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0 The Professional Fighters League heats up on Saturday with the men’s light heavyweight and lightweight playoffs launching at PFL 7 in New York and on Stan Sport.
Australia will be represented on the main card via former UFC star Rob Wilkinson, who will fight Brazil’s Delan Monte in the light heavyweight semi finals.
The Tasmanian nicknamed ‘Razor’ is the top seed in his division after making short work of Brazil’s Bruce Souto in April (second round TKO) then stopping the Czech Republic’s Viktor Pesta in the first round in June.
Watch the 2022 PFL playoffs – featuring Anthony Pettis, Rob Wilkinson and Kayla Harrison – live, exclusive and on demand on Stan Sport
Wilkinson (15-2) has a superior record as a professional than Monte (9-2) while Russia’s Omari Akhmedov (23-7-1) will fight the USA’s Josh Silveira (9-0) in the division’s other semi.
In its fifth season, the PFL offers a $1.43 million championship bounty in each division and the 2022 edition features events in Cardiff and London as well as the USA.
Wilkinson, in his debut PFL campaign, is hoping the league will soon spread its international wings even further with fights in Australia but for now is laser focused on a “bucket list” bout at Madison Square Garden.
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“All I’ve been wanting the past three years is activity, and finally with this tournament that’s what I’m getting,” said the 30-year-old, who fought UFC superstar Israel Adesanya in 2018 before parting ways with that organisation.
“The difference I felt between the first and second fight was huge. I felt calm, composed, focused and could hear everything my corner were saying.
“I am proud of my performance not because of the outcome but because I felt like I was able to perform to my true abilities. Can’t wait for the playoffs, I’ve got a whole lot to prove.”
PFL 7 full card: Saturday, August 6 (all times AEST)
8am: Mahmoud Fawzy Sebie vs Itso Babulaidze, welterweight swing bout
8.20am: Cory Hendricks vs Marthin Hamlet, light heavyweight
8.40am: Marcelo Nunes vs Dylan Potter, heavyweight
9am (main card): Rob Wilkinson vs Delan Monte, light heavyweight semi final
9.30am (main card): Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs Alex Martinez, lightweight semi final
10am (main card): Omari Akhmedov vs Josh Silveira, light heavyweight semi final
10.30am (main card): Anthony Pettis vs Stevie Ray, lightweight semi final
11.30am: Alexei Pergande vs Elvis Lebron Quiles, lightweight
12pm: Lucas Barbosa vs Elmar Umarov, welterweight
12.30pm: Elvin Espinosa vs Corey Jackson, lightweight
1pm: Brahyan Zurcher vs Ricardo Jimenez, featherweight
PFL 8 in Cardiff: Sunday, August 14
Playoffs begin for heavyweight and welterweight divisions
Key fight
Rory MacDonald vs Magomed Umalatov, welterweight semi final
PFL 9 in London: Sunday, August 21
Playoffs begin for women’s divisions
Key fight
Kayla Harrison vs Martina Jindrova, lightweight semi final
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