:strip_icc()/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_bc8228b6673f488aa253bbcb03c80ec5/internal_photos/bs/2021/P/w/U7FbguQ72zYgC4hoNlhw/pfl9-sordi-carlosjr-1234.jpg "PFL: Cara de Sapato wins and goes to the final; Mutant suffers injury | combat")
There won’t be a Brazilian one-two at the PFL’s light heavyweight, but there will be Brazilians competing for the belt and the US$ 1 million prize. First place in the regular season, Antônio Carlos “Cara de Sapato” Jr. won the semifinal against Argentinean Emiliano Sordi, last season’s champion, by unanimous decision this Friday, in Fort Lauderdale (USA).
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Antônio Cara de Sapato gets emotional when he is announced as a finalist for the PFL — Photo: Divulgação/PFL
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On the other side of the final, Cezar “Mutante” Ferreira will not be there, as expected. The champion of the first TUF Brazil suffered an injury early in his semifinal against Norwegian Marthin Hamlet and found himself unable to fight. Hamlet won by TKO and advanced to a decision against Cara de Sapato.
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Cezar Mutante applies ice to the lesion still inside the PFL cage — Photo: Publicity/PFL
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– It’s a good fight, he’s a grappler like me. There are no easy fights around here. Let’s relax for a week and get back to training. I will definitely be ready for this final. Marthin Hamlet is a nice guy too – said Sapato right after his semifinal victory.
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Best Moments of PFL 2021 – Semifinals 3
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Shoe wins judges’ decision
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Antônio Cara de Sapato (right) hits a straight right on Emiliano Sordi (left) — Photo: Publicity/PFL
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The classic Brazil x Argentina between Cara de Sapato and “He-Man” Sordi lived up to expectations. PFL champion in 2019, the Argentine gave the Brazilian a lot of work and took a lot of danger with his powerful right-handers. Sapato dodged most of them and also landed good blows in response, but Sordi also connected some tough hands, especially in the first round.
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Sapato returned for the second, insisting more on the single leg entries. In one, he received an uppercut that cut his eyelash. The takedown didn’t fit, so the Brazilian believed in striking and also cut He-Man’s eyebrow with a straight right. In the final minute, Sapato finally managed to pressure the Argentine and take him down with a double leg. He didn’t hold Sordi down, but it was enough to give him a slight advantage in the assault.
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Antônio Cara de Sapato (right) connects the left jab against Emiliano Sordi (right) — Photo: Press Release/PFL
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The third and final round was balance overhead. Shoe lashed out in search of a takedown and nailed the Argentine against the rail. Sordi avoided a fall by grabbing the rail, but was only warned by the referee. Shoe managed to take it down and got to the back, but lost his position when Sordi got up. The Brazilian didn’t give up and got the takedown again in the final minute, but again he couldn’t hold the position and finish.
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– I know how hard he is, how hard he punches. That’s what I expected. He defended the takedowns very well in the first round, but after that I managed to fit my strategy and qualified for the PFL final, I’m very happy. Sordi is a nice guy, but I told him that Pelé is better than Maradona and he’ll have to agree with me now (laughs) – joked Cara de Sapato.
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Emiliano Sordi (left) and Antônio Cara de Sapato (right) embrace after the fight: a lot of mutual respect — Photo: Divulgação/PFL
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Cezar Mutante didn’t even have time to show what he came up with in the first semifinal of the night. In his first blow, a left kick to the waistline, the Brazilian felt a stab in the posterior muscle of his right thigh, his supporting leg, and fell, howling in pain. Marthin Hamlet didn’t waste the opportunity and went for the top, hitting some blows to the head until the referee ended the fight after just 13 seconds. Mutant came out of the cage on a litter.
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Marthin Hamlet consoles Cezar Mutante, who leaves the cage on a litter — Photo: Publicity/PFL
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– When I woke up this morning, I knew it would be my toughest fight in my career. It wasn’t what I expected, I didn’t want to win like this. But I feel like everyone has a destiny, so maybe that’s my destiny. I compete in sports for 25 years, and it’s time to be world champion – said Hamlet after the fight. He also made a point of asking fans to wish Mutante, whom he called “the legend of the sport”, the best.
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This Friday, the PFL featherweight final was also defined. American Chris Wade will face Russian Movlid Khaybulaev for the belt and the $1 million prize. Wade dominated compatriot Bubba Jenkins and won his semi-final via unanimous decision. Khaybulaev did the same in his semi-final against English Brendan Loughnane, but the judges gave it a split decision victory.
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Sheymon Moraes puts on a show in the preliminaries
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On the preliminary card, made up of exhibition matches, Brazilian Sheymon Moraes beat Serbian Lazar Stojadinovic in a spectacular way. The fight was even and with a lot of exchanges of blows and takedowns between the two, until, in the second round, the carioca landed a kick in the rib, followed by a knee at the waistline. Stojadinovic dropped his guard to protect the region, and a right-wing cross sent him to the canvas. Sheymon only needed to hit the fallen opponent a little more until the referee ended the fight.
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Sheymon Moraes goes out to celebrate after winning the knockout against Lazar Stojadinovic — Photo: Publicity/PFL
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Another highlight of the preliminary card was lightweight Brandon Jenkins. In the very first fight of the night, he knocked out Jacob Kilburn with a flying knee at 2:56 of the first round.
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Check out the full results of the event:
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PFL 2021 – Semifinals 3 – Featherweights and Medium Heavyweights
August 27, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale (USA)
CARD PRINCIPAL
Movlid Khaybulaev beat Brendan Loughnane via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Chris Wade defeated Bubba Jenkins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Antônio Cara de Sapato defeated Emiliano Sordi by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Marthin Hamlet beat Cezar Mutante by TKO at 13s of R1
CARD PRELIMINAR
Sheymon Moraes defeated Lazar Sojadinovic by TKO at 4:45 in R2
Chris Camozzi defeated Cory Hendricks via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Anthony Dizy defeated Jesse Stirn via unanimous decision (triple 29-28)
Bobby Moffett defeated Jason Knight via unanimous decision (triple 29-28)
Alejandro Flores beat Carl Deaton via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Brandon Jenkins beat Jacob Kilburn by KO at 2:56 in R1
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Knockouts duel in the main event of the night. It’s live only in Combate!
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