PFL playoffs: Bracket breakdowns at welterweight, ladies’s light-weight
Marc RaimondiESPN
The Skilled Fighters League’s model of March Insanity takes place in October, and it’s already percolating. A 3rd of the promotion’s 2019 playoff bracket is ready.
On Thursday, the welterweight and girls’s light-weight divisions wrapped up their common seasons. The highest eight welterweights and high 4 lightweights are heading to the postseason, which begins Oct. 11 in Las Vegas. The lads will combat two-round quarterfinal fights, adopted by three-round semis the identical night time. The ladies, with 4 playoff contributors, will combat simply the three-round semis. The survivors transfer on to the Dec. 31 finals.
Let’s go combat by combat and break down the brackets in every weight class:
Girls’s light-weight semifinals
Sarah Kaufman (No. 1 seed) vs. Larissa Pacheco (Four)
Kaufman skated into the playoffs with a first-round end of Morgan Frier in Might and a walkover victory Thursday when her opponent, Roberta Samad, didn’t make weight. Kaufman took a calculated danger by not combating Samad and settling for 3 factors, slightly than combating her and making an attempt for the bonus factors that will have include a end. It labored out completely for the Canadian, although, as she nonetheless landed the highest seed.
Throughout from Kaufman (21-Four, 1 NC) can be fellow UFC veteran Pacheco (12-Three), who fell to Kayla Harrison by resolution in her first combat and stopped Bobbi Jo Dalziel within the first spherical final week. Kaufman can be an enormous favourite. She’s a former Strikeforce and Invicta FC champion at bantamweight. Pacheco, who additionally has fought at bantamweight and featherweight, has 15 professional fights however is simply 24 years previous.
Kayla Harrison (2) vs. Genah Fabian (Three)
1 Associated
Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, earned the second seed Thursday by ending Frier with a first-round submission. She defeated Pacheco by resolution in her first combat. Fabian knocked out Moriel Charneski within the first spherical final week to get into the playoffs, after falling to Dalziel in her first combat.
This can be your basic types conflict: grappler vs. striker. Harrison (5-Zero) is clearly world-class within the clinch and on the bottom. However Fabian (2-1) is a former skilled kickboxer with punching energy, power and attain. Whereas Harrison is anticipated to have the ability to shut the gap and get Fabian to the bottom, this might be the hardest check of Harrison’s very younger MMA profession. Harrison has not felt the type of energy Fabian wields, besides possibly from coaching companion Amanda Nunes within the American Prime Crew fitness center.
Welterweight quarterfinals
Glaico Franca (1) vs. Andre Fialho (eight)
Each had unusual paths right here. Franca (21-5) knocked out Sadibou Sy within the third spherical Thursday when he was down on the scorecards, whereas Fialho (10-2) earned three factors on a walkover when opponent Zane Kamaka missed weight. Franca is the clear favourite right here — he is been wonderful since being launched by the UFC in 2016, with a nostril for locating finishes. However Fialho is a reside underdog, a veteran out of American Kickboxing Academy. Fialho is the one member of the playoff bracket who didn’t win a combat contained in the cage. Do not let that be a purpose to rely him out, although.
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John Howard (Four) vs. David Michaud (5)
Michaud (16-5) had maybe essentially the most uncommon common season. He was knocked out by Sy in 17 seconds in his first combat, solely to rebound and cease Handesson Ferreira by first-round TKO in his second outing. Howard (28-15) knocked out Ray Cooper III with heavy punches Thursday to clinch a playoff berth. Each of those males are well-rounded UFC veterans with energy of their fingers. This ought to be probably the most fascinating matchups of the quarterfinal spherical.
Sadibou Sy (Three) vs. Ray Cooper III (6)
Prepare for fireworks. Each of those males do their greatest work on the toes. Sy can choose aside opponents at vary and has nice kicks — to the legs, physique and head. Cooper, however, is a bruiser who can starch foes in shut and pound them out on the bottom. It is onerous to think about this one going to resolution. Each Sy and Cooper, final yr’s welterweight runner-up, did not see a combat go to the judges within the common season — solely finishes for them, whether or not in victory or defeat. Sy’s 17-second body-kick knockout of Michaud was one of many yr’s greatest in any promotion. Right here, although, every has type of backed his approach into the playoffs, coming off stoppage losses. So they are going to be hungry.
Magomed Magomedkerimov (2) vs. Chris Curtis (7)
Magomedkerimov had one among his hardest PFL fights Thursday night time when he took on Curtis. Guess whom he attracts within the quarterfinals: the identical man. Curtis (21-6) was jawing at Magomedkerimov (25-5) all through their three-round bout, which was received by unanimous resolution by Magomedkerimov, the defending PFL welterweight champion. However Curtis was capable of catch Magomedkerimov a number of instances within the third spherical and was the more energizing man in that body. This can be probably the most anticipated matchups of the quarterfinals in any weight division due to the potential unhealthy blood and Curtis’ potential pull off an upset over a person who has received 10 straight and has change into one of many PFL’s high fighters.