The Professional Fighters League ignited the 2023 PFL Playoffs at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio. The star-studded card of the evening hosted four captivating Playoff bouts, spread across the Featherweight and Light Heavyweight divisions.
The main event of the night saw Jesus Pinedo triumph, logging his second consecutive upset victory. Pinedo vanquished the number one seeded Bubba Jenkins in the second round, edging closer to the PFL World Championship and a $1 million purse. A pulsating Featherweight Finals awaits between Gabriel Braga and Pinedo.
The co-main event presented Light Heavyweight top seed Joshua Silveira in a decisive battle against Ty Flores. Silveira executed a TKO victory with a knee barrage, securing his position in the Light Heavyweight Finals. The grand finale will feature Silveira and Impa Kasanganay vying for the $1 million reward and the PFL World Championship title.
Gabriel Braga of Brazil, a rising star, clashed with PFL veteran Chris Wade in a Featherweight Playoff semifinal bout. The trio of rounds exhibited a back-and-forth contest, ultimately awarding Braga with a close split decision victory and a ticket to the Featherweight final.
Light Heavyweight Marthin Hamlet met Impa Kasanganay, the 2023 PFL Challenger Series contract winner, in a high-voltage contest. Kasanganay carried forward his PFL momentum with a first round KO, booking his place in the Light Heavyweight Finals.
The main card on ESPN kicked off with a PFL Challenger Series contract winner, Elvin Espinoza, clashing against Keoni Diggs. This seesaw bout, which went the distance, ended with Espinoza securing a unanimous decision victory, maintaining his undefeated 9-0 record.
The undercard had Thad Jean locking horns with Ali Omar, both hailing from the 2023 PFL Challenger Series. Jean demonstrated his power by raining down strikes on Omar to secure a first round TKO victory. Jean’s unbeaten record stands tall at 6-0.
The Women’s Flyweight section saw a battle between Desiree Yanez and Lisa Mauldin, both alumni of the 2023 PFL Challenger Series. Mauldin took the win, submitting Yanez with a rear-naked choke in the first round. Her career record now sits at 6-3.
In another gripping encounter, local hero Anthony Ivy made his PFL debut against Carson Hardman. Ivy gave the hometown crowd a performance to remember, defeating Hardman via a first round submission, marking his 4th consecutive submission win.
Chelsea Hackett, a two-time Muay Thai world champion, faced off against Ky Bennett in a Women’s Flyweight showcase. Hackett started her PFL journey on a high note, submitting Bennett in the second round via rear-naked choke.
Billy Elekana and Chuck Campbell engaged in a Light Heavyweight showcase to begin the card on ESPN+. Elekana came out on top in a split decision, improving his record to 6-1.
The PFL is set to make a grand return to The Theater at Madison Square Garden for the final two playoff events on Friday, August 18, and Wednesday, August 23. The Women’s Featherweight and Heavyweight divisions will see eight warriors step into the PFL SmartCage on August 18, each chasing a shot at the 2023 PFL World Championship.
All 2023 PFL Playoff events will be aired live on ESPN, ESPN2/ESPN+, and ESPN3 (Spanish), ensuring global coverage across 160 countries via premier global distribution partner platforms. The results are as follows:
ESPN Card Results
- Jesus Pinedo defeats Bubba Jenkins by 2nd Round TKO (4:40)
- Joshua Silveira defeats Ty Flores by 1st Round TKO (4:46)
- Gabriel Braga defeats Chris Wade by split decision (30-27, 29-28, 27-30)
- Impa Kasanganay defeats Marthin Hamlet by 1st round KO (2:24)
- Elvin Espinoza defeats Keoni Diggs by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
ESPN+ Card Results
- Thad Jean defeats Ali Omar by 1st round TKO (1:54)
- Lisa Mauldin defeats Desiree Yanez by 1st round submission (rear-naked choke, 3:08)
- Anthony Ivy defeats Carson Hardman by 1st round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:34)
- Chelsea Hackett defeats Ky Bennett by 2nd round submission (rear-naked choke, 4:42)
- Billy Elekana defeats Chuck Campbell by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)