PFL 6 results and highlights: Harrison wins again, Cooper crushes Kusch

Check out the results and highlights from PFL’s sixth event of the 2018 season, where Olympic gold medalist Judoka Kayla Harrison won her second pro fight with a third round TKO.

The sixth week of PFL’s 2018 season just ended with Ray Cooper III smoking Pavel Kusch in a brief 18 seconds to win six points, giving him eleven points total. The co-main event saw Magomed Magomedkerimov and Bojan Velickovic went back and forth for the full fifteen minutes. When it was all said and done, it was Magomedkerimov who walked away with the unanimous nod, adding three points to the leaderboard to make a total of nine on the season. Despite the loss, Velickovic still has five points on the board.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Judoka Kayla Harrison dominated Jozette Cotton on the ground for two rounds, before sniffing out a TKO in the third. Bring on the Ronda Rousey comparisons! Also on the card, Abubakar Nurmagomedov picked up a grinding decision win over Jonatan Westin to get himself three points on the board. Opening up the main card, Joao Zeferino picked up another finish when he choked out Yuri Villefort in the third round of their welterweight bout. Zeferino earned himself four points for a total of ten points on the season.

Main card:

Ray Cooper III def. Pavel Kusch by KO at :18 of round 1: Welterweight

Cooper was all business tonight. Marching forward behind his power, throwing heavy haymakers at his opponent’s face. Kusch was cracked with a blazing left hand that dropped him, and Cooper was not going to let him off the hook. A couple of ground strikes later, and the referee was rescuing Kusch. Yikes!

• Cooper III: 6 points/12 points
• Kusch: 0 points/5 points

Magomed Magomedkerimov def. Bojan Velickovic by unanimous decision (29-28 x3): Welterweight

Velickovic slipped on a kick and found himself working off of his back to start off the bout. Back on the feet, a low blow to Magomedkerimov caused a break in the action. Velickovic shot in for a takedown, but Magomedkerimov jumped a guillotine and used it to get right back up. Magomedkerimov returned the favor and accidentally kicked his opponent low. Magomedkerimov shot in for a takedown, but Velickovic returned the favor and jumped a guillotine of his own. He was unable to finish the sub before the round ended.

Velickovic shot in to start the second frame, but again, Magomedkerimov jumped a Guillotine. Magomedkerimov was unable to use it to get back to his feet this time, and was forced to find another way. Another takedown was defended by Magomedkerimov jumping a guillotine, and again he wound up on the bottom. A botched anaconda choke put the bout back on the feet, but a slip from Magomedkerimov brought the fight right back down to the mat.

Velickovic looked for the takedown in the final round, but Magomedkerimov was ready for it and was able to remain vertical. A couple of clean punches landed for Magomedkerimov before he blasted a takedown of his own. Magomedkerimov took the back and then full mount to finish the round with a flurry from the top.

• Magomedkerimov: 3 points/9 points
• Velickovic: 0 points/5 points

Kayla Harrison def. Jozette Cotton by TKO at 1:24 of round 3: (W) Lightweight

Harrison worked her striking game right out of the gate, throwing everything from overhands to head kicks in her opponent’s direction. Cotton gave up the takedown before the first round reached its midpoint, and it wasn’t long before Harrison took full mount. Punches in bunches came raining down which opened up an armbar attempt, but Cotton held on long enough for the bell to ring.

Harrison found top position within the first-thirty seconds of the second stanza, and began dropping quite a bit of punches from inside of the full guard. After spending most of the round in the guard, Harrison moved into side control where she dropped a few knees to the body before time ran out. Harrison blasted a beautiful double leg to start the final round. Cotton began to scramble a lot better than she did in the first-two rounds, but it only opened up the heavy ground and pound for Harrison. The referee had seen enough and stepped in to rescue Cotton from any further punishment.

Abubakar Nurmagomedov def. Jonatan Westin by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28): Welterweight

Westin came out looking to box, and was able to fend off Nurmagomedov’s initial takedown attempt. An accidental low kick to Nurmagomedov caused a pause in the action. Nurmagomedov was quick to get a takedown once the action resumed, and Westin struggled to climb back to his feet until there was about 20 seconds remaining in the opening round.

Nurmagomedov returned to top position early in the second round, with Westin again having issues with the top control of his opponent. There wasn’t a ton of damage being scored for Nurmagomedov, as Westin was the one striking and throwing up sub attempts. The third round saw more of the same. Nurmagomedov was dominant with his control was low with the striking volume. Westin rolled for an armbar with about a minute left, and used the moment to get back to his feet, but nothing substantial was landed before time expired.

• Nurmagomedov: 3 points
• Westin: 0 points

Joao Zeferino def. Yuri Villefort by submission (RNC) at 1:10 of round 3: Welterweight

Zeferino came out landing heavy with his hands, using his strikes to close the distance. Villefort did a sound job of staying on his feet, so the welterweights slugged it out on the feet for the rest of the opening round. Zeferino blasted an early takedown in the second round, but Villefort was able to scramble back to his feet where he brought the forward pressure. Villefort looked for the takedown, but Zeferino was having none of it and landed some clean strikes before the bell sounded. It was Zeferino who attacked the takedown early in the final frame. It didn’t take him very long to find the back and lock in a rear-naked choke. Villefort was either going to tap out or black out. He tapped.

• Zeferino: 4 points/10 points
• Villefort: 0 points

Prelims:

Rick Story def. Carlton Minus by technical submission (RNC) at 2:55 of round 2: Welterweight

• Story: 5 points/8 points
• Minus: 0 points

Jake Shields def. Herman Terrado by unanimous decision: Welterweight

• Shields: 3 points
• Terrado: 0 points

Bruno Santos def. John Howard by unanimous decision: Middleweight

• Santos: 3 points/6 points
• Howard: 0 points/5 points

Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Anderson Goncalves by KO at 1:27 of round 1: Middleweight

• Magomedov: 6 points/12 points
• Goncalves: 0 points

Shamil Gamzatov def. Rex Harris by unanimous decision: Middleweight

• Gamzatov: 3 points/6 points
• Harris: 0 points/3 points

Louis Taylor def. Andre Lobato by unanimous decision: Middleweight

• Taylor: 3 points/7 points
• Lobato: 0 points

Gasan Umalatov def. Eddie Gordon by unanimous decision: Middleweight

• Umalatov: 3 points
• Gordon: 0 points