Connect with us

PFL 2: Reigning champ Kasanganay leads flurry of finishes in Las Vegas

PFL/Bellator

PFL 2: Reigning champ Kasanganay leads flurry of finishes in Las Vegas

The PFL hit Sin City with a feast of finishes, with all bar one of the regular season matchups producing stoppage wins.

The lightweight and light heavyweight divisions took centre stage at the second PFL Regular Season event of 2024, and the 205-pounders delivered with a host of first-round finishes on a spectacular night in Las Vegas.

Last year’s PFL light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay ended the night in style with a standing first-round TKO finish of former Bellator contender Alex Polizzi in the main event, but his finish was far from the fastest of the night.

The co-main event saw 2022 champion Rob Wilkinson return to action with a 70-second TKO of England’s Tom Breese, while last season’s runner-up, Josh Silveira, needed just four seconds more to claim his win, as a thumb injury forced 2022 welterweight champion Sadibou Sy out of their light heavyweight bout.

The other two light heavyweight matchups also produced first-round finishes, with Brazil’s Antonio Carlos Junior submitting Simon Biyong with a rear-naked choke late in the opening stanza, while Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov stopped PFL Europe champion Jakob Nedoh with a big right hand mid-way through the first round of their 205-pound clash.

The night’s standout lightweight performances saw last year’s runner-up Clay Collard stop former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull in the second round via standing TKO, while Canada’s Michael Dufort submitted an off-form Mads Burnell via second-round guillotine choke in their 155-pound matchup.

Former Bellator lightweight champion Brent Primus kicked off his PFL lightweight campaign with a second-round rear-naked choke finish of Brazil’s Bruno Miranda, while Russia’s Gadzhi Rabadanov defeated American Solomon Renfro on the scorecards.

The most stunning lightweight finish of the night came from Argentina’s Elvin Espinoza, who appeared to be on his way to defeat, but turned the tables on Adam Piccolotti with a flying knee to earn a third-round stoppage.

PFL 2: Official results

MAIN CARD

  • Impa Kasanganay def. Alex Polizzi via standing TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:29 – light heavyweight season
  • Rob Wilkinson def. Tom Breese via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:10 – light heavyweight season
  • Clay Collard def. Patricky Pitbull via standing TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:32 – lightweight season
  • Michael Dufort def. Mads Burnell via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 1:03 – lightweight season
  • Josh Silveira def. Sadibou Sy via TKO (thumb injury) – Round 1, 1:14 – light heavyweight season
  • Antonio Carlos Jr. def. Simon Biyong via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:34 – light heavyweight season
  • Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov def. Jakob Nedoh via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:54 – light heavyweight season

PRELIMINARY CARD

  • Brent Primus def. Bruno Miranda via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:49 – lightweight season
  • Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Solomon Renfro via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) – lightweight season
  • Elvin Espinoza def. Adam Piccolotti via knockout (flying knee) – Round 3, 2:23 – lightweight season
  • Marcelo Nunes def. Jordan Heiderman via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 2:40 – heavyweight showcase bout

A sports editor and MMA reporter with 25 years' experience in sports media, Simon has covered mixed martial arts since 2009 for a host of national and international outlets, including UFC, BBC Sport, MMA Junkie/USA Today, BT Sport and the Daily Mirror.

More in PFL/Bellator