PFL 7 2024 Playoffs Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Nicholas Meck (170.2) vs. Kevin Pease (169.2)

Round 1

After six fight cards to lock down the fields, the playoffs are here for the PFL. They begin in Nashville, the self-proclaimed “home of country music,” with heavyweights and women’s flyweights in tow. Before the semifinals begin, six matchups will set the table. The combat begins in the welterweight division as a pair of newcomers try to make their mark and throw their hats in the ring for 2025 consideration. Coming in from Kansas, Meck (7-1, 0-0 PFL) battles local fighter Pease (5-0, 1 NC; 0-0 PFL) who trains out of Kill Cliff FC. Both fighters celebrate a single knockout win along with three submissions on their ledger, and referee Eric McMahon will be the first to know whether either man registers another on those columns. A glove touch begins the festivities—although the matches were preceded by a concert from country act Big & Rich—and it’s on with the show. Pease tells his foe to give his kick a chance, and Meck counters perfectly with a right hand that sends “Sweet Peas” flying. Meck tries to clean his plate early by tackling Pease to the floor and attacking with ground-and-pound, and as Pease scrambles, Meck tags him with a surprisingly effective right hand from behind. Pease muscles his way back to the feet, leaning on the cage wall to get there, and Meck is quick to drag him down again. Pease tries to hit a switch to flip his man over, only for “Black Cat” to press his luck and thwart the scramble. Pease works his way up again, kneeing Meck a few times when Meck grinds on him. Meck gives him back much more resounding knees, and Pease spins his foe around and tags him with uppercuts. Meck counters with a clean right hand and sends Pease tumbling to the floor, and once more Meck races forward to try to finish the job. Pease manages to turn to his back while on the mat, and Meck bludgeons him and draws blood around the corner of the eye. Meck sits in half guard and threatens with an arm-triangle before stepping over into mount, and Pease times this movement to explode and get out of the worst of positions. Pease turns to threaten with a single-leg takedown, but Meck holds him flat and sprawls to defend it. Meck turns the corner and takes Pease’s back, allowing Pease to crawl his way to the wire and lean on it while on his knees. Pease bursts upright, and Meck walks him down throwing hands, confident as can be. Meck beats Pease to the punch, ignoring a big left hand and dropping to his knees to stifle a takedown effort from “Sweet Peas.” Meck hangs on from above, wrenching Pease to the floor when Pease tries to stand, and the round ends with Meck in control.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Meck
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Meck
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-8 Meck

Round 2

Brimming with vim and vigor, Meck surges out of his corner and lets his hands go almost immediately. Pease gets his bell rung for the umpteenth time, and he suddenly has to defend a takedown coming his way when Meck overswings a few times. Pease lets Meck up and presses him to the wall to impose his body weight, but Meck shucks him off. Pease surprises Meck with a one-two out of nowhere, and he absorbs a flush body kick and gives back an overhand right. Meck rushes forward, and the sheer chest-to-chest collision knocks Meck briefly to his seat. Meck gets back up, and after breaking from the clinch, he gets Pease’s attention with a solid right. Pease bites down on his gumshield and slings a big right hand, and Meck walks through a low kick and pins a one-two on the chin. Meck chains a few punches together, drawing a wry grin from Pease, who is taking strikes and responding with multiple low kicks. Meck’s punches get labored as he lobs them inaccurately, and Pease capitalizes on this sluggishness by lifting Meck up in the air and planting him on his seat with a double-leg takedown. Pease hangs on after taking his adversary down, not willing to give up position to unleash any ground strikes. Meck keeps his hand up to block the few punches that come his way, and Pease opts to relocate himself in mount but settles for half guard. Pease scores a few short body shots, and the second round comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pease
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pease
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Pease

Round 3

Gloves are touched, and Meck runs forward hellbent for leather. Pease sees the strikes coming and hops away, and he connects with a left hand before Meck gets his hands on him. Meck clasps his hands and deposits Pease to the canvas, but “Sweet Peas” is back on his feet in seconds. Meck looks for a trip with his legs, and he drops all the way to the ankle to pick it but comes up short on his try. Pease suddenly jumps guard with a guillotine choke, and Meck does not budge and instead slowly inches his neck out of danger while pressing through into a takedown. Pease wall-walks to get back up, allowing Meck to snag hold of his left leg and mat return him. Pease again climbs upright, and Meck doggedly pursues the single for all of his worth. Meck chains the maneuver into a double, and Pease splits his hips as far as he can stretch them to stop the takedown. Pease grabs the fence repeatedly to keep himself on his feet, and Meck still manages to keep control of him. Meck leans down low on his knees to get Pease down, and Pease responds with a long stream of hammerfists as McMahon watches closely. Meck stands up and shakes his arms out, and Pease tries to take him down in response. Meck spins him around and pursues a single and then a double, and Pease keeps himself upright even if he is getting nullified. Meck knees the body and thigh to stay busy in the tie-up, and Pease tries to do the same. Pease uses his remaining reserves to whip Meck around and go for a takedown, and Meck stops this from going anywhere by yanking on Pease’s right arm in an awkward hammerlock position. Meck uses this grip to hang on to the final bell, concluding this grinder of an opener.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Meck (29-27 Meck)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pease (28-28)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Pease (28-28)

The Official Result

Kevin Pease def. Nicholas Meck via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Jaleel Willis (172.6: Missed Weight) vs. Anthony Ivy (172.8: Missed Weight)

Round 1

Making his return to the promotion after over eight years away, Willis (16-6, 1-0 PFL) hopes to turn things around having lost four of five under the Bellator banner. He will battle the surging Ivy (14-7, 1-0 PFL), who has earned six straight wins all inside the distance. While this match was initially booked at welterweight, both men missed weight, resulting in offsetting fines. Referee Jason Herzog draws the charge for this catchweight affair of 173 pounds, and he clocks them in as the fighters elect to touch ‘em up. Willis is quick to get to the center of the cage, and he drifts back as Ivy kicks his lead leg a few times on the calf and upper thigh. Ivy prods out with front kicks to the knee, and he strafes from side to side before absorbing a hard low kick. Ivy whips a kick up high, and Willis grabs the leg in the air and pursues a takedown with it. Willis presses his man across the cage with the limb outstretched, and he manages to drag Ivy down. Ivy spins him around as soon as they hit the ground, deftly landing on top. Willis closes his guard up as he eats short punches from above, and he bucks and creeps his way towards the wall. Ivy stands up when Willis pushes off with butterfly hooks, and Willis uses this as a moment to explode and work his way to his feet. Ivy attempts to throw him back down to the mat, but “The Realest” remains on his feet. Ivy spins him about and considers a double, and he elects to use a body lock takedown instead to chuck Willis down like a training dummy. Ivy lands chest-to-chest in half guard, and he starts smacking Willis with hammerfists that force Willis to scramble recklessly. Ivy takes advantage of this by taking his back and getting a hook in, and he starts fishing for a rear-naked choke. When Willis defends it properly, Ivy switches to a more brute force short choke from behind that he abandons after a solid tug. Willis bursts his way around to turn Ivy to his back, and he wraps his arms around the waist when Ivy attempts to escape. Ivy fights to his feet, and Willis boots him in the head from behind seconds before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ivy
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ivy
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Ivy

Round 2

A quick glove touch checks in the round, and Ivy stabs out with a subsequent side kick that bumps into the cup. Willis adjusts his athletic supporter and is able to go on without pausing, and Ivy swarms forward swinging punches and then dips down with a high kick. Willis defends against the strike and reaches out with a jab and a thudding leg kick. Willis ends a combo with a right hand, and Ivy buzzes his hair with a counter. Ivy comes up short when winging an overhand right, and he has a front kick fly past his opponent. Willis times a perfect right hook as Ivy comes at him, sending “Aquaman” down to the depths. Ivy manages to stay in the fight as he gets to his knees, and Willis threatens with a power guillotine but cannot hold it. Ivy turns to his back, and Willis climbs over him and steps to the side to lock down an arm-triangle choke. Ivy turns to his side and slides out of the submission danger, and he works his way upright. Willis jumps down after a guillotine, and Ivy pays it little mind and welcomes it so he can claim top position. A few seconds tick off the clock, and Ivy slips out of the sub and drags Willis away from the cage wall to put him flat on his back. Willis scoots his way to put his side against the fence and prevent Ivy from having the proper leverage for a submission, so Ivy decides to start drilling him with left hands and hammerfists. Willis sits up, and Ivy keeps swinging until he gets chest-to-chest to drag Willis to his back once more. Willis counters with a single attempt, and Ivy hangs on to trap Willis’ arm between his legs in hopes of setting up a crucifix when flipping him over. Willis rolls through, but he gives his back up and is immediately in submission danger. Ivy completes the rear-naked choke, and Willis turns over to his stomach but is still in big trouble. Willis thinks about going out on his shield, but he taps out instead, scoring the big comeback for Ivy who had been dropped mere minutes before.

The Official Result

Anthony Ivy def. Jaleel Willis R2 4:49 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Sergio Cossio (162.8: Missed Weight) vs. Dedrek Sanders (155.2)

Round 1

With a professional record that cannot be completely authenticated, Mexico’s Cossio (19-9-1, 1-0 PFL) has nevertheless won nine bouts in a row. Ahead of his second outing, however, Cossio exceeded the 156-pound limit by over six pounds, and he surrenders a chunk of his purse to Sanders (8-4, 0-0 PFL). Formerly of Anchorage BJJ and now as local as it gets tonight as a resident of Nashville, Sanders will look to introduce himself to the league while coming off of a loss. The two bump fists in front of referee Eric McMahon, and it starts slowly from the two fighters. Cossio stays on the outside offering body kicks, and one inadvertently bangs into the cup to pause the action for a few seconds. Sanders is good to go and he rings Cossio’s bell with a combination of punches. Sanders stabs the body with his toes extended to make Cossio scowl, and Sanders slips a few punches and stuffs a takedown. Cossio takes a deep breath as he bounces off the cage, and Sanders lays into him with a barrage of punches. Cossio appears totally wiped out already, and Sanders does not let him off the hook for long. Cossio gets off a low kick, and he is driven back to the cage with punches and a knee to the body. Sanders grabs hold of a Thai clinch and smashes Cossio with his fists, and a number of left hands hurt Cossio badly. Sanders’ left hand is money, and he batters the Mexican’s head around like a piñata until Cossio’s legs betray him and give way beneath him. When Cossio hits the deck, McMahon knows the job is done and waves the fight off. Sanders make the heavier man pay dearly for coming in at that weight, and he embraces his corner after a good two-plus minute bludgeoning.

The Official Result

Dedrek Sanders def. Sergio Cossio R1 2:34 via KO (Punches)

Cody Law (145.4) vs. Zachary Hicks (145.6)

Round 1

Bellator staple Law (8-2, 0-0 PFL) is crossing over to the other side after all 10 of his outings came in that organization. While owned by the same company, things are undoubtedly run a bit differently in PFL compared to Bellator—until the inevitable merger of rosters. While Law will be new to this specific cage configuration, Hicks (9-5, 0-1 PFL) has experienced it once before, coming up short in the 2023 edition of Challenger Series. Ready for his second chance to make a first impression, the Nashville native strides out of the center of the cage with no glove touch in sight, all while referee Blake Grice watches on. Law takes charge with an early low kick, and he absorbs a powerful calf kick and counters Hicks over the top. Law pins another leg kick on the same spot, and Hicks does the same to his opponent’s leg. Law pushes out a front kick, is away from a right hand and works on the lead leg once more. Hicks’ from calf is turning red in a hurry, and Law is quicker and more accurate from the outset. Law sneaks a right hand around the guard and dodges a counter, reddening Hicks’ face with short combinations. As Hicks plants a shin on the lead leg of his opponent, he shoots in deep for a single. Law stops it and lands a few strikes to the side of the head before swirling around to get Hicks’ back and slip a hook in. Law calmly controls as the other hook goes in, and he fastens up a rear-naked choke in a hurry. Hicks rolls over to his back, but the ultra-slick submission is already locked up and there is nothing more that Hicks can do. Hicks’ eyes go wide, and he promptly surrenders before consciousness leaves his body. Law needed one single opening to secure the finish, and he did so in the blink of an eye. This marks only the second sub that Law has landed, with the first coming in his pro debut back in 2020.

The Official Result

Cody Law def. Zachary Hicks R1 3:15 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Alexei Pergande (146) vs. Daniel Boehle (145.2)

Round 1

It’s an all-Tennessee rumble when a Nashville native in Pergande (4-0, 4-0 PFL) throws down with Knoxville MMA’s Boehle (4-2, 0-0 PFL). Both fighters, still early into their careers, prefer to land submissions, so it could be an interesting grappling affair for as long as it plays out. Referee Eric McMahon will be there every step of the way, and he stands back and lets the featherweights handle their business. There is no glove touch, with Pergande leading with a low kick and getting charged by the massive underdog Boehle. Pergande defends the oncoming blows and fires off a head kick that wraps around the guard, and he is forced to immediately defend from a single. Boehle pushes the favored fighter to the fencing—Pergande is coming in around -3300 odds, making him one of the bigger betting favorites in company history—but he cannot keep Pergande there. Boehle ferociously throws knees and uppercuts, but Pergande backs him off with a crisp knee. Boehle rushes forward hands down, chin up, and walks straight into a jump knee. Boehle miraculously survives the strike and absorbs serious punishment as Pergande works his body and head with flying fists. Boehle grips hold of his opponent, and Pergande body locks him to the floor. Boehle ties his man up until Pergande decides to bail on the position and get back to his feet, and when Boehle stands to follow him, he gets kicked upside the head. Boehle attempts to take the fight down again, and Pergande tees off on him with heavy strikes to the side of the head. Pergande holds Boehle down from behind, and Boehle rolls through it but finds himself quickly in the same position before the roll. Boehle works his way upright, and when he is no longer grounded, Pergande blasts him in the face with a knee. Pergande imposes his weight and kicks at Boehle’s lead leg a few times to trip him up, but Boehle breaks free and rushes forward recklessly. Pergande kicks him in the face and knees him for good measure, but “Dapper Dan” has a chin on him and is doggedly determined to get the fight to the mat, even to his detriment. They knee one another from up close, and Pergande slams his shoulder on Boehle’s face and tags him with a fierce right hand. Pergande breaks and lands a high kick, and he rips a front kick to the body as well. Boehle races after him lunging with a kick and a punch, and Pergande beats him to it but gets caught with a hook when trading punches. Pergande stings his man with another high kick, and Boehle shells up as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Pergande
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pergande
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Pergande

Round 2

The two begin with a more grappling-centric approach, where they clinch up instead of letting strikes fly. Boehle tries to get wild, and Pergande back flips out of the way dramatically. Boehle meanders forward, chin straight in the air, throwing bungalows until he shoots in for a double. Boehle abandons the effort and measures another angle to get in, where he loops one leg around Pergande’s in an effort to tie him down. Pergande turns him around mid-air to land on top, landing in half guard and smacking him with his shoulder. Pergande softens the body up, and Boehle clamps on one arm to search for an armlock, only to turn over briefly when thinking he has something. He lets it go shortly thereafter, recovering to full guard when he gets to his back again. Boehle takes deep breaths from off his back, allowing Pergande to rest as well from on top of him while wrenching on the right arm. Pergande drops down a right hand very close to an elbow—those are illegal in all PFL fights, not just the ones in the tournament—and keeps working with some body shots. Boehle tries to kick off, and he gets stacked up and has a triangle setup thwarted. Boehle closes his guard, opening it only when Pergande nails him with a left hand. Pergande sits down on a few powerful punches, shaking Boehle up but not hurting him particularly. Boehle considers leaning on a guillotine choke, but there is nothing to do it from that angle, so he elects to wrap his arms around Pergande’s to stifle him. Pergande rips his arms free and passes through a triangle setup to rain down strikes, doing so until putting Boehle flat on his back. Boehle sells out for an armbar, turning himself upside-down and making it tight. Pergande keeps his full body weight down to stop the submission from getting deep, and he smiles at his corner as time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pergande
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pergande
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Pergande

Round 3

Boehle is the aggressor coming out of his corner while Pergande circles on the outside, and Pergande times a right hand counter while Boehle overswings. Boehle goes for broke with winging right hands, and Pergande stings him with a head kick and a body kick. Boehle shakes it off and loads up on full power, chasing Pergande around but not cutting him off. Boehle ties his foe up, and Pergande easily spins him around and pushes him to the fence. Pergande briefly flirts with a trip, and on a second effort he tosses Boehle to the floor. When Boehle hits his seat, Pergande wraps up a brabo choke, and Boehle leans to his side to alleviate the pressure on the neck. Pergande presses down with his full weight on the back of the neck, and Boehle turns properly to keep him in the fight. Boehle flops to his back to shut the submission down once and for all, allowing Pergande to climb on top because it is better than the immediately dangerous alternative. McMahon asks for more effort from the undefeated fighter, who is controlling without landing much. McMahon pleads again for more activity, and Boehle flips over and pushes his foot off Pergande’s face to attack an armbar. Boehle is warned for grabbing the glove, and Pergande muscles him back over to terminate the submission attempt on him. McMahon wants blood, and he stands the fighters up after a third request. With 75 seconds left, Boehle runs forward, arms flailing, but it is a ruse to shoot for a takedown. Pergande pushes him down and bowls him over to the back, where he rocks down several left hands. Boehle rolls over to pursue an armlock and then potentially a knee, but he abandons that to looks for a kimura. Pergande holds on from behind to not let it go anywhere, landing effective punches from the side of the head. Pergande maintains this until time expires, and he lets loose a bellow when walking off, hands in the air, before hitting a celebratory back flip.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pergande (30-26 Pergande)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pergande (30-27 Pergande)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Pergande (30-27 Pergande)

The Official Result

Alexei Pergande def. Daniel Boehle via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Sergey Bilostenniy (249.6) vs. Tyrell Fortune (255.6)

Round 1

Capping off the prelims is a rematch and possible heavyweight alternate bout between flashy striker Bilostenniy (12-3, 1-0 PFL) and rugged wrestler Fortune (14-2, 2 NC; 1-0 PFL). They first met in April 2023, and the Russian was disqualified for an egregious number of shots to the back of the head. Both men came to PFL earlier this year after competing under the Bellator banner, and a solid win plus a little bad luck to one of the four big men fighting later could mean big money for the victor. Before they try to bust one another in the chops, they opt to touch gloves. Referee Jason Herzog is on call for what comes next. Bilostenniy strikes first with a pounding low kick, and he feints several jabs and tosses out another low kick. Fortune replies with a calf kick that trips Bilostenniy up briefly, but the Russian gathers himself. Bilostenniy throws a punch, and Fortune responds with an overhand right and a single that gingerly deposits Bilostenniy to the mat. Bilostenniy uses butterfly hooks when hitting the mat to stand Fortune back up, and he hunts for a leglock when doing so. Fortune responds with several right hands, and Fortune drops to a knee and might have phantom tapped a few times from the heel hook. Fortune shouts out repeatedly from the leglock, but Herzog does not register these cries as a verbal submission. Fortune keeps groaning, and Herzog warns him that these noises could be considered fight-ending. As Fortune twists, his face contorted in pain, he continues to yell out. Herzog waves the fight off, and some serious damage might have been done to Fortune’s right leg. Bilostenniy, who has successfully pulled off the first submission of his career, goes over to embrace his defeated opponent. Fortune wants absolutely nothing to do with him. Fortune leans on the cage wall and is not a happy camper after suffering his first-ever submission defeat, and Bilostenniy is prepped and ready to serve as a backup for the finals if need be.

The Official Result

Sergey Bilostenniy def. Tyrell Fortune R1 2:00 via Verbal Submission (Heel Hook)

Taila Santos (125.2) vs. Liz Carmouche (127: Missed Weight)

Round 1

The main card is upon us, and it’s time for some significant fights. Of the four remaining matchups, this formerly flyweight tilt may have pound-for-pound implications—although some of the luster fell off this affair as Carmouche (22-7, 2-0 PFL) missed weight for the first time in her career and will be down one point on the scorecards when it comes to advancing in PFL. Santos (21-3, 2-0 PFL) wants to make the most of that PFL-only point difference, in a similar vein to Acoidan Duque vs. Aleksandr Chizovs in the past. This 127-pound catchweight contest will be officiated by referee Blake Grice, and it begins without a touch of gloves as Carmouche wants to get right after it. She does just that, meandering forward through a few leg kicks to load up on right hands. Santos pops her with a counter hook when Carmouche darts in, and she comes up short with a front kick. Carmouche chops at the front leg with a stiff kick, and she parries a front kick. Carmouche surprises her foe with a hook kick, and Santos calms down and kicks the lead leg. Carmouche jabs the body, and Santos stays busy chipping at her front leg. Carmouche connects with an overhand right and chains it into a single-leg entry. Santos drops to a knee to defend it, sprawling to defend it and fighting off a subsequent trip attempt. Carmouche lifts the Brazilian up but sets her down on her feet, unable to catch her off-balance. Carmouche goes low for a single, and Santos clasps her hands between Carmouche’s legs to stifle it. Carmouche jams her up against the wire, and Santos defends with a standing guillotine choke. Carmouche ignores the submission and pursues a double, and Grice asks for more effort. Santos attempts to step out of it, and she nearly trips Carmouche up but cannot get the American down. On a second effort, Santos hits a body lock and puts the Bellator champ on her back. Carmouche uses butterfly hooks the moment she hits the pat, pushing off while not letting Santos get situated on top. Santos pushes through an armbar setup, and Carmouche turns to her knees and ultimately gives her back up. Santos sneaks a hook in and snatches up a rear-naked choke, but it is on the chin and not under it. “Girl-Rilla” punches her way out of it, and Santos adjusts the grip and switches her arms to wrap hold of the face crank. Carmouche toughs it out until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Santos

Round 2

Carmouche races out of her corner ready to attack, and she lands low kicks and an overhand right to start. Santos backs off and tosses out a low kick and one to the body, and Carmouche chips at her front leg a few more times before firing off a one-two. Santos pushes out a jab, and a low kick is checked. Carmouche defends another and misses a two-punch salvo, and she has her own leg kick checked. They clash their shins repeatedly as they block the leg kicks from one another, and Carmouche keeps moving forward making Santos think about strikes. Santos digs a left to the body and a right to the head, and she ends the combo with a calf kick. Santos reaches at the end of a right hand to get Carmouche’s attention, and Carmouche responds by sweeping the leg and tripping Santos up. Santos gathers her footing and jabs, and she keeps her guard up to defend a high kick. Santos stabs out with a front kick, and she hand-fights to block a one-two down the pipe. Santos goes low with a kick, and Carmouche scores with the response. Santos blitzes with a few punches, and Carmouche retaliates with a big overhand right and a chopping calf kick. Santos snaps the head back with a powerful one-two, and a second right hand shakes the 40-year-old up. Santos shoots in for a takedown instead of capitalizing on stunning her opponent, and this allows Carmouche to clear out any cobwebs while clinched. Carmouche lifts Santos up with a knee to the sternum, and she pounds another to the ribs. Carmouche stays the busier of the two while tied up, and she counters a throw to toss Santos to their collective knees. They both work their way back up, and Santos wraps her arms around the waist of her opponent in an effort to complete a body lock. Carmouche turns the tables on her, slamming the Brazilian to the floor and landing in side control. Carmouche works on the body while hanging out on top, and she keeps a tight grip to stop Santos from escaping. A few peppering punches from “Girl-Rilla” concludes the frame.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Carmouche
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Carmouche

Round 3

Carmouche is a woman on a mission to get started in the last round, and she blasts through the hips to chuck Santos to the mat. The Brazilian works her way back upright, getting up when Carmouche is about to claim mount. Carmouche stays tightly pressed to her foe when they stand back up, kneeing Santos in the side and thigh. Santos gives her a knee back, but Carmouche is not concerned as she drops to her knees for a different takedown effort. Santos remains standing while controlled against the cage, and Carmouche spams knees to the legs before railing one to the body. Carmouche eats a short uppercut as Santos pushes her away, and they swing with wild strikes that miss the mark when breaking. Carmouche lands two low kicks, and she absorbs a right hand on her bloodied nose. Carmouche whips a right hand over the top back at her, and part of it sneaks around the guard. Carmouche checks a kick and sticks out a right hand, and she darts in with a scooping uppercut. Carmouche has a one-two miss the mark, and Santos clubs her back with a pair of mean punches. Santos jabs with the ball of her foot a few times, flustering Carmouche and causing more blood to flow. Carmouche swings a right hand into a trip attempt, and Santos drops down to her knees to sprawl. Santos manages to stop the attempt and turn Carmouche around, with blood leaking from “Girl-Rilla” to the mat. Santos has her hands clasped between the legs again to stop the takedown, and this stalemate rips seconds off the clock. With 10 seconds to spare, Carmouche elevates and slams Santos down to the floor, ending the fight on top and making this a tough one to score. Two different results could be in play here, but the Sherdog’s Official Scores will not factor in the point deduction nor will the official commission result on Fight Finder. It is the PFL that will bring in the point situation, where a tiebreaker in the event of a draw for PFL would mean Santos moves on. An outright win for Santos would remain unchanged.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Carmouche (29-28 Carmouche)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Carmouche (29-28 Santos)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Carmouche (29-28 Carmouche)

The Official Result

Taila Santos def. Liz Carmouche via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Oleg Popov (247.2) vs. Linton Vassell (248)

Round 1

Due to some card changes, a top-seeded fighter takes on the No. 6 seed. Popov (18-1, 1-0 PFL) will be carrying his mighty 16-fight win streak in tow, while former Bellator title challenger Vassell (24-9, 1 NC; 1-1 PFL) upset Valentin Moldavsky in June. Their weights are nearly equal while their heights and reaches are not, but they meet in the middle and bump fists just the same. There is a sharp inhale from referee Jason Herzog as the heavy hitters are about to ply their trade for the next 15 minutes or less. Popov lands first with a kick, and he gets jabbed back. Popov lands another leg kick, and the jab from Vassell is accurate. Vassell gets clipped with a jab, and he stops a takedown and knocks Popov back a step with a counter hook. Popov goes high with a kick that is easily blocked, and Vassell nails him with a leg kick. Popov tackles his man over courtesy of a single, and Vassell turns to stand up or turn the corner, but the second effort from the Russian put Vassell down to the mat. Vassell sits up with underhooks while looking for a sweep, and he works his way to his feet and knees Popov in the guts when clinched. Vassell jams his foe against the wire, and Popov spins him about and squeezes forward like he wishes to press Vassell through the chain links. Popov hits a beautiful throw, and Vassell scrambles right back up to his feet no worse for wear. Popov remains pressed to him, wrenching his man back down, and Vassell counters with a kimura sweep attempt. Vassell uses the in an effort to sneak around and take the back, and Popov slides out the back door and slugs Vassell in the chops with several left hands. Vassell grabs the fence to adjust his posture, and he works his way upright with the cage at his side. Popov drags him back to his knees, irritating him with left hands, and goes for a mat return. Vassell threatens with a guillotine when standing, and Popov powers through it and hits a double. Vassell smacks his man on the side of the head with wide-arcing hammerfists, and he gets to his knees in the process. The Brit works himself upright, but he eats some punishment to get there including a few solid left hands and a thumping knee to the body. Popov attacks a single with seconds to spare, getting Vassell down to end the round on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Popov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Popov
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Popov

Round 2

The heavyweights meet in the middle of the cage, and Vassell looks to get a jab out but gets popped with a slinging right. Vassell replies with a high kick that glances off the shoulder, and he gets stung with a left hook that wobbles his knees briefly. Popov wings two hooks that do not find their home, and he hops forward delivering a crisp left hook on the forward bow. Popov dives after a single, and Vassell turns to his side and scoots to the wall the second his backside hits the floor. Vassell sits on a knee before powering his way upright, and Popov pursues a single on the other side and fights off a kimura sweep to throw Vassell to the ground. Vassell turns back to a knee, and Popov continues to grind and look for the takedown that is coming easier. Vassell breaks off and pays him back with one crisp uppercut, and Popov closes in on him hunting for a single. Vassell is slung to the floor, and he winces and puts his legs up to set up a sneaky triangle choke. Popov rolls through it and lets Vassell turn to his knees so he can beat on him with short but meaningful right hands. Vassell stands, but it is a hollow victory as a second later, Popov sets him back down. Popov slugs him with short punches as the crowd grows restless, but the Russian does not care as he wants to win at all costs. Vassell returns to a single knee, and then back up, only to get pulled right back to a knee. Popov imposes his will and thumps Vassell’s thighs up with knees before yanking him to the floor. The boo birds are growing louder, but Popov does not change his strategy one iota. He holds on from behind until the slow round closes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Popov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Popov
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Popov

Round 3

Vassell assumes the center of the cage to start the last round, offering a jab and eating a leg kick for his effort. Vassell pulls back on a one-two and whips a head kick that goes wide. Popov jabs and level changes, stutter-steps and shoots for a double that he completes. Vassell leans on his side and hand-fights to not eat any punches of note, and he wriggles towards the fence. Popov uses every pound at his disposal to keep Vassell from standing, and while not particularly thrilling, is effective at shutting the Brit down every step of the way. When Vassell stands, he leans over to put hands on the mat so he does not absorb knees. When upright, Popov hits a mat return and puts Vassell back down. Popov methodically breaks Vassell down from this position, uncaring when the fans rain down boos. The commentary booth starts cracking jokes to one another as there is little action to call, with Popov grinding and hanging on to make Vassell’s life miserable. Vassell bursts to his feet with 35 seconds to spare, and in just a couple seconds, all that effort goes to waste as Popov returns him to the mat. The dreadful grind of a fight comes to a close, with no doubt as to who the winner will be.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Popov (30-27 Popov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Popov (30-27 Popov)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Popov (30-27 Popov)

The Official Result

Oleg Popov def. Linton Vassell via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Dakota Ditcheva (125.2) vs. Jena Bishop (125.2)

Round 1

Undefeated with 11 stoppages in her 12 pro victories, Ditcheva (12-0, 7-0 PFL) is on the verge of rankings consideration and has been smashing her way through opposition since joining the PFL in 2022. Her foe Bishop (7-1, 1-1 PFL) lost in her last time out, giving a spirited effort against future finalist Santos in a fight where one judge thought she won. The flyweights will be joined in the cage by referee Blake Grice, who is ready to step in at a moment’s notice if needed. The ladies do not bump fists, with Ditcheva advancing and keeping her lead hand outstretched to back Bishop away. They feint jabs at one another without committing to a strike for the first 30 seconds, and it finally comes in the form of a light low kick from the Brit. Bishop misses on a counter left, and Ditcheva whiffs on her own counter right. Ditcheva slaps an inside low kick to the lead leg and then pushes out with the ball of her foot. Another chipping leg kick lands, and Bishop tries to break it up with a stream of punches but misses on every one. Ditcheva snipes her foe with a right hand and a front kick, allowing Bishop to rumble towards her so she can set up a big knee. Bishop powers through it, lifts “Dangerous Dakota” in the air with a double and slams her to the ground. Bishop winds up in the guard of her opponent, and she is quick to pass to half guard while Ditcheva works her way towards the cage. Ditcheva pushes her foot off the fence to change her angle, and uses butterfly hooks to keep Bishop from getting anywhere. Ditcheva tosses her leg up around the neck and lets it go so she can stand, and she does just that while Bishop stays pinned to her. Ditcheva turns her around in the clinch when they both stand, and she sneaks in a knee before Bishop can take her back standing. Bishop looks to lift Ditcheva up from behind, and Ditcheva explodes to turn around and get free. Ditcheva fires off a high front kick, and she slings a leg kick. Bishop responds with two punches and eats a knee. Ditcheva smashes Bishop in the face with a flush knee, and Bishop goes down in a heap. Ditcheva tells Bishop to stand back up, and Bishop follows but is clearly compromised. Ditcheva rifles off a front kick to the body and a straight right hand, sending Bishop crashing to the canvas once and for all. Grice knows that Bishop is done like dinner and waves the fight off, and Ditcheva walks away and starts mean-mugging while motioning her hands like chattering people around her. She is onto the flyweight finals against Santos, and that will be one heck of a championship match come November.

The Official Result

Dakota Ditcheva def. Jena Bishop R1 3:54 via TKO (Front Kick to the Body and Punch)

Denis Goltsov (247.6) vs. Tim Johnson (265.8)

Round 1

It’s time for the main event, one that may not need all three rounds and could require referee Jason Herzog before it’s all over. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride in PFL, Russia’s Goltsov (34-8, 12-3 PFL) believes it is finally his time to scale the mountain and claim the throne. Standing before him is the gunslinging Johnson (18-9, 1-0 PFL), who is primed to throw hands for as long as he needs and comes in already sporting a shiner while Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold” plays in the building. Before they slug it out, they clap hands sportingly, and the heavyweight battle commences. Johnson leads off swatting out a few jabs, and he races forward swinging his fists behind them. Johnson connects with a few, gets caught with a counter, and pushes the Russian to the wire. Goltsov escapes the tie-up, and he resets in the middle of the cage. Goltsov parries a big punch and flashes a jab, and he pushes off with a front kick to the body. Goltsov jabs his way into a combination, where he decides to clinch up and fish for an outside trip. Goltsov hits the takedown he seeks, landing in half guard, and Johnson is quick to push his foot off the fence. Goltsov presses his elbow down on the face but is not per se striking with it, but he does smack Johnson with some hammerfists. Goltsov drills the downed fighter with a right hand as he looks to advance position, and he claims full mount and starts jackhammering Johnson with a barrage of punches. Johnson turns over to his knees, and Goltsov slugs him in the sides of the head. Johnson turns back to his side and is stuck in a precarious position, and Goltsov continues beating on him with punches and hammerfists. Johnson has nowhere to escape, with the Russian trapping him and not letting up. Herzog asks for Johnson to move or improve his position, and Goltsov keeps hitting. Herzog tells Johnson to do something, and he cannot. Johnson keeps his arms by his head to soften the blows, but they show no sign of stopping this early into the fight. With no end in sight from Goltsov’s onslaught, Herzog has no choice but to halt the headliner. It is official, the heavyweight final goes through Russia as Goltsov will take on Popov in November. When that fight card targeted for Thanksgiving weekend comes, we will be here for it. We hope you are too—but don’t forget, two more PFL playoff shows will play out in the next few weeks before that big gala event.

The Official Result

Denis Goltsov def. Tim Johnson R1 2:26 via TKO (Punches)