PFL 8 2024 Playoffs Fight Card Preview: Impa Kasanganay vs. Josh Silveira 2
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Lightweights and light heavyweights will square off to try and book a spot in the 2024 PFL Championships when this yearโs PFL 8 card takes place in Hollywood, Florida on Friday (August 16).
PFL Announces Debuts Of Ex-UFC Champs Francis Ngannou & Cris Cyborg
The Main Event
The main event will see 2023 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion Impa Kasanganay square off with Josh Silveira in a rematch of last yearโs tournament finals.
. @danhardymma ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐@kingimpa ๐ @jmdasilv
โ PFL (@PFLMMA) August 11, 2024
2023 #PFLWorldChampionship rematch set to main event #PFLHollywood
[ #PFLPlayoffs | Fri, Aug 16th | 9pm ET on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/27WIITCRPh
Kasanganay lose a razor-close split decision to Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen at PFL vs. Bellator before scoring a pair of stoppage-wins to return to the PFL playoffs, while Silveira came up short in his second regular season bout in June but made it into the postseason thanks to a first-round victory against Sadibou Sy that came as a result of a thumb injury.
The road to redemption starts on August 16th for @jmdasilv
โ PFL (@PFLMMA) August 11, 2024
Josh Silveira | This Is My Year
[ #PFLPlayoffs | Fri, Aug 16th | 9pm ET on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/natRsdF9lK
The Co-Main Event
The nightโs co-main event features 2022 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion Rob Wilkinson squaring off with Dovlet Yagshimuradov, who impressively made it into the 2024 playoffs in his first season with the PFL.
A man on a mission ๐ค
โ PFL (@PFLMMA) August 12, 2024
Rob Wilkinson is not stopping til he reclaims the Light Heavyweights throne ๐
[ #PFLPlayoffs | #PFLHollywood | Fri, Aug 16th | 9pm ET on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/uvxkS94o4M
Wilkinson will be eager to return to the PFL Championships after being forced to sit out last season due to a failed drug test, but โRazorโ will face a difficult challenge in Florida when he attempts to end Yagshimuradovโs current five-fight win streak.
Team @AmericanTopTeam behind Dovlet Yagshimuradov
โ PFL (@PFLMMA) August 13, 2024
โ๏ธ
โถ๏ธPFL Fight Week: Hollywood Episode 6 is now out on the PFL MMA YouTube Channel!
๐https://t.co/7UI4mhFLOP | #PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/VNwNVriOFM
Exclusive: PFL's Impa Kasanganay 'Eager' To Give Back, Opens Fitness-Based MMA Gym
2024 PFL Playoffs Lightweight Matchups
Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Michael Dufort
Rabadanov will try to extend his eight-fight win streak and book a spot in the lightweight finals when he takes on Dufort. Both men are competing in their first PFL season, and Rabadanov collected a pair of decision-wins in his two regular season bouts while Dufort upset Mads Burnell with a second-round submission in April before he lost a close split decision to Adam Piccolotti in June.
Brent Primus vs. Clay Collard
๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฃ๐๐ง๐:@brentprimus155 ๐ @CCCcollard
โ PFL (@PFLMMA) August 11, 2024
One 2024 Million Dollar Dream ends on Friday Night at #PFLHollywood ๐๐ฐ
[ #PFLPlayoffs | Fri, Aug 16th | 9pm ET on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/RiowUEuQHJ
Former Bellator Lightweight Champion Primus looks to set himself up for a chance at another belt when he meets longtime PFL veteran Collard. The matchup appears to be a pretty clear clash of styles, as Primus will likely try to bring Collard to the mat while โCassiusโ attempts to keep things standing to score his second knockout-win of this yearโs PFL season.
Fighters to Watch
Biaggio Ali Walsh
Hands run in the family ๐๐๐@BiaggioAli1234 returns to the SmartCage this Friday night in Hollywood, Florida
โ PFL (@PFLMMA) August 12, 2024
[ #PFLPlayoffs | #PFLHollywood | Fri, Aug 16th | 9pm ET on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/vmBOf0tLET
Tabbed for stardom from the moment he first stepped into the PFL SmartCage as an amateur fighter, Ali Walsh is now set for his second professional bout against the debuting Brian Stapleton after Korey Taylor was forced to withdraw from the card. The 25-year-old is always under intense scrutiny whenever he fights as the grandson of the great Muhammad Ali, and heโll look to put on another impressive performance when he returns to action in Florida.
Danny Sabatello
Currently on the first two-fight skid of his career, Sabatello will look to return to the win column when he takes on the unbeaten Lazaro Dayron. โThe Italian Gangsterโ only lost to top bantamweight competition during his time with Bellator, and although the PFL doesnโt currently feature a bantamweight tournament Sabatello will be looking to score a big win in his promotional debut.
Thad Jean
A win on PFL Challenger Series last year led to Jean scoring back-to-back first-round knockouts in his first two PFL bouts. The unbeaten welterweight faces a big challenge in former LFA Champion Chris Brown, but another victory could set Jean up for a chance to compete in next yearโs PFL welterweight tournament.
PFL News: Huge Lightweight Fight Reportedly Added to PPV Super Fights Card
Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+, 9:00 p.m. ET)
โข Main Event: Impa Kasanganay vs. Josh Silveira โ Light Heavyweight Semifinal
โข Co-Main Event: Rob Wilkinson vs. Govlet Yagshimuradov - Light Heavyweight Semifinal
โข Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Michael Dufort โ Lightweight Semifinal
โข Brent Primus vs. Clay Collard โ Lightweight Semifinal
โข Biaggio Ali Walsh vs. Brian Stapleton
Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)
โข Danny Sabatello vs. Lazaro Dayron
โข Elvin Espinoza vs. Mads Burnell
โข Thad Jean vs. Chris Brown
โข Jordan Oliver vs. Braydon Akeo
โข Michelle Montague vs. Marilia Morais
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