The first half of the 2022 PFL regular season concludes tonight, as welterweights and women’s lightweights take center stage in the kickstart of their journey to $1 million and a world championship.
After being coveted by many MMA promotions, the face of the PFL returns home for another season as Kayla Harrison looks to be the prohibitive favorite in the women’s lightweight division. She will face Fight Nights Global and Bellator vet Marina Mokhnatkina in the night’s main event, as the Russian makes her first run through the tournament.
UFC vet and 2019 season finalist Larissa Pacheco returns for another season, and will kick off the main card against the debuting 7-1 Kazakh Zamzagul Fayzallanova. Former Invicta FC fighter Olena Kolesnyk returns for her second straight season, and will be looking for her first win in the promotion against Abigail Montes, who rose to prominence after defeating boxing champion Claressa Shields last year at PFL 10 2021. Genah Fabian starts her third season off at a disadvantage after missing weight, and will lose a point in the standings. She will face former Bellator featherweight champion Julia Budd, who also earns an automatic three points as a result in her first seasonal bout with the promotion. The opening card will be kicked off by former UFC bantamweight Vanessa Melo, who will face PFL Challenger Series contract winner Martina Jindrova.
At welterweight, two short-notice replacements will face promotional mainstays. Former LFA champion Carlos Leal will face two-time reigning PFL champion Ray Cooper III, who also missed weight and will forfeit points, in the night’s co-main event. Former Titan FC champion Dilano Taylor, meanwhile, steps in to battle against Joao Zeferino, who has won all five of his PFL bouts across three seasons, but has been riddled by injuries that have kept him from competing in the playoffs each season.
Former Bellator champion and UFC title challenger Rory MacDonald begins his second crack at PFL gold as well, facing longtime Bellator and ACA vet Brett Cooper. Sadibou Sy and Nikolay Aleksakhin are set to rematch from their PFL 2 2021 bout, which ended in a no-contest due an accidental eye-poke. Former Brave CF champion Jarrah Al Silawi, who earned a PFL contract at PFL Challenger Series 2, will make his seasonal debut against grizzled UFC veteran Gleison Tibau, who returns for his second season.
A lightweight regular season matchup will also be featured on the main card, as former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis will go toe-to-toe against Bellator vet Myles Price.
MMA Sucka has fight fans covered with PFL 3 2022 results, with the action kicking off at 6pm ET/3pm PT on ESPN+ with the opening card, followed by the main card at 9pm ET/6pm PT on ESPN 2 and ESPN+.
PFL 3 2022 Results
Main Card
Kayla Harrison def. Marina Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Carlos Leal def. Ray Cooper III via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)
Anthony Pettis def. Myles Price via Submission (Mounted Triangle Choke) at 4:17 of Round 1
Rory MacDonald def. Brett Cooper via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:23 of Round 1
Larissa Pacheco def. Zamzagul Fayzallanova via TKO (Punches) at 1:25 of Round 1
Opening Card
Dilano Taylor def. Joao Zeferino via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Genah Fabian def. Julia Budd via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Sadibou Sy def. Nikolay Aleksakhin via Split Decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
Jarrah Al Silawi def. Gleison Tibau via Split Decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
Olena Kolesnyk vs. Abigail Montes via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Martina Jindrova def. Vanessa Melo via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
