PFL MMA finals in South Florida with several South Florida fighters on card and in finals
The Professional Fighters League MMA features a strong card for the PFL World Championships on Wednesday, October 27 on ESPN2 and ESPN+ from Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood in South Florida.
Here is my video interview with PFL CEO Peter Murray from the the PFL MMA August semifinals also at Hard Rock Live.
Fighters across all six weight classes can etch their name in the PFL history books as world champions. That means six champions will each earn $1 million for winning the PFL title, through an innovative regular season and playoff format.
South Florida will be well represented with fighters from American Top Team and Sanford MMA.
The list includes Antonio Carlos Junior of American Top Team vs. Marthin Hamlet for the PFL Light Heavyweight Title, and Sanford MMA’s Loik Radzhabov vs. American Top Team’s Raush Manfio for the PFL Lightweight Title.
Originally from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Manfio, 29, is 14-3. Radzhabov, 31, is 15-3-1.
In my recent video interview with Raush Manfio, he discusses PFL MMA, the finals in South Florida, American Top Team, training, family, pastor, guitar playing, Thiago Moises, Kayla Harrison, pro wrestling and more.
Originally from João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, Manfio, 31, is 1205. Hamlet, 29, is 8-2.
In my video interview with Antonio Carlos Jr., he talks about the PFL MMA, the finals, American Top Team, training, pro wrestling, Junior dos Santos, Raush Manfio playing guitar and more.
More about the card
Also, two-time Olympic Gold medalist Claressa Shields will return to the PFL SmartCage after a victorious MMA debut at PFL 4, rallying from behind and securing an impressive round 3 TKO victory over Brittney Elkin.
Shields, a two-sport combat athlete, is set to face Abigail Montes at the PFL World Championship event.
Here is the PFL MMA Press Conference to hype the PFL Championships.
New signee Julia Budd, a former Bellator champion, is on the card, too. In 2022, she will compete in the PFL regular season.
Multi-platinum Grammy & Golden Globe nominated recording artist and PFL investor, Wiz Khalifa, will perform live from the event.
“The PFL World Championship on Wednesday, October 27 will showcase the determination and resilience our world class fighters have showcased throughout the season in their quest to become a PFL World Champion,” PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a release.
“After what’s already been an incredibly successful season, I cannot wait to crown this year’s six champions.”
The main event and more
In a highly anticipated main event, 2019 PFL Women’s Lightweight World Champion Kayla Harrison of American Top Team brings her undefeated MMA record with her, when she returns to the SmartCage against Taylor Guardado.
Harrison is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, the first American to win Olympic gold in judo.
Further action will see an appealing co-main bout featuring 2019 PFL Welterweight World Champion Ray Cooper III and 2018 PFL Welterweight World Champion, Magomed Magomedkerimov of American Top Team.
The bout will be a rematch between the two from 2018, where Magomedkerimov was victorious via a round 2 submission.
Continued action turns to the Heavyweight division, where a highly intriguing clash between Bruno Cappelozza and Ante Delija will occur.
In the Featherweight division, Movlid Khaybulaev - who holds the fastest knockout in PFL history - will match up with Chris Wade.
Wade, who exited the PFL Semifinals in both 2018 and 2019, makes his first trip to the PFL World Championship.
The Light Heavyweight division will feature Brazilian Antonio Carlos Junior of American Top Team and Norwegian Marthin Hamlet. Carlos Junior was victorious in the PFL Semifinals, knocking off former Light Heavyweight Champion Emiliano Sordi.
Hamlet advanced in the PFL Semifinals after Cezar Ferreira suffered an injury with his first kick, resulting in the fastest finish in PFL history for the Light Heavyweight division.
The championship action starts in the Lightweight division, with 2019 PFL lightweight runner-up Loik Radzhabov of Sanford MMA squaring off with American Top Team’s Raush Manfio, who holds a record of 3-0 in his PFL debut season.
Commentators Randy Couture, Hector Florian and Sean O’Connell call the action and interview special guests, like U.S. Olympic gold medalist wrestler, NCAA champ and WWE NIL signee Gable Steveson.
Lilian Garcia, a WWE alum, is the ring announcer.
The PFL semifinals were in August also at Hard Rock Live, about 25 miles south of American Top Team in Coconut Creek and Sanford MMA in Deerfield Beach.
PFL World Championship Card:
On ESPN2
Championship: Kayla Harrison of ATT vs. Taylor Guardado
Championship: Ray Cooper III vs. Magomed Magomedkerimov of ATT
Claressa Shields vs. Abigail Montes
Championship: Bruno Cappelozza vs. Ante Delija
Championship: Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Chris Wade
On ESPN+
Championship: Antonio Carlos Junior of ATT vs. Marthin Hamlet
Championship: Loik Radzhabov of Sanford MMA vs. Raush Manfio of ATT
Omari Akhmedov of ATT vs. Jordan Young of ATT
Julia Budd vs. Kaitlyn Young
Don Madge vs. Nathan Williams
https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/09/kayla-harrison-reacts-julia-budd-signing-with-pfl
For tickets:
There is a discount for active military members and veterans.
For more info, visit www.PFLmma.com and follow PFL on Instagram (@PFLmma), Twitter (@PFLMMA), and Facebook (/PFLmma).
My MMA & Pro Wrestling Talk on the Web and Social Media
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