Photo by Ryan Loco for PFL
PFL 6 results – Heavyweight/Light Heavyweight Playoff Brackets/Standings
Light Heavyweight Emiliano Sordi and Heavyweight Denis Goltsov Secure #1 Seeds Following Dominating Victories
The 2019 Professional Fighters League (PFL) Regular Season concluded with PFL 6 heavyweight and light heavyweight action at Ocean Casino Resort, in Atlantic City, N.J. This was their final chance to earn points in the standings and clinch a Playoff spot. The event featured five first-round finishes, including bounce back wins by Vinny Magalhaes and Alex Nicholson. Emiliano Sordi and Denis Goltsov dominated en route to the #1 seed in the light heavyweight and heavyweight division respectively.
“The 2019 PFL Regular Season delivered incredible action and drama to MMA fans around the world, fueled by a format that brought the best out of our roster of elite fighters,” said Peter Murray, CEO of the PFL. “We’re changing the game, and we look forward to making MMA history by bringing our unique fight twice, win twice in one night playoff format to the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas. Forty-four fighters are now one step closer to that million-dollar prize.”
“Our heavyweights and light heavyweights had the highest early stoppage rates last season, and with playoff spots on the line, I expected that trend to continue, and it did,” said Ray Sefo, President of Fighter Operations of the PFL. “These guys fought with an incredible sense of urgency. Five first-round knockouts electrified the crowd. Every fighter will now need to dig even deeper and take their game to another level come Playoffs in October.”
Sordi followed his stunning TKO win over 2018 light heavyweight runner-up Magalhaes with another dominating performance in a first-round win over Russian Bozigit Ataev. This was a rematch of last season’s quarterfinal, where Ataev knocked out Sordi just 1:43 into the first round. Sordi returned the favor at PFL 6, landing heavy punches that knocked Ataev to the mat. A pair of clean right hands forced the ref to jump in. With the win, Sordi clinched the #1 seed and will face #8 seed Sigi Pesaleli in the 2019 Playoffs.
Vinny Magalhaes recovered from his loss at PFL 3 in dominating fashion, quickly defeating Rakim Cleveland by first-round submission (armbar), earning 6 points and clinching the #3 seed in the light heavyweight playoffs. Magalhaes will face Rashid Yusupov in the quarterfinals. Yusupov clinched the #6 seed despite a split-decision loss to Viktor Nemkov, who finished as the #5 seed and will face Ataev.
Back to his winning ways with a first-round submission! @VinnyMMA earns 6 points. #PFL6 pic.twitter.com/YXgCUNSyuq
— #PFLmma (@ProFightLeague) August 9, 2019
Previously undefeated UFC light heavyweight and PFL newcomer Jordan Johnson rebounded from his first career loss to secure a spot in the light heavyweight playoffs. His unanimous decision victory over Pesaleli earned him 3 points, good enough for the #7 seed in the division. Johnson improves to 11-1 on his career. It took less than a minute for his playoff opponent Maxim Grishin to take out Mikhail Mokhnatkin by first-round knockout, earning 6 points and lining up a PFL 3 rematch with Johnson. Johnson has an opportunity to avenge his first career loss.
Heavyweight action began with a bang, as Nicholson defeated Zeke Tuinei-Wily by first-round knockout, earning 6 points and clinching a spot in the heavyweight playoffs. Nicholson entered the night with 0 points after suffering a loss at PFL 3. Needing a big win to reach the Playoffs, he connected early with a powerful kick that winded Tunei-Wily, and he quickly followed with a lunging right hand that knocked him to the mat. Follow up strikes forced the referee to stop the fight. This was his 13th career knockout, and Nicholson finished the season as the #3 seed.
Goltsov defeated Kelvin Tiller by second-round submission, earning 5 points and clinching the #1 seed in the heavyweight division. Goltsov came out firing, connecting with a flurry of strikes. Tiller fought back valiantly, but ultimately succumbed to a submission by choke. Goltsov will face #8 seed Satoshi Ishii in the quarterfinals. With the loss, Tiller drops to the #4 seed, setting up a match against Ali Isaev.
Muhammed DeReese recovered from a low blow to secure a first-round knockout win over Valdrin Istrefi, earning 6 points and clinching a spot in the heavyweight playoffs. A bruising right hand sent Istrefi to the mat, and DeReese mercilessly pounded on him until the ref was forced to call the fight. The impressive win vaulted DeReese to the #2 seed. He will face #7 seed Jared Rosholt, who defeated Ishii by unanimous decision.
Francimar Barroso defeated Ben Edwards by unanimous decision, earning 3 points and clinching a spot in the heavyweight playoffs, where he will square up against Alex Nicholson. Ali Isaev defeated Carl Seumanutafa by unanimous decision, earning 3 points and clinching a playoff spot in the heavyweight division.
In a special bout, Umar Nurmagomedov, the cousin of undefeated UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, remained undefeated, defeating Sidemar Honorio by unanimous decision.
Nurmagomedov improved his record to 11-0-0, at just 23 years old.
Throughout the 2019 PFL Regular Season, fans were taken inside the cage like never before with real-time delivery of dynamic, fighter performance data through PFL’s proprietary SmartCage technology. For a full look at the data visit: https://www.pflmma.com/stats.
· Fastest Strike of the Regular Season: Viktor Nemkov, 30.63 MPH
· Arms Strike Leader: Chris Curtis, 123/239
· Leg Strike Leader: Chris Wade, 67/106
· Takedowns Leader: 13/14
PFL action continues with the 2019 Playoffs in Las Vegas on October 11, October 17 and October 31. The 2019 PFL Playoffs will air across ESPN2, ESPN+, — the industry-leading sports streaming service — and ESPN Deportes, in addition to TSN in Canada, and on a wide and diverse group of premier global distribution partner platforms reaching over 150 countries around the world.
Final Heavyweight Standings
|
Rank |
HEAVYWEIGHTS |
Total Points |
|
PFL 6 Pts |
PFL 6 Result |
|
1 – x |
Denis Goltsov |
11 |
|
5 |
Win – 2nd round submission (3:40) |
|
2 – x |
Muhammed DeReese |
6 |
|
6 |
Win – 1st round KO (2:06) |
|
3 – x |
Alex Nicholson |
6 |
|
6 |
Win – 1st round TKO (3:07) |
|
4 – x |
Kelvin Tiller |
6 |
|
0 |
Loss – 2nd round submission (3:40) |
|
5 – x |
Ali Isaev |
6 |
|
3 |
Win – Unanimous Decision |
|
6 – x |
Francimar Barroso |
6 |
|
3 |
Win – Unanimous Decision |
|
7- x |
Jared Rosholt |
3 |
|
3 |
Win – Unanimous Decision |
|
8 – x |
Satoshi Ishii |
3 |
|
0 |
Loss – Unanimous Decision |
|
9 – e |
Ante Delija |
3 |
|
0 |
Did not fight (injury) |
|
10 – e |
Carl Seumanutafa |
0 |
|
0 |
Loss – Unanimous Decision |
|
11 – e |
Zeke Tuinei-Wily |
0 |
|
0 |
Loss – 1st round TKO (3:07) |
|
12 – e |
Valdrin Istrefi |
0 |
|
0 |
Loss – 1st round KO (2:06) |
|
13 – e |
Ben Edwards |
0 |
|
0 |
Loss – Unanimous Decision |
Final Light Heavyweight Standings
|
Rank |
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS |
Total Points |
|
PFL 6 Pts |
PFL 6 Result |
|
1 – x |
Emiliano Sordi |
11 |
|
6 |
Win – 1st round KO (1:23) |
|
2 – x |
Maxim Grishin |
9 |
|
6 |
Win – 1st round KO (0:48) |
|
3 – x |
Vinny Magalhaes |
6 |
|
6 |
Win – 1st round submission (1:56) |
|
4 – x |
Bozigit Ataev |
6 |
|
0 |
Loss – 1st round KO (1:23) |
|
5 – x |
Viktor Nemkov |
6 |
|
3 |
Win – Split Decision |
|
6 – x |
Rashid Yusupov |
3 |
|
0 |
Loss – Split Decision |
|
7 – x |
Jordan Johnson |
3 |
|
3 |
Win – Unanimous Decision |
|
8 – x |
Sigi Pesaleli |
3 |
|
0 |
Loss – Unanimous Decision |
|
9 – e |
Dan Spohn |
3 |
|
3 |
Win – Walkover |
|
10 – e |
Rakim Cleveland |
0 |
|
0 |
Loss – 1st round submission (1:56) |
|
11 – e |
Mikhail Mokhnatkin |
0 |
|
0 |
Loss – 1st round KO (0:48) |
|
12 – e |
Ronny Markes |
0 |
|
0 |
Loss – Walkover (missed weight) |
