Things got off to a hot start earlier today (Sat., Nov. 29, 2024) at PFL’s 2024 World Championship event LIVE on ESPN+ from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when a 48-second head kick knockout sparked an early-morning “Prelims” undercard.
PFL’s mega-event on Saturday featured six finals matchups with each winner set to walk away with a $1 million prize. The ESPN+ main card was led by Brendan Loughnane, Dakota Ditcheva, and a matchup between undefeated welterweights Shamil Musaev and Magomed Umalatov, but the undercard featured some exciting matchups as well.
The first fight on the card was a welterweight clash between Dutch finisher, Costello van Steenis, and Brazilian knockout specialist, Joao Vitor Dantas, Both fighters were making their respective PFL debuts. It wasn’t the most high-profile bout of the day, but the track record for both welterweights suggested it would be a fire fight from the very beginning.
Let’s just say things started off with an early bang.
It took Steenis a total of 48 seconds to find a home for a crushing right head kick. The attack landed flush and immediately sent Dantas crashing to the canvas. Steenis was ready to jump in for a few insurance shots, but after Dantas’ head banged off the cage floor the referee quickly stepped in for the stoppage. It was pretty gnarly as Dantas was slow to come to.
Check it out in the above video player.
For more 2024 PFL World Championship results, coverage, and highlights, click HERE.