A new month, a return of a promotion, a double-header, and a twist to MMASucka staff picks.
The Professional Fighters League kicks off the second quarter of the year with PFL 1 2023 later tonight, April 1st from The Theater at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada. Preliminary action kicks off the event beginning at 6:00pm ET (3:00pm PT) on ESPN+ followed by the main card at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT) on ESPN.
Live results from PFL 1 2023 will be available here at MMASucka.
Be sure to recap the first-half of our double-header, staff picks weekend from Friday night’s Bellator 293 event in Temecula, California.
The Fights
PFL 1 2023 marks the beginning of the promotion’s Regular Season where fighters will contest for points across either one or two fights. Those with the most from their respected weight classes will advance to the playoffs and, if further victorious, a spot in the PFL World Championships later this year with a shot at a grand prize of $1 million. See here for further explanation of PFL’s format.
For 2023 and the Professional Fighters League, MMASucka staff picks sees a change that will include ALL fights that include playoff-contending athletes instead of select fights from the card. Tonight’s events will see fighters from the featherweight (145 pounds) and light heavyweight (205 pounds) divisions.
In the featured main event, 2022 tournament winner Brendan Loughnane will meet former WSOF bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes at featherweight. Loughnane’s November stoppage victory over Bubba Jenkins earned his million-dollar grand prize and his eleventh victory in his last twelve fights. Moraes looks to drastically turn the tides in his mixed martial arts career with five straight knockout losses dating back to his last win at UFC 245 over Jose Aldo by split decision.
Four additional matchups at 145 pounds will take place over the course of the night. 2021 champion Movlid Khaybulaev returns after spending last year sidelined due to injury against Ryoji Kudo. Opening the main card sees last year’s semifinalist Chris Wade and last year’s runner-up finalist Bubba Jenkins looking for vengeance among the division while in a rematch where Wade found victory in 2021 over Jenkins by decision. See the additional two fights further below.
Following Friday’s weigh-ins, it was revealed that Sung Bin Jo had suffered medical issues likely resulting from his weight cut despite having made weight. As a result, he was not cleared and pulled from his featherweight pairing with Jesus Pinedo. The fight with Bin Jo’s replacement opponent, Gabriel Alves Braga, and Pinedo will go on as anticipated but not counted towards our staff picks.
Combining for 32 finishes in 39 professional bouts, light heavyweight finishers Rob Wilkinson and Thiago Santos are set to clash in the co-main event. Australia’s Wilkinson claimed the 2022 tournament championship and one million dollars by doctor stoppage in the second round over Omari Akhmedov. The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 2 veteran Santos is set to make his PFL debut after a 24-fight tenure in the UFC as a regular contender among the division’s very best.
New faces will join the PFL ranks in attempt to make the playoffs like former UFC veteran Krzysztof Jotko and former Brave FC light heavyweight champion Mohammad Fakhreddine against their respected opponents.
See our PFL 1 2023 picks and all the fights counted for tonight’s event from Las Vegas, Nevada further below.
𝗜𝗧’𝗦 𝗚𝗢 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘
Featherweights and Light Heavyweights ready to show out under the 𝐕𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 🎲
[ Season Launches April 1st, on ESPN/ESPN+ | 9pm ET | #2023PFL1 🎟️ https://t.co/hxZi2fEbA9] pic.twitter.com/ioj71JwOEx
— PFL (@PFLMMA) April 1, 2023
2023 Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of five promotions: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator MMA, ONE Championship, the Professional Fighters League (PFL), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). UFC and Bellator events feature picks from only main cards. PFL will feature select fights from the main and preliminary card while DWCS sees all fights counted from the event. ONE Championship returns to picks for the first time since 2020 and will feature only mixed martial arts (MMA) fights selected from cards with a minimum three matchups.
The WINNER of staff picks at the end of 2023, who picked the most victorious fighters, will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2022 was won by Wesley Riddle with a record of 264-135.
Find out who the MMASucka staff is picking to win at PFL 1 2023.
Staff Records after UFC on ESPN 43:
1. Ben Jamieson: 48-21
2. Nate Freeman: 47-22
3. Tim Wheaton: 45-24
4T. Jeremy Brand: 44-25
4T. Frazer Krohn: 44-25
6T. Wesley Riddle: 43-26
6T. Michael DeSantis: 43-26
8. Roemello Reyes: 42-24
9T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 39-22
9T. Jack Goodwillie: 39-22
11. Brian Knight: 36-24
12. Andrew Benjamin: 34-30
13. Brandon Joint: 12-9
14. Andrew Harbaugh: 10-7
15. Joshua Yule: 7-6
16. Jonathan Andrade: 4-6
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – Bellator 293 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Delan Monte (9-3), -190
vs.
Ty Flores (11-4), +160
– Light Heavyweight Division –
– 205 LBS. ~ 93.0 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Monte via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Monte via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Monte via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Monte via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Flores via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Monte via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Monte via Round 1 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Flores via Round 2 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Flores via Split Decision
Ben Jamieson: Monte via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Monte: 7
Staff picking Flores: 3
Alejandro Flores (21-4), +200
vs.
Daniel Torres (14-5, 1 NC), -240
– Featherweight Division –
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Torres via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Torres via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Torres via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Torres via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Flores via Round 1 SUB
Nate Freeman: Torres via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Torres via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Torres via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Torres via Round 3 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Torres via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Flores: 1
Staff picking Torres: 9
Josh Silveira (9-1), -560
vs.
Sam Kei (8-6), +430
– Light Heavyweight Division –
– 205 LBS. ~ 93.0 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Silveira via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Silveira via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Silveira via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Silveira via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Silveira via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Silveira via Round 1 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Silveira via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Silveira via Round 2 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Silveira via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Silveira via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Silveira: 10
Staff picking Kei: 0
Marthin Hamlet (10-4), -180
vs.
Mohammad Fakhreddine (15-4, 2 NC), +155
– Light Heavyweight Division –
– 205 LBS. ~ 93.0 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Hamlet via Split Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Hamlet via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Hamlet via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Fakhreddine via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Hamlet via Split Decision
Ben Jamieson: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Hamlet: 9
Staff picking Fakhreddine: 1
Chris Wade (22-8), -170
vs.
Bubba Jenkins (19-6), +145
– Featherweight Division –
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Wade via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Wade via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Wade via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Wade via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Jenkins via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Wade via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Jenkins via Round 1 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Jenkins via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Wade via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Wade via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Wade: 7
Staff picking Jenkins: 3
Movlid Khaybulaev (19-0-1, 1 NC), -675
vs.
Ryoji Kudo (11-4-1), +500
– Featherweight Division –
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Khaybulaev via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Khaybulaev via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Khaybulaev via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Kudo via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Khaybulaev via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Khaybulaev via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Khaybulaev via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Khaybulaev via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Khaybulaev via Round 1 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Khaybulaev via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Khaybulaev: 9
Staff picking Kudo: 1
Krzysztof Jotko (24-6), -255
vs.
Will Fleury (11-3), +215
– Light Heavyweight Division –
– 205 LBS. ~ 93.0 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Jotko via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Jotko: 10
Staff picking Fleury: 0
Rob Wilkinson (17-2), -190
vs.
Thiago Santos (22-11), +160
– Light Heavyweight Division –
– Co-Main Event –
– 205 LBS. ~ 93.0 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Wilkinson via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Wilkinson via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Wilkinson via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Santos via Round 3 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Wilkinson via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Wilkinson via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Wilkinson via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Santos via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Wilkinson via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Wilkinson via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Wilkinson: 8
Staff picking Santos: 2
Brendan Loughnane (26-4), -720
vs.
Marlon Moraes (23-11-1), +520
– Featherweight Division –
– Main Event –
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Loughnane via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Loughnane via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Loughnane via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Loughnane via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Loughnane via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Loughnane via Round 1 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Loughnane via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Loughnane via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Loughnane via Round 2 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Loughnane via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Loughnane: 10
Staff picking Moraes: 0
PFL 1 2023 FEATURED IMAGE:
