2024 PFL Playoffs Set for Lightweight, Light Heavyweight Brackets

Clay Collard came into the 2024 PFL 5 main event having already clinched a spot in the Professional Fighters League 's lightweight playoffs but that didn't stop Mads Burnell from crashing the party.

Ever the composed striker, Collard (25-12, 1 NC) came out working his jab and landing body punches to establish his attack against Burnell (18-6), who would look to grapple later in the round. This late success gave Burnell a game plan to follow, as the Danish fighter would take the back of "Cassius" in Round 2. Likely even going into the third, Collard would use his volume punching to land more strikes than his opponent before being taken down and controlled for the final moments, with Burnell taking the back of the fan-favorite lightweight.

After 15 minutes of action, Burnell took a unanimous decision win with a trio of 29-28 scorecards but won't make the playoffs. Instead, Collard will face top seed Brent Primus in the lightweight semifinals.

Kasanganay KOs Nedoh

The final light heavyweight fight of the night was important as both Impa Kasanganay and Jakob Nedoh had paths to the playoffs.

Kasanganay (17-4) only needed to survive the first round to secure a playoff spot, and he survived a brief scare from "Tshilobo" in the first round to do so. Nedoh (8-3) hurt his opponent several times with hard-hitting right hands, but "The Gorilla" would counter with well-timed left hooks and uppercuts of his own. Kasanganay would badly hurt Nedoh with a right hand late in the second round and didn't let up, landing a series of punches that forced a doctor's stoppage in between rounds .

With the victory, Kasanganay is now 7-1 inside the PFL and is the top seed in the light heavyweight playoffs.