Results: PFL Semifinals – Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Sadibou Sy Advance to Finals

The Professional Fighters League held this Wednesday, in New York, in the United States, the last stage of the semifinals of this season. Tonight, the finalists for the lightweight and welterweight divisions were defined, but Brazil, which had a representative in each category, ended up being left out of the finals with the defeats of Bruno Robusto and Carlos Leal.

1 of 3 Olivier Aubin-Mercier defeated Bruno Robusto — Photo: PFL Olivier Aubin-Mercier defeated Bruno Robusto — Photo: PFL

Aubin-Mercier defeats Robusto via TKO

Bruno Robusto made one of the lightweight semifinals against the experienced Olivier Aubin-Mercier, current champion of the category, who asserted his favoritism and stamped his passport to the finals.

The first round was all on the feet, with both fighters studying each other a lot and not amending many sequences. The Canadian applied a knockdown with a left blow early in the second round and went for it, working on ground and pound. He continued to control his opponent and strike, until he landed a barrage of strikes on the mount, forcing the referee to interrupt and decree the technical knockout.

Highlights of PFL 9

Aubin-Mercier will face Clay Collard in the final, who faced Shane Burgos in the main event of the night, and won by unanimous decision after three rounds in a duel that raised the audience in the arena.

Sadibou Sy defeats Carlos Leal and goes to the finals

Representing Brazil in the semifinal of the welterweight tournament, Carlos Leal faced Sadibou Sy, current champion and who had already won the previous confrontation between them. And this time the result was no different.

The Brazilian started the fight trying to put pressure on his opponent, but soon changed his strategy and started looking for the fight on the ground. Sy, however, defended well and the dispute only went to the ground when Leal pulled his opponent to guard and got on the bottom. The Swede, however, got up quickly and then spent the rest of the first round defending himself from the attacks and keeping himself on his feet.

The Brazilian balanced the duel at the beginning of the second round, when he applied a takedown and spent almost four minutes on top. The decisive stage had Leal avoiding his opponent’s striking and pressing him against the bars to try to take him down, without success. The fight went to the judges and Sadibou Sy took the split decision victory.

2 of 3 Sadibou Sy beat Carlos Leal in the judges’ decision — Photo: PFL Sadibou Sy beat Carlos Leal in the judges’ decision — Photo: PFL

The other finalist in the category is Magomed Magomedkerimov, who asserted his favoritism in the duel against Solomon Renfro and won the unanimous decision of the judges.

The three Brazilian finalists

The final of the 2023 PFL season will be held on November 24, in Washington, United States, and will feature three representatives from Brazil in the dispute for prizes of US$1 million (about R$4.8 million).

Larissa Pacheco, current lightweight champion, is looking for her second title, this time at featherweight, and will face Marina Mokhnatkina. In the men’s featherweight division, Gabriel Braga will face Jesus Pinedo, while Renan Problema will be in action in search of the title in the heavyweight division against Denis Goltsov.

See the full results of the event below:

PFL – Playoffs 3
August 23, 2023, in New York (USA)
CARD PRINCIPAL:
Clay Collard defeats Shane Burgos via unanimous decision (29-28 x3) (Semifinal)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier defeats Bruno Robusto via TKO at 4:41 of R2 (Semifinal)
Sadibou Sy defeats Carlos Leal via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) (Semifinal)
Magomed Magomedkerimov defeats Solomon Renfro by unanimous decision (30-27 triple) (Semifinal)
Biaggio Ali-Walsh defeats Ed Davis via TKO at 2:23 of round 2
CARD PRELIMINAR:
Alexei Pergande defeated Shawn Stefanelli via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Mostafa Rashed Nada defeats Korey Kuppe via TKO at 1:55 of R1
Michelle Montague defeats Abigail Montes via submission at 3:38 of R2
Abdullah Al-Qahtani defeats David Zelner via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)
John Caldone defeats Nathaniel Grimard via TKO at 2:32 of Round 1

2023-08-24 03:51:28
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