Tag: pfl

Francis Ngannou Calls Out Jon Jones: ‘The Right Fight’ – PFL vs. UFC

Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones PFL vs UFCPFL heavyweight king Francis Ngannou has called out for a match against the UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, in…

Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones PFL vs UFC

PFL heavyweight king Francis Ngannou has called out for a match against the UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, in a battle of the top of the heavyweight MMA world.

Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones

‘The Predator’ Francis Ngannou, of Cameroon, won and defended the UFC heavyweight title before walking away from the organization. To this day, he still carries the lineal UFC heavyweight championship which dates back decades. Since leaving the UFC, he has taken on two blockbuster boxing matches and captured the PFL heavyweight throne with a first-round knockout.

After Ngannou had left the UFC, ‘Bones’ Jon Jones stepped up to heavyweight after an incredible career at light heavyweight to grab the vacant title by first-round submission and later defended it against Stipe Miocic. The UFC heavyweight division currently has an interim champion, Tom Aspinall, who has also defended his title but Jones refuses to book the match. Instead, the US-born Jones is looking to face the light heavyweight champion or retire.

The PFL and lineal UFC champion Francis Ngannou is insisting that he should be next to face Jon Jones, adding even more names to the mix ahead of ‘Bones.’ This would be a battle of titles with the Cameroonian knockout machine carrying UFC lineage and Jones bringing the current heavyweight crown.

On X, Francis Ngannou Tweeted at Jon Jones:

“Blessings make haters uncomfortable, but they can’t change it. There’s only one fight, the right fight that will multiply your blessings. #NgannouVSJones.”

Five-time UFC champion Randy Couture recently said in an interview that it’s time for Jon Jones to step up and face Aspinall or Ngannou. ‘The Natural’ Couture explained:

“Jon Jones—as much as he doesn’t wanna fight Francis—is gonna have trouble avoiding that. Now he says he didn’t wanna fight Tom. I mean, why? You’re supposedly the GOAT. Step up and fight.”

Francis Ngannou PFL
Photo by Tim Wheaton

Francis Ngannou Calls Out Jon Jones: ‘The Right Fight’ – PFL vs. UFC

Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones PFL vs UFCPFL heavyweight king Francis Ngannou has called out for a match against the UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, in…

Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones PFL vs UFC

PFL heavyweight king Francis Ngannou has called out for a match against the UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, in a battle of the top of the heavyweight MMA world.

Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones

‘The Predator’ Francis Ngannou, of Cameroon, won and defended the UFC heavyweight title before walking away from the organization. To this day, he still carries the lineal UFC heavyweight championship which dates back decades. Since leaving the UFC, he has taken on two blockbuster boxing matches and captured the PFL heavyweight throne with a first-round knockout.

After Ngannou had left the UFC, ‘Bones’ Jon Jones stepped up to heavyweight after an incredible career at light heavyweight to grab the vacant title by first-round submission and later defended it against Stipe Miocic. The UFC heavyweight division currently has an interim champion, Tom Aspinall, who has also defended his title but Jones refuses to book the match. Instead, the US-born Jones is looking to face the light heavyweight champion or retire.

The PFL and lineal UFC champion Francis Ngannou is insisting that he should be next to face Jon Jones, adding even more names to the mix ahead of ‘Bones.’ This would be a battle of titles with the Cameroonian knockout machine carrying UFC lineage and Jones bringing the current heavyweight crown.

On X, Francis Ngannou Tweeted at Jon Jones:

“Blessings make haters uncomfortable, but they can’t change it. There’s only one fight, the right fight that will multiply your blessings. #NgannouVSJones.”

Five-time UFC champion Randy Couture recently said in an interview that it’s time for Jon Jones to step up and face Aspinall or Ngannou. ‘The Natural’ Couture explained:

“Jon Jones—as much as he doesn’t wanna fight Francis—is gonna have trouble avoiding that. Now he says he didn’t wanna fight Tom. I mean, why? You’re supposedly the GOAT. Step up and fight.”

Francis Ngannou PFL
Photo by Tim Wheaton

‘Could Smoke Topuria’ – Fans React As Unbeaten Timur Khizriev Beats Brendan Loughnane To Win 2024 PFL Featherweight Title

Timur Khizriev put a beating on former PFL featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane to capture this year’s 145-pound gold in the main event of the 2024 PFL World Championship. Khizriev established dominance early with consistent kicks, eventually securing a takedown. On the ground, he pressured and smothered Loughnane, leaving little room for the former champ to […]

Timur Khizriev put a beating on former PFL featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane to capture this year’s 145-pound gold in the main event of the 2024 PFL World Championship.

Khizriev established dominance early with consistent kicks, eventually securing a takedown. On the ground, he pressured and smothered Loughnane, leaving little room for the former champ to do offense.

The Russian continued to outstrike him in the second round, mixing in precise jabs and hard combinations. The British standout found brief success wtih a check hook, but Khizriev’s pressure and accuracy left him a bloodied mess by the round’s end.

The undefeated grappling specialist continued his offense before scoring another takedown. Loughnane continued to batted back to his feet and went toe-to-toe with Khizriev at times, but the Russian’s jab continued to be his key.

This pace continued the championship rounds, with Khizriev’s striking wearing Loughnane out and his grappling pressure proving to lock up his control of the fight.

One judge gave Khizriev a sweep, while the other gave him the fight 49-46.

Timur Khizriev Dominates Brendan Loughnane To Become 2024 PFL Featherweight Champion

Khizriev, the former Wushu Sanda champion, made it to the championship bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with wins over Brett Johns, Enrique Barzola, and Gabriel Braga earlier this year.

Loughnane, meanwhile, became PFL featherweight champion in 2022 but was upset by Jesus Pinedo in 2023. He made it to his second PFL final today with wins over Pedro Carvalho, Justin Gonzales, and Kai Kamaka III during the regular season.

‘Best WMMA Fighter In The World’ – Fans React As Dakota Ditcheva Batters Taila Santos To Win Inaugural PFL Flyweight Title

Dakota Ditcheva passed the toughest test of her career to date with flying colors to become the 2024 PFL flyweight champion, stopping Taila Santos in the second round. Many expected the former UFC title challenger to be a threat to the undefeated star in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the fight was one-way traffic from start […]

Dakota Ditcheva passed the toughest test of her career to date with flying colors to become the 2024 PFL flyweight champion, stopping Taila Santos in the second round.

Many expected the former UFC title challenger to be a threat to the undefeated star in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the fight was one-way traffic from start to finish.

It was clear right from the get-go that there was no comparison between them on the feet, with Ditcheva’s excellent striking causing damage to multiple targets and making her opponent bite on all of her feints.

The biggest takeaway in this fight was that when Santos was able to close the distance in order to test the Brit’s grappling, “Dangerous” was able to defend takedowns, keep herself safe, and get back to striking. She even took the Brazilian veteran down at one point before standing back up.

Santos looked to be hanging on at the end of the first round, and in the second, the champion picked up where she left off. After the damage started to add up, she put the stamp on her most impressive display to date by becoming the first woman to finish Santos.

Ditcheva didn’t just become the champion and win $1 million in this fight, she proved herself to be a legitimate world class competitor at flyweight. PFL strapped the rocket to the 25-year old, and it has more than paid off.

Fight fans reacted to her undeniable performance via social media:

VIDEO: Impa Kasanganay ‘Absolutely Murdered’ In Sub-Minute Finish At 2024 PFL World Championship

Turkmenistan now has an MMA world champion after Dovlet Yagshimuradov needed less than a minute to put away Impa Kasanganay and become the 2024 PFL light heavyweight champion. The two brought the action right away with a pair of exchanges. It was in the second, near the edge of the cage, when Yagshimuragdov rocked the […]

Turkmenistan now has an MMA world champion after Dovlet Yagshimuradov needed less than a minute to put away Impa Kasanganay and become the 2024 PFL light heavyweight champion.

The two brought the action right away with a pair of exchanges. It was in the second, near the edge of the cage, when Yagshimuragdov rocked the former UFC fighter and 2023 PFL champ with a couple of counterpunches.

Yagshimuradov then landed a series of uppercuts to drop Kasanganay and put away his hopes of back-to-back titles.

Dovlet Yagshimuradov Finishes Impa Kasanganay In 58 Seconds, Captures PFL Light Heavyweight Championship

Yagshimuradov joined the PFL earlier this year after the promotion’s purchase of Bellator. He reached today’s title fight in Riyadh after wins over Jakob Nedoh, Simon Biyong, and 2022 PFL champion Rob Wilkinson.

Kasanganay, meanwhile, was one of MMA’s top underdog stories of 2023, going from sleeping in his car to defeating Josh Silveira to become PFL light heavyweight champion.

After a competitive loss to Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen this past February, Kasanganay reached the 205-pound final for the second year in a row with wins over Alex Polizzi, Nedoh, and Silveira.

VIDEO: Shamil Musaev Wins Battle Of Undefeated Russians With Nasty Left Hook, Nets PFL Welterweight Title

Shamil Musaev is the 2024 PFL welterweight champion after coming out on top in the battle of the undefeated Russian competitors. He improved to 20-0-1 by stopping Magomed Umalatov in the third round with a devastating left hook. As expected, the fight at Friday’s event in Riyadh was incredibly strategic and both men weren’t willing […]

Shamil Musaev is the 2024 PFL welterweight champion after coming out on top in the battle of the undefeated Russian competitors. He improved to 20-0-1 by stopping Magomed Umalatov in the third round with a devastating left hook.

As expected, the fight at Friday’s event in Riyadh was incredibly strategic and both men weren’t willing to risk over-asserting themselves. With that, there was a lot of feeling out and reads in-between the action.

Umalatov appeared to be building into the fight following a slow start, but everything that Musaev did, he did it well in order to keep his opponent guessing.

Whether it was his quick strikes and exits or his world-class takedown defense, the champion started ahead of Umalatov and maintained that lead throughout before landing the ruthless shot that secured him his third finish of the year.

Watch another great finish from the 2024 PFL World Championship in Saudi Arabia that was perfectly set up by a feint from the promotion’s latest welterweight king below.

The grappling exchanges were always going to be fascinating between these two, and though we only got a few of them, they lived up to the expectations.

The usually stoic Musaev even cracked a smile when being awarded the welterweight title and the $1 million cheque after handing Umalatov the first loss of his 18-fight pro career.