What’s cooking fight fans? I love me some Friday night fights and thanks to the PFL, that’s what we’ve got again on this fantastic Friday. We head to Washington D.C for the final card of the play off semifinal series. It’s Welterweight’s and Featherweight’s on deck for this one, so I am expecting a pretty action packed card. Hopefully one that retires me for the winter months to a casino in Vegas! So Degenerinos let’s get into it!

First up. It’s all about mother Russia.

SHAMIL MUSAEV V MURAD RAMAZANOV (170LBS)

We open up the main card with a welterweight rematch from this past June. Sadly this is one of the problems that fans have with the PFL system. Fighters meet again sometimes. But this one’s literally a direct rematch. It was just 8 or 9 weeks since their first fight.

I aren’t going to breakdown this one to much. As nothing has changed in that short time. I expect Musaev to have the same result because simply put he’s just the far better fighter than Ramazanov. The only thing that intrigues me is if Musaev can get it done quicker than last time. Take Musaev to win via KO when the line comes out. Hell, take him in the 1st RD via KO. I know I will.

PREDICTION – MUSAEV TO WIN VIA KO.

We keep on moving and now we get set for two exciting featherweights to put on a show in the first 145 semi final spot.

GABRIEL BRAGA V TIMUR KHIZRIEV (145LBS)

In 2023 Gabriel Braga was a beaten PFL finalist. So in 2024 he is hoping he can go one better and win it all, securing the winners crown and a cheque for a cool one million dollars.

Standing in his way is the undefeated Timur Khizriev. I like to call him the decision machine. As 6 of his last 7 fights have gone to a decision. But coming from Dagestan, this guy was always going to love a good old grapple. So we have ourselves a clash of 2 very different styles.

Braga has won his last two fights via stoppage. If he is going to get the win here, he’s going to have to make it a hat trick! Timur is going to look to make this ugly by grappling and grinding his way to another decision victory. Braga needs to keep his range and move like his life depends on it. If he can do that for at least a part of every round, he has a chance of eventually catching Timur with something clean and putting his lights out. At +350 Braga is worth a punt. But officially I can’t see past The Dagastani getting the win. Surprisingly by decision. Shocker.

PREDICTION – TIMUR KHIZRIEV TO WIN VIA DEC.

Let’s keep the action flowing as we head back to the Welterweight division for another dog fight! An by dog I mean huge underdog in Neiman Gracie.

MAGOMED UMALATOV V NEIMAN GRACIE. (170LBS)

Neiman Gracie didn’t actually qualify for the play offs. But made it in after Don Madge withdrew! Gracie is 2-3 in his last 5, and is in for a serious nights work taking on Umalatov. Umalatov is undefeated and is 5-0 in his last 5, 16-0 overall. The Russian fighting out of American Top Team is basically a SAVAGE! He can beat you everywhere. He carries KO power, but is partial to choking his opponent unconscious on occasion too! The deck really is stacked against the Gracie boy here.

Umalatov isn’t stupid and he’s isn’t going to entertain turning this into a grappling submissions style match up. It’s the only way he could lose. Gracie could throw up a triangle or something and catch him. A Hail Mary if you will. I don’t see Umaltov giving him even the chance to do that. But Gracie via SUB is a fun bet I guess. But if you like money and winning I prefer the under 1.5 market at +130. I predict a short nights work for the undefeated Russian. Don’t blink.

PREDICTION – MAGOMED UMALATOV TO WIN VIA KO.

Main event time. All aboard!

BRENDAN LOUGHNANE V KAI KAMAKA III (145LBS)

In 2022 Brendan Loughnane won the playoffs and cashed a cheque for 1 millions dollars! After a knockout loss to Pinedo in the 2023 season, he was unable to defend his title! After back to back KO wins leading up to this fight. It appears the Englishman is more determined than ever to get back to number 1.

Whilst Loughnane enters as the betting favourite, he won’t have it all his own way against Kai Kamala III. Kai is as tough as it is to get Jon Jones to fight Tom Aspinall. Kai enters off the back of 2 solid decision wins in the regular season, and in a 20 fight career has only been stopped on 2 occasions. Kai has solid stand up, can take a shot, plus his wrestling is really good. Loughnane is going to need to try and keep distance, and use his quality stand up game to keep Kai off him.  Even whilst Loughnane should win, this one for me is by far the most intriguing fight on the card!

PREDICTION – BRENDAN LOUGHNANE TO WIN VIA DEC.

Enjoy the violence.

Phil.