Highlights From A Massive Year in the PFL
The PFL have picked their top 5 fights of 2024. The self-styled “co-leader” of the worldwide mixed martial arts scene wrapped up their calendar year earlier this month as they crowned six new PFL Europe champions in Lyon, France.
2024 has not been without it’s challenges for the promotion. They have faced criticism surrounding their handling of some high-profile Bellator champions since their purchase of the Bellator brand at the beginning of the year.
Despite the difficulties of merging the two rosters and the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Bellator brand, there have been some memorable moments inside the PFL smartcage throughout the past twelve months, and they have compiled five of their favorite bouts in a compilation video on their YouTube channel.
5) Impa Kasanganay vs Jakob Nedoh, PFL 5, June 21st
The winner of the 2023 PFL Global light heavyweight tournament, Impa Kasanganay, got his year off to a winning start in April when he knocked out Alex Polizzi in the opening round, meaning a victory over the 2023 PFL Europe champion Jakob Nedoh would be enough to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
The pair met in the middle of the smartcage and traded heavy blows, with Nedoh dropping Kasanganay early. “Tshilobo” rallied however, and after subjecting Nedoh to a relentless flurry of strikes late in the second round, the Slovenian was deemed unfit to continue. Kasanganay would go on to beat Josh Silveira in the playoffs before coming up short in the finals against Dovlet Yagshimuradov in November.
4) A.J. McKee vs Paul Hughes, Battle Of The Giants, October 19th
The opening main card bout on the PFL’s only pay-per-view event of 2024 featured a relative newcomer to the promotion. Ireland’s Paul Hughes, a former Cage Warriors champion, had recently debuted under the Bellator banner, picking up a victory over Bobby King.
Many speculated in the lead up to the gala event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that former Bellator featherweight champion A.J. McKee would likely be a challenge that “Big News” was not yet ready to handle.
What transpired once the fight got under way shocked the MMA world. The young Irishman easily stifled McKee’s renowned grappling skills and dropped the American with a massive right hand at the end of round one. He continued to land heavy shots throughout the remaining two rounds all while shutting down any attempts McKee made to take the fight to the floor.
Hughes became only the second fighter to beat McKee and has been rewarded with a main event matchup against Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov on January’s Road To Dubai event.
3) Patricky Pitbull vs Bruno Miranda, PFL 5, June 21st
Former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull entered the 2024 PFL global tournament but he might be wishing he hadn’t bothered. Successive defeats to Clay Collard and Bruno Miranda saw the 38-year-old eliminated before the playoff stage, but the fight against Miranda will certainly go down as one of the most exciting of his long career.
The pair went toe-to-toe for the entire fifteen minutes, and ultimately it was the conditioning of Miranda that proved the difference as he walked away with a split decision victory. Pitbull struggled through the third round with the elevation in Salt Lake City likely playing it’s part, and both fighters missed out on the playoffs.
2) Larissa Pacheco vs Cris Cyborg, Battle Of The Giants, October 19th
An all-Brazilian affair took place in the co-main event slot in Saudi Arabia as the 2022 and 2023 PFL world champion Larissa Pacheco faced Bellator champion and all-time great Cris Cyborg for the PFL featherweight superfight belt.
Cyborg, in her 30th professional MMA appearance, looked as menacing as ever in the opening round as she cracked Pacheco hard with a head kick. She also displayed her well-roundedness by taking Pacheco to the canvas on two occasions and raining down some heavy ground and pound.
Pacheco battled gamely and did have her moments, but former UFC champion Cyborg edged her out on the judge’s scorecards and added to her impressive array of world titles.
1) Lewis McGrillen-Evans vs. Dean Garnett, PFL Europe 3, September 28th
An all-time classic between Lewis McGrillen-Evans and Dean Garnett stole the show at the PFL Europe playoffs in Glasgow, Scotland in September. McGrillen-Evans dished out a number of explosive overhand lefts during the opening round and despite Garnett looking done for at times, the veteran survived and almost submitted his young opponent before the round ended.
Round two brought some controversy as McGrillen-Evans was docked a point for an illegal strike, and the pair exchanged knockdowns as the round continued in the same frantic vein as the first had ended. Garnett’s left hook repeatedly found a home, while McGrillen-Evan’s left hand continued to look devastating.
The point deduction ultimately didn’t matter, as McGrillen-Evans dropped Garnett one last time in the third round with a beautiful pull-counter. Both fighters received raprturous applause from the Scottish crowd for playing their part in a fight that will surely go down as one of the best of all time.
