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Sherdog
Preview: PFL 5 2024
By J.L. Kirven,
2024-06-18
The Professional Fighters League on Friday will head to Salt Lake City for PFL 5 , with its top light heavyweights and lightweights leading the charge.
One of Utah’s favorite fighting sons, Clay Collard , hopes to pack the Jon M. Huntsman Center and punch his ticket back to the playoffs with a win over Mads Burnell in the main event. Meanwhile, defending light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay crosses paths with the slugging Slovenian Jakob Nedoh , and former Bellator MMA lightweight titleholder Patricky Freire returns for a showdown with fellow Brazilian Bruno Miranda . Elsewhere, Rob Wilkinson has not lost a fight in over six years, but American Top Team standout Joshua Silveira figures to have something to say about his progress moving forward; and Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov puts his four-fight winning streak on the line against the towering Simon Biyong .
The prelims begin at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT before Antonio Carlos Jr. and Alex Polizzi kick off the main card at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. With the chance for $1 million still on the minds of all involved, it will take some fantastic finishes to settle the playoffs bracket. Now to the PFL 5 preview:
Arguably the meanest thing to come out of Utah is back after falling short of the $1 million dollar prize in 2023, as Collard once finds himself in the mix for a playoff spot. Whenever Collard fights, you can expect non-stop action and usually a quick finish—even if he’s on the receiving end of it. While a first-round loss to A.J. McKee was not how Collard wanted to start 2024, the Payson Puncher quickly rebounded with a second-round technical knockout of Patricky Freire . Collard’s striking makes him a fearsome opponent, but he’s a vulnerable one, too. In the fight against Freire, Collard was rocked and dropped early in the fight. Had Freire not gassed so quickly, Collard could’ve lost his third in a row. It’s Collard’s willingness to engage that makes this fight intriguing. Burnell is a battle-tested lightweight from Bellator who has tangled with some solid opposition. He’s smart, rangy and tough to beat over a three-round affair. With that said, Burnell’s not a big puncher. His one career knockout is nothing to fear, and he hasn’t submitted a foe since 2021. Burnell comes in off a second-round submission loss to Michael Duffort and could be showing signs of slowing down. Collard’s submission game is a step behind Burnell’s, but his wrestling is strong enough to keep the fight on the feet. Burnell has never faced a fighter whose volume is so intense that he’s susceptible to wilting under pressure. Look for Collard to turn it on late and secure his spot in the playoffs with a third-round TKO.
Since winning the light heavyweight tournament in 2023, Kasanganay’s confidence has become his best weapon. Despite fighting in a loaded division with former tournament winners, he walks with the swagger of a defending champion. Kasanganay displayed this with his first-round destruction of Alex Polizzi in April. Coming off his war with Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen , Kasanganay was unfazed by whatever Polizzi threw his way. He outwrestled the former Big Ten product and soundly knocked him out moments later. Kasanganay once was a fighter who lacked a strength, but he’s quickly becoming a force that can adapt to where the fight takes him. He has shown a willingness to wrestle with experienced grapplers and throw hands with heavy hitters. He’ll certainly have to deal with the latter in this fight. Nedoh butchered the opposition on his way to winning the PFL Europe light heavyweight tournament. The 6-foot-4 giant has a right hand that can tranquilize a man, but in his PFL global debut, he was caught cold by 30-fight vet Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov . Nedoh has the speed and power to hurt whoever he’s matched with, but his style is vanilla and easy to time. If he added fluidity to his game, he could be a problem. Kasanganay needs to give Nedoh the respect he deserves while neutralizing him quickly. Nedoh has never been past the second round, and if he’s forced to wrestle early, his power may not carry into the later rounds. Nedoh’s best shot is to rush Kasanganay early and inflict his power. Kasanganay is tough, but his chin is crackable. The window will be small, however. Kasanagany will keep the fight moving while relying on quick combinations. Once he establishes range, Kasanganay’s superior wrestling could take over. If Nedoh’s untested gas tank fails to hold up, look for Kasanganay to cap off his performance with a late ground-and-pound TKO.
Freire ended his 12-year Bellator run on a loss, and his PFL debut didn’t go much better. The former lightweight kingpin is still dangerous at 38, but his explosiveness comes in spurts. Power is the last gift to leave a fighter, and Freire’s still has plenty of it. With 17 KOs on his resume, Freire still has pop, but that might not be enough. In his last fight, Freire dropped Clay Collard flat on his back. The right hand was crisp, explosive and damaging, but Freire lacked the juice to follow up. Collard recovered and boxed circles around the Brazilian. Freire couldn’t take the angles or close the distance and was picked apart. If Freire caught Collard again, he could’ve stopped him, but the Utah native’s mounting pressure was too much to handle. Miranda hopes to end a two-fight skid, as well. The PFL sophomore stopped Carson Frei to earn a roster spot in 2023 but has underperformed since. After two decision wins, Miranda was stopped in the second round by Olivier Aubin-Mercier in the playoffs, then was dominated by Brent Primus at PFL 2. “Robusto” has dynamite in his fists and is four years younger than Freire. With a third straight loss hanging over their heads, this fight feels like a must-win for Freire and Miranda. Freire was once one of the best lightweights in the world, but retirement is looming. Miranda has been in the game since 2011, so he’s no spring chicken, either. Whatever’s left in these fighter’s tanks will be left in the cage. Expect “Pitbull” to come out early and set the tone ahead of a stoppage.
This bout could be the most intriguing matchup on the card. Wilkinson has been a force since his loss to Israel Adesanya in 2018. The 6-foot-3 Aussie won the 2022 PFL light heavyweight tournament and has seven finishes. In his first fight since his suspension, Wilkinson picked up where he left off, knocking out Tom Breese in the first round. Wilkinson looks like a potential threat to win it all again, but he’ll have to earn his playoff spot against one of the most versatile fighters in the bracket. Silveira is just as likely to knock someone out as he is to submit them. The American Top Team standout is not going to wow an opponent in one particular discipline, but he can mix it up. Silveira takes what’s given to him, then makes his move. He’s not going to force a bad position or strike out of machismo. If Wilkinson thinks he’s going away easily, then he could be in for a tough night. Wilkinson may be the more explosive fighter, but Silveira has the experience and skill set to take the danger out of the cage. He will force Wilkinson to fight against his strengths and wrestle, which could lead to some opportunities later on. Expect the Aussie to have one of the most challenging nights of his career.
Yagshimuradov has quietly turned into a sleeper pick to win the tournament. Coming into this match on a four-fight winning streak, Yagshimuradov could be in for another fantastic finish after being matched with the stiff Biyong. Yagshimuradov already starched a giant in Jakob Nedoh , but Biyong is even bigger. At 6-foot-6, Biyong is one of the largest competitors in the PFL, but he’s still green on the ground. Yagshimuradov isn’t known for his submission game and will try to slug it out with the Italian. That could be costly. The blueprint to beating Biyong was laid out in the first-round win Antonio Carlos Jr. recorded against him in April, but “Wolfhound” may be too stubborn to fight another way. If Yagshimuradov uses his wrestling, he could find a finish on the ground, but if he stands and trades, he could find himself on the end of Biyong’s extended right hand.
Carlos Jr. has never lost a PFL fight, and the American Top Team product plans to keep it that way. The former light heavyweight tournament winner returned from a 21-month layoff and looked fantastic in his first-round submission over Simon Biyong . Carlos Jr. has a nasty submission game that has led to 12 career finishes, but his hands lack pop. Carlos Jr. doesn’t have the standup game to dominate a fight for 15 minutes, and he must take control on the ground. In his world, he’s a king, but when it comes to throwing hands, he’s still relying on the basics. Polizzi needs to take advantage of every second Carlos Jr. is standing. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher has struggled throughout the last two years. Since starting his career 10-1, Polizzi has lost three straight to Yoel Romero , Karl Moore and Impa Kasanganay . Polizzi can influence a fight with his Big Ten wrestling pedigree, but his chin is susceptible to big punchers. Luckily for him, Carlos Jr. is not one of those. This fight is a grappler-versus-wrestler affair that could favor the American. If Polizzi mixes it up enough on the feet, he could control Carlos Jr. on the ground long enough to steal rounds. Carlos Jr. will be a handful to roll with, and Polizzi had better make sure his submission defense is on point, but there’s a way to win this fight. It isn’t pretty, but with a frustrating game plan, Polizzi could stifle the former champ and pull off one of the night’s biggest upsets.
Sadibou Sy (16-8-2, 10-6-2 PFL) vs. Tom Breese (18-5, 1-1 PFL): Sy’s light heavyweight debut ended before it really started, but the former PFL welterweight champion is back for redemption. Sy’s striking is slicker than most 205-pounders, and he can turn off the lights with a flick of his leg. Breese would be wise to get this fight to the mat as soon as possible. He was unable to do that in his first-round knockout loss to Rob Wilkinson in April, but when Breese sticks to his grappling, he can find a sub early.
Light Heavyweights
Andrew Sanchez (14-7, 1-0 PFL) vs. Karl Albrektsson (14-5, 0-0 PFL): Sanchez has come a long way since winning Season 23 of “The Ultimate Fighter” eight years ago. After an up-and-down stint in the UFC, Sanchez pits his experience against Albrektsson. Sweden’s Albrektsson makes his PFL debut after his campaign for a Bellator world title was halted by back-to-back losses to Karl Moore and Grant Neal . Both fighters can bang and have 13 knockouts between them, so expect a short but intense affair.
Lightweights
Brent Primus (13-3, 1-0 PFL) vs. Solomon Renfro (11-5, 1-2 PFL): The 39-year-old Primus passed his prime when he reigned as the Bellator lightweight champion, but despite being the oldest competitor in the field, the former champ’s gas tank is still a weapon. Primus comes in off a second-round submission win over Bruno Miranda and could have another favorable matchup here. Renfro has excellent boxing, but his stamina failed him, resulting in a decision loss to Gadzhi Rabadanov . Renfo could cause problems early, but if Primus takes the fight to the mat, it could be a long night for the Cleveland native.
Lightweights
Gadzhi Rabadanov (21-4-1, 1-0 PFL) vs. Elvin Espinoza (10-0, 5-0 PFL): Rabadanov showed resolve when he shook off a slow start and outworked Solomon Renfro down the stretch to win his seventh straight fight. The Dagestani wrestling product can control a fight but hasn’t stopped an opponent in over three years. Espinoza has been coined “The Prodigy,” but several flaws in his game were exposed in his last fight against Adam Piccolotti . Espinoza was beaten to the punch throughout but kept his undefeated record intact when he caught Piccolotti with a flying knee in the final round. Espinoza has the explosiveness to take out a foe in an instant, but opportunities could be slim against a vet like Rabadanov.
Lightweights
Michael Dufort (13-4, 1-0 PFL) vs. Adam Piccolotti (14-6, 0-1 PFL): Since dropping his first two professional fights, Dufort has developed into one of Canada’s best talents. The 30-year-old has 10 submission wins on his ledger and is coming off the biggest victory of his career against Mads Burnell . Dufort’s five-fight winning streak will be tested against Piccolotti, however. The former Bellator contender has tangled with world beaters like Benson Henderson , Sidney Outlaw and Mansour Barnaoui , but he is prone to losing focus late in fights. That was evident in his last bout when Piccolotti was knocked out by Elvin Espinoza in the third round after dominating most of their fight.
Lightweights
Anthony Romero (12-2, 1-1 PFL) vs. Sergio Cossio (18-9-1, 0-0 PFL): Cossio brings an eight-fight winning streak into his PFL debut. The Xtreme Couture product started his career shaky—he lost seven of his first 10 fights—but has figured it out since. His finish-or-be-finished style makes for fun fights, and he could be an exciting addition to the PFL roster. Romero earned his shot on the main roster thanks to a win on the PFL Challenger Series but hasn’t fought since he was knocked out by Olivier Aubin-Mercier in June 2023. Both fighters need to impress if they want an invitation to next year’s tournament.
Featherweights
Brahyan Zurcher (9-0, 4-0 PFL) vs. Julian Ruiz (4-0, 0-0 PFL): Somebody’s “0” has to go in this featherweight attraction. Training out of the Capetillo Boxing Gym, Zurcher is a Guadalajara, Mexico, native whose boxing background makes him dangerous. He has stopped his last three opponents and will be gunning for Ruiz’s chin. Ruiz fights out of Millcreek, Utah, and is one of the state’s most promising prospects. He has won three of his four fights by knockout and plans to open the card with a bang.
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