Top-seeded welterweight Rory MacDonald headlines PFL's playoff card in Wales
The lineup is set for the PFL’s second set of playoff fights next month in Wales.
Top welterweight seed Rory MacDonald (23-9-1), a former Bellator champion, will take on No. 4 Magomed Umalatov (12-0) in the main event. The other half of the welterweight bracket between No. 2 Sadibou Sy (11-6-2) and No. 3 Carlos Leal (17-3) opens up the main card.
The event also features the two semifinal playoff bouts at heavyweight. No. 1 seed Denis Goltsov (29-7) takes on No. 4 Bruno Cappelozza (15-6), the 2021 heavyweight season winner, and No. 2 Ante Delija (21-5) meets No. 3 Renan Ferreira (9-3).
The PFL’s second set of playoff fights take place Aug. 13 at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. The four-fight main card of playoff matchups airs on ESPN. A four-fight set of prelims and four fights after the main card stream on ESPN+.
The playoffs open the week prior in New York with lightweights and light heavyweights. The week after the welterweights and heavyweights, the third and final set of playoff matchups take place in London with women’s lightweights and featherweights.
MacDonald’s first-round submission win over Brett Cooper in May got him 6 points in the standings. Despite his upset loss to Sy earlier this month, his 6 points held up and gave him the top seed.
In Umalatov, MacDonald has to take on an opponent who never has lost. The Russian made the playoffs despite having just one fight in the regular season – a first-round knockout of Jarrah Al-Silawi.
The PFL 2022 Playoffs 2 card includes:
POSTLIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
- Kenneth Bergh vs. Will Fleury
- Nate Kelly vs. TBA
- Vojto Barborik vs. Maxim Radu
- Moktar Benkaci vs. Francesco Nuzzi
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 1 p.m. ET)
- No. 1 Rory MacDonald vs. No. 4 Magomed Umalatov – welterweight semifinal
- No. 2 Ante Delija vs. No. 3 Renan Ferreira – heavyweight semifinal
- No. 1 Denis Goltsov vs. No. 4 Bruno Cappelozza – heavyweight semifinal
- No. 2 Sadibou Sy vs. No. 3 Carlos Leal – welterweight semifinal
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 11 a.m. ET)
- Josh O'Connor vs. Emran Sakhizada
- Mohamad Fakhreddine vs. TBA
- John Mitchell vs. Chris Mixan
- Szymon Bajor vs. Hatef Moeil