Thursday night’s 2023 PFL Card 4 comes to a shocking conclusion at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, Georgia – with a defending champion eliminated from the post-season.
Heavyweight champ Rob Wilkinson had already been shown the door due to a failed drug test, but 2022 featherweight champ Brendan Loughnan appeared to be sitting on his way to the event. Loughnane had five points heading into the season finale to start the night, but as it turned out, that was all he had when all was said and done.
which was not enough to make the playoffs.
Loughnane was dropped early in the main event of the night, after he was knocked down by a Jesus Pinedo body kick that folded him. A few more punches on the fallen champ, and Penedo had the “fast six” needed to secure a playoff berth.
annoyed! annoyed! Annoyed Jesus Penedo is going to #PFLPLAYOFFS!
Loughnane is eliminated!#PFLRegularSeason live now
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🌎 https://t.co/jPNvomD5xg pic.twitter.com/WOxITRo19X– PFL (PFLMMA) June 9, 2023
A former UFC fighter who went 1-1 with this show in 2019, Pinedo was losing a split decision to Gabriel Braga. Brazil’s Braga also had a big night Thursday, knocking out former WSOF champion and UFC title contender Marlon Morais with a right hand in the opening round. The Hammerfists sealed the deal, propelling Braga into the post-season.
With Bubba Jenkins and Movlid Khaybulaev both taking finals on the night, Loughnane was knocked out of the playoff picture. Khaibolaev is the 2021 PFL Featherweight Champion, but he missed the entire 2022 season.
Loughnane was arguably the promotion’s biggest star alongside Kayla Harrison last year, completing his feel-good story by winning a major title, plus $1 million, after being rejected for a UFC contract in Dana White Rivalry Series.
As for Moraes, his PFL comeback (if you count his WSOF tenure, a precursor to the Veterans Professional League) saw him go 0-3, finishing on all three occasions. Combined with his last outing in the UFC, “Magic” has lost his last seven fights, all via KO/TKO.
There’s a good bet retirement sticks this time around.
Moving on to the post-season, the playoff image now looks like this (# denotes seeds):
- (1) Bubba Jenkins vs. (4) Jesus Penedo
- (2) Gabriel Braga vs. (3) Movled Khaibulaev
Meanwhile, in the light heavyweight division, it comes to the following semi-final matches:
- (1) Joshua Silvera vs. (4) Ty Flores
- (2) Martin Hamlet vs. (3) Impa Kasanganay