop down to the lead leg of his opponent. Marques pushes off the chest with a solid teep kick, and he misses the mark with a high kick to follow. Marques goes to the well with another push kick, and De Castro swats it away and looks to slowly work his way forward. Marques keeps a safer range from the smaller, stockier Cape Verde native, and this presents a lull in the action. The fighters are warned for holding outstretched fingers, as Marques keeps his hands out. De Castro rushes forward to wing haymakers, and Marques is well out of the way in time and connects with another hefty leg kick. De Castro tries again to swarm his man with looping punches, but the Brazilian evades laterally. Marques winds up with another thudding calf kick, and he dodges the oncoming fire from “The Mad Titan.” Marques picks away with kicks, and De Castro winds up with a strong one that slams into the side of the knee. Marques continues to circle away from any additional harm, and a front kick comes up and bumps into De Castro’s cup. De Castro waves it off, and Marques slaps one more low kick for good measure. De Castro reaches his foe with a left to the body, but the follow-up blow is inaccurate as the lunging De Castro does not have his range figured out. Marques is warned once more for holding his fingers out, and De Castro jabs him in the body. De Castro again digs a kick to the lead leg, and he leans back to block a head kick. Marques connects with a front kick and a low kick, and he is constantly moving and not letting De Castro corner him or land anything of note. Marques jumps to throw a switch kick, and De Castro takes it and continues to move forward. The round ends before he gets his hands on Marques.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Marques
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Marques
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Marques

Round 2

The big men bump fists before engaging, and De Castro is more aggressive to start off the round. De Castro connects with a pair of loud leg kicks, and he swings his fists to no avail. Marques ducks away from the flying hands, and he has one of his own low kicks checked. The heavyweights measure one another from a long distance, and Marques goes up high eventually with a kick that is several inches short. Marques pushes off with a kick to the sternum, and De Castro nails his man with a low kick that makes Marques spin all the way around. De Castro kicks the same spot for good measure, and Marques hops away gingerly. Another inactivity period plagues the round, as they do practically nothing for a minute. Marques attempts another flying switch kick with little to show for it, and he dances out of the way when De Castro swings back. Marques kicks the body twice, and he continues to work on De Castro’s lead wheel. De Castro lunges forward with a shovel left hook, but it is one shot and he cannot reach with anything else. Dean calls for the fighters to work, and the fighters toss kicks at one another. Marques spins with a foot to the midsection, and De Castro takes it flush and ignores it. The two shadowbox from a safe range much to the disappointment of the crowd, and the round ends without them throwing anything of merit for the final 60 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Marques
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Marques
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Marques

Round 3

A final clap of hands precedes the action, and De Castro tries to make up for lost time and rushes towards Marques swinging his fists. The Cape Verde native does plant a right hand on the chest, and Marques uses a knee shield to block other strikes. Marques keeps circling, and he delivers a vicious leg kick on the upper calf that De Castro absorbs fully. After over 45 seconds of inactivity, Marques whiffs on a head kick. De Castro sits down on a low kick that makes Marques wince and preemptively pick it up from any future blows to that spot. Marques lands a body kick, using it to keep De Castro at bay and set up a head kick that buzzes De Castro’s hair. De Castro springs into a left hook, and Marques smoothly dodges it and retaliates with a head kick that is blocked. The pace is largely relegated to single power strikes, and most of them miss as little actually happens. Marques keeps moving laterally, and spins with a back kick that slides off the guard. A jumping switch kick from Marques hits nothing but air, and the crowd starts booing the heavyweights. Marques kicks the lead leg and body, and showboats a little as he changes stances back and forth. Marques plants the ball of his foot on De Castro’s belly, and he digs his toes to the midsection with a second kick. The fight ends, and the crowd lets them have it. Marques may have not landed a single punch across the 15-minute encounter, but he very well might pick up three points to advance in the heavyweight division.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Marques (30-27 Marques)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Marques (30-27 Marques)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Marques (30-27 Marques)

The Official Result

Danilo Marques def. Yorgan De Castro via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Marcelo Nunes (244.2) vs. Maurice Greene (251.2)

Round 1

If the stoppage rates for the last fight sounded impressive, these two wrecking machines put that to shame. With 13 combined submissions in their 19 pro wins, and Nunes (9-1, 2-0 PFL) earning every one of his wins by finish, referee Mark Smith has to bring his A-game here. “The Crochet Boss” Greene (10-7, 0-1 PFL) will look to hope to make a solid second impression here, and the heavyweights meet in the center of the cage and bump fists. Nunes kicks low to start off as Greene jabs high, and the clash of legs appears to compromise both fighters. Nunes presses forward to clinch up, and Greene pushes his hand on Nunes’ jaw to stop him from changing levels. Nunes hunts for a low single but abandons it to keep Greene jammed up. Nunes fails on an outside trip attempt, and Smith asks them to start working. Greene lifts up a high knee to land off his foe’s chest, and Nunes tries to grab the leg and then falls to his knees in pursuit of a double. Greene staves off both tries but is still pinned to the wire, and he smashes his knee in the breadbasket. The two topple over, but Greene springs to his knees and sprints away to force them to both stand up. Nunes connects with a stern leg kick, and Greene walks through it in pursuit of a jab. Nunes chips at the inside of Greene’s calf a few times, and Greene walks him down and measures him with long, straight punches. Nunes swings a right hand over the top, and the two clack heads together. Nunes rips the body with a kick, and Greene replies with a few body shots of his own. Greene drives Nunes back to the wall as he cracks Nunes with a pair of left hands, and the body work that follows from Greene appears to stun the Brazilian. Nunes grabs hold of his adversary and pushes him to the wire, and he latches on to a single and makes Greene hop around. Nunes gets Greene down, but Greene gives up his back so that he can stand up. Greene defends from the subsequent effort and rings Nunes’ bell with a few punches. Nunes lumbers forward and is caught with a right hand, and the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Greene
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Greene
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Greene

Round 2

Greene walks out of his corner, brimming with confidence, and sticks Nunes with several punches and a front kick to lead off. Nunes walks forward to clinch, and Greene intercepts him with a few flush knees to the midsection. Nunes has a lunging takedown effort fail, but he is trying as he might to close the distance. Greene connects cleanly when Nunes comes towards him, and he targets the body and backs him up against the wire. Greene smashes several knees to the body and head, and his punches force the Brazilian to turn his back and lean against the fence. Smith warns Nunes of potentially physically surrendering, and Greene pounds on him with his fists until Smith determines Nunes has nothing left to offer and waves it off. “The Crochet Boss” sews up the finish and collects five points for his handiwork, leading the pack early into the heavyweight season.

The Official Result

Maurice Greene def. Marcelo Nunes R2 1:20 via TKO (Knees and Punches)

Renan Ferreira (260.4) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (249.8)

Round 1

The prelims wrap up with a fight that could end very violently, very quickly. Towering 6-foot-8 Brazilian behemoth Ferreira (9-3, 2 NC; 3-1, 2 NC PFL) aims to make another run at the playoffs, and he first has to get through former Eagle FC champ Kuniev (11-2-1, 0-0 PFL). Large fists collide before the eyes of referee Herb Dean, and Ferreira wastes no time by throwing a front kick and a long right hand. Kuniev replies with a push kick to the body, and Ferreira backs off. Kuniev advances, throwing bombs, and he punches his way into a double-leg entry. The Russian attacks a single when the first try does not work, and Ferreira defends both successfully. Kuniev drills the thigh with a few stern knees, and Ferreira answers with a couple to the chin. The two heavyweights trade knees on the inside, and Ferreira spins out and escapes. Kuniev gives chase and lays into Ferreira with flailing fists. A left hook stings the Brazilian, and he pushes right into the clinch instead of taking advantage of stunning Ferreira. Kuniev presses close to the chest and flirts with an outside trip, and he nearly takes Ferreira off balance but cannot quite strip both legs out. Dean calls for the fighters to work as they knee one another anywhere they can target. Kuniev looks for a few body shots, and Ferreira turns him around by snatching a single. Kuniev remains on his feet, but when Ferreira tries to trip him down, he ends up landing on top of Ferreira. The Russian gets one hook in as Ferreira leans against the cage, and Ferreira explodes back to his feet before falling into a precarious position. Kuniev gets off a few more short shots from the clinch, and the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kuniev
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kuniev
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Kuniev

Round 2

Kuniev walks forward to initiate offense first, but before he reaches his man, Ferreira plants his foot on Kuniev’s chest. Kuniev wades forward into action, and he narrowly avoids walking face-first into a flying knee. The gargantuan Brazilian falls to his back, and Kuniev takes advantage of this by leaping on top. Ferreira threatens with a leglock, and Kuniev turns through it and grabs the fence – he is warned for this – to break it up. Ferreira tosses his legs up to keep Kuniev honest, and Kuniev responds with a two-on-one kimura setup. “Problema” causes a big problem for his opponent, hitting a sweep and immediately searching for an arm-triangle choke. Ferreira moves right into mount as he locks the arm-triangle down, and he presses down with his shoulder but cannot force the surrender. Ferreira lets go and aims to set it up again from a better angle, but does not have anything with it. The Russian bursts to flip Ferreira to his back, and Ferreira is ready for this and locks down an armbar. Kuniev stacks Ferreira up to prevent the arm from hyperextending, and he calmly slides it out to lower himself into the half guard. Ferreira looks to sit up, but Kuniev muscles him down and shifts to side control. Kuniev elects to move back to half guard to prevent the Brazilian from elevating or sweeping him, and he maintains top control without much else. Kuniev frees his left arm and lands a few left hands, and Ferreira is held down until the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ferreira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ferreira
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Ferreira

Round 3

The heavyweights meet in the middle, and Ferreira lashes out with an overhand right and a body kick. Ferreira goes down to the lower thigh with his shin, and Kuniev crashes the pocket and makes Ferreira bounce off the wall. Ferreira gains a little space and scores a one-two, but Kuniev is on him, pressing him into the chain-link fence. Kuniev connects with short uppercuts on the inside, all while grinding as Dean asks him to work repeatedly. Ferreira pushes him back and gets clipped with a pair of hooks, and this allows Kuniev to move back into the tie-up. Knees to the body are traded, and Kuniev mixes in several more short uppercuts to stay busy. Ferreira attempts to trip and throw the Russian to the mat, but he does not have the leverage and instead falls to his back from the big mistake. Kuniev welcomes this to climb on top, and he follows Ferreira as Ferreira turns to his knees. The 6-foot-8 fighter still works his way up despite Kuniev clinging to him, and he gets dragged back down shortly after standing. Kuniev this time lands in side control, and he smothers with chest pressure before stepping into mount. Kuniev postures up to land punches, and Ferreira grabs hold of him to prevent any damage from accumulating. Kuniev pounds on his foe slowly and methodically, with hammerfists and single punches. Ferreira turns to his side to escape as swelling grows fast beneath his left eye, and he recovers half guard with about 30 seconds left in the match. Ferreira grabs hold of an ankle with seconds to go, and Kuniev ignores it to ride out the rest of the grinding match on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kuniev (29-28 Kuniev)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kuniev (29-28 Kuniev)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Kuniev (29-28 Kuniev)

The Official Result

Rizvan Kuniev def. Renan Ferreira via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Biaggio Ali Walsh (155.4) vs. Isaiah Figueroa (155.6)

Round 1

Amateurs will take the stage to commence the main card, not in the derogatory sense but in terms of non-professional combatants. Walsh (2-1, 1-0 PFL), the grandson of Muhammad Ali, will toe the line with Flagstaff, Arizona’s Figueroa (1-1, 0-0 PFL). Neither man has heard the final bell across their young tenures in the sport, and referee Mark Smith is standing by in case that trend continues. It should be again noted that this is an amateur contest, which means 3 three-minute rounds, the competitors are unpaid and stoppages will be erring on the side of caution. The two lightweights do not bump fists before engaging, and instead Figueroa shoots in for an immediate takedown. Walsh stuffs it and connects with a solid combination. Figueroa attempts another level change, and Walsh sprawls effectively, fires off a head kick and follows it up with a punch salvo. Figueroa again attempts a takedown, but it is too far away and he does not even get his hands on Walsh before coming up short. Walsh connects with a few low kicks, and he darts back when Figueroa lunges at him. Walsh calmly walks his man down and busts him in the chops, and a right hand hurts the Arizona native. Walsh looks to put him away early, and he unloads with a vicious salvo of punches. Figueroa reels and tries to sling back, but Walsh backs him up again with a stunning right hook. Figueroa blinks it out, and Walsh winds up with a bomb of a right hand. Figueroa falls into the wall when the fist detonates on his chin, and Smith leaps in to call a stop to the one-sided drubbing. This was easy work for the grandson of Muhammad Ali, who advances his amateur record to 3-1 with three first-round knockouts to his credit.

The Official Result

Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Isaiah Figueroa R1 1:42 via TKO (Punches)

Olena Kolesnyk (146.4: Missed Weight) vs. Aspen Ladd (145.6)

Round 1

In years past for the PFL, a competitor that missed weight ahead of their tournament match was rendered ineligible to earn any playoff points, and would be penalized one point as well. The league quietly updated its rules on the offseason, and now, Kolesnyk (7-5, 1 NC; 2-3 PFL), who checked in .4 pounds over the featherweight limit and now sports a slick shaved head, will be allowed to win points should she prevail – subject to a one playoff point penalty. She will have a serious uphill battle to get her hand raised, as she faces UFC castout Ladd (10-3, 1-0 PFL). The two women come together and clap hands, and referee Chris Tognoni steels himself for what comes next. Ladd opens up with a jab to the body, and she tries to string a few together and is bopped in the nose. Ladd takes a one-two as she works on the outside, and she slips a punch and swings a left hook that misses the mark. Kolesnyk winds up a little too hard with a punch, allowing Ladd to shoot in for a takedown on her. The Ukrainian defends the takedown and gets pushed from one side of the cage to the other, and she muscles her way out of the position and moves to the center of the fighting enclosure. Kolesnyk pushes out several range-finding jabs as she has Ladd backed up, and lets Ladd kick high at her and miss. Ladd falls over, and Kolesnyk times a solid body kick when Ladd scampers back to her feet. Kolesnyk calmly pushes out jabs, splitting the guard and chaining punches together. Ladd loops two lefts around the guard, and Kolesnyk shakes them off and retaliates with a low kick and a few straight punches. Kolesnyk tosses out another low kick, and Tognoni pauses the fight to tell Ladd to stop pointing her fingers towards her opponent. Ladd nods, and they resume. Kolesnyk jabs her up a few more times, and she slides out of the way when Ladd comes at her swinging power punches. Kolesnyk strafes and stays busy with jabs and sweeping low kicks, and she is able to avoid all of the heavy strikes flying towards her. The two feint and fake right in front of one another, and neither commit on any strikes for a time. Ladd attempts to get off low kicks on the outside, and Kolesnyk slides her leg back and flashes a few more jabs. Kolesnyk sticks and moves, forcing Ladd to hit air after eating shots. Kolesnyk keeps moving, constantly remaining on her bike, although one overhand right catches her on the chin. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kolesnyk
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kolesnyk
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Kolesnyk

Round 2

The women meet in the center of the cage to tap gloves, and Kolesnyk picks up exactly where she left off with the effective jab. Ladd swats with a leg kick and a few left hooks, and Kolesnyk slides out of the pocket to let Ladd miss her by a matter of inches. Kolesnyk bobs and weaves, frustrating the UFC veteran with fists in her face. Ladd goes after a few more leg kicks, chipping away at the front-heavy lead leg that Kolesnyk posts on. Ladd switches stances in the midst of a combination to connect on a few shots, and she finds her range. Kolesnyk greets her with a solid left hand, backing the Californian off. Kolesnyk constantly has her jab in Ladd’s face, throwing it even if it does not land. Ladd dives in for a very low single, and Kolesnyk backs up against the wire to defend it with a sprawl. Kolesnyk considers turning the tables with a throw setup, but Ladd stifles this and grinds Kolesnyk against the fencing. Ladd keeps heavy chest-to-chest pressure as she pins Kolesnyk to the wall, and the crowd begins to boo. Ladd fails on a trip, and Kolesnyk counters with a slick throw that puts Ladd on her back. Ladd threatens with a leglock off her back, and Kolesnyk bails on trying to claim full mount and tugs on the fence to get up and out. They return to boxing range, where Kolesnyk immediately revs back up her jab-heavy engine. Ladd cannot seem to find the range, and counter shots from Kolesnyk keep her honest. Ladd muscles her way into a takedown, jamming Kolesnyk up but not grounding her. Ladd’s level change in the clinch allows Kolesnyk to turn her around and belt her in the midsection with a few knees. Kolesnyk gains some space, scores a few left hooks and plants a knee on the solar plexus. Ladd’s occasionally landing power punch does draw a thin trickle of blood from Kolesnyk’s nose, but she pays it no mind and cruises until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kolesnyk
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kolesnyk
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Kolesnyk

Round 3

Ladd opens up the final frame with a glove touch and immediate pace-pushing to back Kolesnyk up quicker than usual. Kolesnyk welcomes this change in tactics so that she can pop Ladd repeatedly with jabs. The movement of Kolesnyk is stopping Ladd from reaching her or cutting her off, and only when Kolesnyk sits down on a strike is she getting caught. They trade body kicks, and Ladd continues to plod forward. Ladd punches her way into a takedown, and Kolesnyk sprawls but allows Ladd to circle around and take her back standing. Ladd wraps her hand around the arms of her opponent and tries to trip Kolesnyk up or drag her down. Kolesnyk stays strong, keeping both hands on Ladd’s left wrist and turning herself about in the clinch. By sheer force of will, Ladd manages to wrench Kolesnyk down to the mat, and she lands a few punches in rapid succession. Kolesnyk turns her back to stand up, and Ladd takes it. Kolesnyk spins to her back with Ladd claiming mount, and Ladd does not care what position she has as she rains down right hands. The Californian takes the back again, getting a hook in and bloodying Kolesnyk’s nose from behind. Kolesnyk hangs onto the wrist to stifle any further offense, and she remains on her side while Ladd still is holding her. Ladd steps into a dominant position when Kolesnyk turns to the side, and she slides both hooks in when Kolesnyk gives her back up once more. Kolesnyk looks to spin out of the position, but Ladd squashes her back down and stops this. Ladd unloads with heavy left hands, and Kolesnyk attempts to spin out on the other side. “Cannon” tries to slip out the back door when Ladd is high on her back, and Ladd moves back down to not fall off. Ladd hangs on from the back, and she grabs hold of the neck and squeezes. The final bell does not ring even though time has elapsed, and Ladd continues to hunt for a desperation rear-naked choke. Nearly 15 seconds after the fight should be over, the bell does sound in the building. Surviving the precarious position, Kolesnyk jumps to her feet and celebrates, expecting she pulled off the big upset.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ladd (29-28 Kolesnyk)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ladd (29-28 Kolesnyk)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Ladd (29-28 Kolesnyk)

The Official Result

Olena Kolesnyk def. Aspen Ladd via Majority Decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Bruno Cappelozza (240) vs. Matheus Scheffel (258)

Round 1

The co-main attraction will come as a rematch between two large gentlemen. Winner of the 2021 season, Cappelozza (15-6, 5-1 PFL) returned the following year only to be unexpectedly shut down by Scheffel (17-9, 2-2 PFL), and a subsequent injury knocked him out of the playoffs. The former has not competed since their meeting, while the latter reached the 2022 finals only to get decked by Ante Delija in under three minutes. This heavyweight contest will receive oversight from referee Herb Dean, and it starts without a tap of gloves. Cappelozza winds up with a thudding leg kick, and they trade jabs early. They pick and poke at one another with rangy single strikes, and Cappelozza connects with another powerful leg kick. Scheffel gives one back to the thigh, and Cappelozza circles along the outside. Scheffel walks him down, but Cappelozza meets him in the middle and slugs it out with him. Cappelozza backs away to smash his shin on the lower leg. Scheffel comes out firing with a pair of punches, and Cappelozza swats them away. The precision is really precise for Cappelozza, who splits the guard with a clean-one two, and Scheffel’s legs give way beneath him as he collapses to the floor on his seat. The Brazilian leaps on top to finish the job, and he does not need more than a few hammerfists and punches to seal the deal. Dean calls a halt to the fight, and Cappelozza has exacted revenge and picked up six playoff points. There will be another heavyweight match next week, but for now, Cappelozza is atop the leaderboard in his division because of the first-round knockout.

The Official Result

Bruno Cappelozza def. Matheus Scheffel R1 2:15 via TKO (Punches)

Larissa Pacheco (146) vs. Julia Budd (145.6)

Round 1

Concluding the evening will be a rare fight for the books, as a former PFL champ battles it out with an ex-Bellator champ. The queen of the 155-pound division last year, Pacheco (19-4, 8-2 PFL) drops down to 145 pounds in an effort to run the table again and pick up another giant check. Standing in her way is “The Jewel” Budd (16-5, 1-2 PFL), who shone at featherweight for a few years as the immovable Bellator 145-pound champ. No belts will be exchanged here, but precious points will be on the line for this headliner. The referee will be Jason Herzog, and the fight opens up with Pacheco offering a clap of hands but Budd shrugging her off. Pacheco proceeds to walk Budd down and bust her in the chops, knocking the Canadian back against the wall in a hurry. Budd fights off of it and gets a little space, and she proceeds to throw hands with the 2022 champ. Pacheco does not bat an eye in the exchanges, landing flush while taking a few back on the noggin. Pacheco tests the water with a few low kicks, and she pops Budd with a pair of one-twos. Budd fires back to little effect, and Pacheco is marching her down like a Terminator. Budd reaches with a right hand, and Pacheco’s face is getting marked up from the few strikes that have connected. Budd closes in and lands a knee to the body, and Pacheco lands a heavy leg kick. Budd catches it and drags Pacheco to the mat. The Brazilian closes up her guard tight, allowing Budd to open up with several short hammerfists. Pacheco throws her legs up to set up a triangle choke, and Budd lifts her off the ground and slams out of the submission setup. Budd remains heavy on her grounded opponent, and she lowers her head down and bumps it off Pacheco’s chin. Pacheco frowns and again pulls her legs up high for a submission, but Budd does not fall into this trap. Pacheco scoots the fence and searches for an armbar, and Budd stacks her up and wrenches her arm out of it. Budd fights off another armbar attempt that Pacheco searches for, and she stands up to drop down a few more punches. Pacheco latches on to a triangle choke with seconds to spare, but time elapses before she can get it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco

Round 2

The two half-heartedly touch gloves to start off the round, and Pacheco claims the center of the cage and walks her foe down. Pacheco punches through the guard with a stern one-two, and Budd ricochets off the wall and right into a left hand. Pacheco tries to take advantage of the momentum but eats a front kick, and Budd times a clean right hand that surprises the Brazilian. Pacheco wades into the clinch and considers a takedown, having tasted Budd’s power. Budd sets up a Thai clinch and drives several knees to the head, and Budd lets it go to consider a standing choke. Pacheco shakes her neck out and gains some separation, and she proceeds to plod towards the Canadian. Pacheco blasts Budd in the calf, and Budd has a serious physical reaction from taking the kick. Budd replies with a front kick that Pacheco shrugs off, and Pacheco backs her up with a punch combination. Budd takes the punches flush and tries to throw back, but Pacheco swarms her. Budd sneaks a right hand over the top, and Pacheco takes a moment to gather her thoughts before letting go with her fists. Budd maintains a high guard, and she counters Pacheco with a left hand and a body kick. Pacheco lands a few punches, and she overextends on a right hook. Budd dives forward in pursuit of a single-leg takedown, and she puts Pacheco on her back. Not to be outdone, the 2022 PFL champ rolls during the takedown to counter Budd and move through it to land on top. Pacheco gets to half guard, and she presses down with her right shoulder to squeeze Budd’s head and neck to the mat. Pacheco looks for a potential arm-triangle choke, but she bails on it when she starts landing some body shots. Pacheco moves to three-quarter mount with seconds to go, and she gets off a punch or two before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco

Round 3

The close fight reaches the third round, and they high five to start off. Pacheco starts off the round like usual, pressuring and backing Budd up. Pacheco lands a few leg kicks and a right hand, and Budd catches her with a knee on the forehead. Pacheco winds up with a power punch, and the low kick that she lands is better. In the middle of a string of punches, a quick left staggers Budd, but the Brazilian might not realize she hurt her. Budd shakes it out as Pacheco backs away to come in at another angle, and they clash together in a clinch. Pacheco attempts to change levels, looking for a body lock takedown. Budd lowers herself to put one hand on the ground to prevent knees to the face, and Pacheco strings her legs up and drags her down from behind. Pacheco gets one hook in as Budd lands on the ground, and the Canadian moves to her knees and gives up her back. Pacheco defends from sliding off the back, and she attacks Budd’s left arm with an armbar. Budd steps over through the submission and claims top position with two minutes to spare. Pacheco nails her with a pair of hammerfists off her back, and Budd looks surprised. Pacheco controls her with her right ankle behind Budd’s neck, and she throws “The Jewel” over and gets back on top. The Brazilian sits in half guard, dropping down occasional left hands, but she is more interested in isolating the shoulder to set up an arm-triangle choke. Pacheco goes after another such choke with 30 seconds to spare, and Budd looks to push or kick off the cage wall. Pacheco abandons the submission to pound on Budd’s ribs, and she continues swinging right to the final bell. The two ladies had a lot of fun throwing down in their three-round encounter, and the smile and hug it out when the fight ends. Both women are confident that they did enough to get their respective hand raised, but only one will be correct. The first two rounds were close, especially Round 2, so it could range anywhere from a clean sweep from the 2022 champ to a nod in favor of the Bellator vet. The winner will take home three points, where they will sit in a tie for third place. Next week, lightweights and welterweights take center stage in the PFL for this first leg of the regular season, and we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco (30-27 Pacheco)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco (30-27 Pacheco)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Pacheco (30-27 Pacheco)

The Official Result

Larissa Pacheco def. Julia Budd via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)