Quick, Simple Guide For PFL’s Six Title Fights This Weekend

The 2023 Professional Fighters League (PFL) finals are here, and six fighters will have their lives changed forever when they win a championship belt and a $1 million payday. The 2023 PFL Championship goes down this Black Friday (Nov. 24, 2023) in Washington D.C. from inside The Anthem Arena.

Before the explosive championship night takes place, learn a little bit about the fighters that will be competing …

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Lightweight Finals (Main event):

Olivier Aubin-Mercier (20-5) is the defending Lightweight champion and, of course, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter. Aubin-Mercier won the title last year by flat-lining Stevie Ray (watch highlights). He defeated former UFC fighter Shane Burgos, as well as Anthony Romero and Bruno Miranda this season.

Random fact: “OAM” tapped out No. 15-seeded UFC contender, Drew Dober, in 2016 (watch highlights).

Clay Collard (24-10) finally makes the finals after getting so close the past two years. Collard is must-watch television and has been his entire career — he always brings it. This season, he defeated Yamato Nishikawa, Stevie Ray and Burgos (in a “Fight of the Year” contender).

Random fact: Collard had an absolute banger with Max Holloway in 2014.

Heavyweight Finals (Co-Main Event)

Renan Ferreira (11-3) was knocked out of the playoffs last year by the eventual champion, Ante Deja, but has rebounded. The 6’8” Heavyweight lost his first fight of the season to Rizvan Kuniev, but the decision was overturned to a no-contest when Kuniev popped for anabolic steroids. Ferreira won his next two fights via first-round knockout to earn a final spot.

Random fact: Ferreira headlined LFA 74 against Jared Vanderaa.

Denis Goltsov (32-7) has had high expectations of him since his debut in 2019 but has come up short or had bad luck – like last year when visa issues caused him to withdraw from the finals. This year, he has been on point and violent, knocking out all of his opponents in the first round.

Random fact: He started his professional career 3-3

Women’s Featherweight Finals

Larissa Pachecho (22-4) was the 2022 Lightweight champion when she slayed Kayla Harrison via unanimous decision in Nov. 2022 (watch highlights). This year, the Brazilian dropped down to Featherweight and has been sensational. She kicked off the year by defeating former Bellator champion, Julia Budd, via unanimous decision and then finished her last two fights via first round knockout.

Random fact: Pacheco knocked out Irene Aldana on the Brazilian regional scene in 2013.

Marina Mokhnatkina (11-3) has won five straight fights since losing to Harrison at PFL 3 in 2022. The Russian finished two of her three fights this season, one via technical knockout and the other by first round submission.

Random fact: Mokhnatkina competed in Bellator twice

Welterweight Finals

Sadibou Sy (16-6-2) is the defending Welterweight champion. While his championship fight against Dilano Taylor in the 2022 Finals was God-awful, Sy has been very exciting this season. He knocked out Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi to kickoff his season and then had a “Knockout of the Year” contender against Shane Mitchell, in which he slept Mitchell with a spinning wheel kick in the third round.

Random fact: His last loss was against his upcoming opponent, Magomed Magomedkerimov.

Magomed Magomedkerimov (33-6) won PFL’s Welterweight title in 2018 against Ray Cooper and has been chasing it ever since. He won his first two fights this season via first round knockouts and then went the distance against Solomon Renfro. He holds a win over Sy, defeating him in 2021.

Random fact: Magomedkerimov holds two unanimous decision wins over Chris Curtis

Light Heavyweight Finals

Josh Silveira (12-1) lost in the 2022 semi-finals against teammate, Omari Akhmedov, but has redeemed himself by going on a finishing streak. The 30-year-old finished all three of his opponents this season in the first round — one submission, one technical knockout and one injury stoppage. He will defend American Top Team as he goes against a fighter from cross-town rival, Kill Cliff FC.

Random fact: He is the son of iconic coach, Conan Silveira

Impa Kasangany (14-3) competed four times in 2023, kicking it off on PFL’s Challenger Series, winning in the first round via technical knockout. The former UFC fighter has shined inside PFL’s smart cage, stopping Tim Caron in the second round submission and then knocking out 2021 finalist, Marthin Hamlet.

Random fact: Kasangany fought as low as Welterweight in UFC

Featherweight Finals

Jesus Pinedo (22-6-1) has turned heads in his last two fights by turning PFL upside-down. He lost his first fight this season against his upcoming opponent, Gabriel Braga, but then knocked out 2022 Featherweight champion, Brendan Loughnane, as a +400 underdog (watch highlights). In his most recent fight, he again upset the odds by knocking out Bubba Jenkins in the second round. In short, Pinedo has been the story of the season thus far.

Random fact: Pinedo went 1-1 in the UFC and then got cut.

Gabriel Braga (12-0) will be competing for the fifth time this year when he enters PFL’s smart cage this Friday. Braga stepped up on short notice to fight Pinedo to kickoff the season and won via split decision. His biggest win came against former UFC title challenger, Marlon Moraes, stopping him in the first round with strikes. He clinched his final spot by defeating Chris Wade via split decision.

Random fact: Braga competed on week six of PFL’s Challenger Series, but didn’t win the contract

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