PFL 5 results and highlights: Magalhaes TKOs Halsey

Check out the results and highlights from PFL’s fifth event of the 2018 season, where Natan Schulte choked out Jason High and Vinny Magalhaes stopped Brandon Halsey with strikes.

The fifth week of PFL’s 2018 season just ended with Natan Schulte choking Jason High completely unconscious in the first round. High was so out of it that he started clinching with the referee and even unknowingly threw a knee to the body of Tan Dan. Schulte adds six points to his previous three, and now sits with nine total. In the co-main event, Vinny Magalhaes made quick work of Brandon Halsey, hurting him with a kick and then pounding him out for the first round win. Magalhaes earned another six points to bring his grand total to twelve.

Will Brooks leaned on his grappling tonight to win a unanimous decision over Robert Watley. Brooks picked up another three points for a total of six on the season. Maxim Grishin deployed a leg attack on Rakim Cleveland, and then took the fight to the ground where he scored a second round submission. Grishin earned himself five points, and now has eleven total points on the scoreboard. Opening up the main card, Rashid Magomedov out-struck Luiz Firmino to win a unanimous decision and pick up 3 points on the season.

Main Card:

Natan Schulte def. Jason High by technical sub (RNC) at 4:18 of round 1: Lightweight

High worked his Thai clinch in the opening round, launching knees in his opponent’s direction. Schulte hit a sweet foot sweep to find top position, and remained patient as he controlled High. Just as High went to scramble, he exposed his back and Schulte immediately locked up an RNC. High refused to tap and went unconscious. Wow!

• Schulte: 6 points/9 points
• High: 0 points

Vinny Magalhaes def. Brandon Halsey by TKO at 1:34 of round 1: Light Heavyweight

Halsey blasted an early takedown, but Magalhaes quickly returned to his feet. Magalhaes landed a head kick that dropped Halsey, and then swarmed his downed opponent with all sorts of ground strikes. Halsey was not intelligently defending himself so the referee had no choice but to step in and stop it.

• Magalhaes: 6 points/12 points
• Halsey: 0 points/4 points

Will Brooks def. Robert Watley by unanimous decision (30-27 x3): Lightweight

Brooks was able to control his opponent up against the fence early in the opening round, and patiently waited for his moment to get the takedown. Watley climbed his way back to his feet, but struggled to get his back off of the cage, until the referee did so. Watley blasted a takedown to put Brooks on his back momentarily.

Watley landed a big punch to open the second stanza, but Brooks closed the distance and shoved Watley back up against the cage. Brooks scored another takedown but Watley sprung right back up to his feet. A bit of rinse and repeating went on, until Brooks was able to move to the back. Brooks spent the rest of the round hunting for an RNC.

Brooks returned to his clinch work up against the fence in the final frame, and used it to get a takedown an take the back again. Brooks hunted for the RNC again, punching his opponent in an attempt to open up the neck, but Watley hung tough and scrambled back to his feet. Watley started to attack with his knees, but couldn’t prevent Brooks from shoving him back against the cage.

• Brooks: 3 points/6 points
• Watley: 0 points/5 points

Maxim Grishin def. Rakim Cleveland by submission (RNC) at 4:03 of round 2: Light Heavyweight

Grishin shot in to score an early takedown but found himself defending a guillotine. Cleveland used the hold to get back to his feet, but an accidental cup shot to Grishin caused a pause in the action. Grishin attacked the leg of his opponent and also landed a few solo strikes sporadically. Grishin even threw a blow just as the bell sounded followed by a glare in his opponent’s direction.

Grishin returned to his kicking attack in the second frame, and also started to attack the leg of Cleveland with knees to the thighs up against the fence. Cleveland jumped a guillotine in defense of a double leg, but it only gave his foe the top position. Grishin worked his way to the back where he flattened out Cleveland, dropped several hard strikes, and then locked up an RNC to get the tap.

• Grishin: 5 points/11 points
• Cleveland: 0 points/4 points

Rashid Magomedov def. Luiz Firmino by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28): Lightweight

Firmino took the back of Magomedov early in the fight, and controlled the position for a fat chunk of time. Magomedov remained calm and waited for his moment to explode, before turning around to finish the round on top. Magomedov came out throwing more volume in the second round, working his kicks and punches while Firmino looked to tee off with haymakers. The jab poked away at Firmino, as he was getting picked off on his way on the inside. Firmino brought the pressure in the final round, but ate a bunch of counter troubles as a result of his aggression. The pop-shotting continued on for Magomedov, and he continued to rack up strikes as Firmino marching forward behind hooks. The lightweights stood in the pocket down the stretch, energetically exchanging combos as time melted away.

• Magomedov: 3 points
• Firmino: 0 points

Prelims:

Chris Wade def. Yuki Kawana by submission (Guillotine) at 4:24 of round 1: Lightweight

• Wade: 6 points
• Kawana: 0 points

Dan Spohn def. Artur Alibulatov by unanimous decision: Light Heavyweight

• Spohn: 3 points/7 points
• Alibulatov: 0 points

Thiago Tavares def. Arthur Estrazulas by split decision: Lightweight

• Tavares: 3 points
• Estrazulas: 0 points