This Friday, August 15, 2025, the PFL hosts another thrilling World Tournament Finals card, featuring Lightweight, Bantamweight, and Women’s Flyweight finals. The event takes place at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Let’s dive into this absolute cracker of a card.

PFL Bantamweight Tournament Finals: Justin Wetzell (12-2) vs. Marcirley Alves (14-4)

Justin Wetzell earned his finals spot with back-to-back unanimous decision victories. In Round 1, he outworked Russia’s Kasum Kasumov, then dispatched “El Toro” Mando Gutierrez in the semifinals. Wetzell’s wrestling-heavy style focuses on grappling to control the fight’s pace, often grinding out decision wins. While not the most fan-friendly approach, it’s proven effective in his run to the final. Training with Elevation Fight Team in Colorado, Wetzell boasts a relentless gas tank and is ready for five rounds if needed.

Marcirley Alves took a similar path to the final. In Round 1, he edged out Leonardo Higo in a razor-thin split decision. In the semifinals, he dominated former UFC fighter Jake Hadley, dropping him in the second round and nearly finishing him. Hadley survived to the final bell, but the judges’ scorecards confirmed Alves’ ticket to the finals.

This matchup is a classic: Wetzell’s wrestling versus Alves’ crisp, powerful striking. Who gets their hand raised? It’s a close call, and we’ve got five rounds to find out. If you’re asking this journalist, I’m leaning toward Wetzell. If Alves can’t finish early, Wetzell’s takedowns and mat skills should keep Alves grounded and secure the win.

PFL Women’s Flyweight Tournament Finals (Co-Main Event): Jena Bishop (9-2) vs. Liz Carmouche (24-8)

Jena Bishop earned her finals berth with a spectacular second-round rear-naked choke submission over Ekaterina Shakalova in the semifinals. The decorated BJJ black belt left Shakalova no choice but to tap or sleep. In the opening round, Bishop went three rounds with Japan’s Kana Watanabe, securing a unanimous decision. While her striking is improving, Bishop will rely on her elite grappling against Carmouche to claim the title this Friday.

Liz Carmouche, however, is no pushover. The former U.S. Marine punched her finals ticket with a four-minute knockout of Ilara Joanne in Round 1, followed by a dominant decision over Elora Dana in the semifinals. With a 24-8 record, Carmouche’s experience dwarfs Bishop’s, having fought nearly three times as many bouts. A veteran grinder with nasty ground-and-pound, Carmouche excels in wrestle-heavy fights but may opt to keep this standing against Bishop’s submission prowess. That’s likely her best path to victory—on the mat, Bishop’s submission game is a serious threat. I’m picking Carmouche to get it done. At 41, this feels like her last shot at glory, while Bishop, at 39, likely has another season to rebound.

PFL Lightweight Tournament Finals (Main Event): Gadzhi Rabadanov (26-4-2) vs. Alfie Davis (19-5-1)

This is a banger, and it’s only fitting it headlines the card!

Alfie Davis, a fellow Brit, has been a Cinderella story en route to the finals. He kicked things off by outclassing Clay Collard in Round 1, then showed he can handle grapplers by keeping Brent Primus at bay in a stand-up battle to earn a unanimous decision in the semifinals. But his finals opponent is a different beast altogether.

Gadzhi Rabadanov is a monster riding a 12-fight win streak. In this tournament, he hasn’t seen Round 2, smashing Marc Diakiese with a first-round KO via ground-and-pound and decimating late replacement Kevin Lee with another first-round KO in the semifinals. Undefeated in PFL with seven wins, Rabadanov is a force.

Alfie Davis needs a near-perfect performance to pull this off. As much as I’d love to pick my compatriot, I can’t. If Rabadanov were just a combat sambo grappler, Davis might have a shot. But Rabadanov’s elite striking makes him a nightmare. Don’t be shocked if the Russian completes a hat-trick of first-round finishes. For Alfie, the Cinderella magic might fade before midnight—unless the PFL paces the card at a snail’s speed.

Enjoy the violence!

Phil

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Phillip Dean

Phillip Dean is a seasoned combat sports journalist from England, with over 27 years of ringside experience. Phillip delivers engaging, in-depth reporting on the world of combat sports.