Brendan Loughnane suffers crushing defeat as Brit fails to capture PFL title

From commencement to finish, Khizrev was ascendant successful each facet of the combat - with the undefeated Russian securing the PFL featherweight rubric and a whopping payday

Timur Khizrev keeps his undefeated grounds intact with a ascendant triumph implicit British icon Brendan Loughnane to triumph the 2024 PFL World Championship featherweight title.

After securing convincing wins implicit Brett Johns and Enrique Barzola, the Russian prima booked his spot successful the last aft securing a razor-thin divided determination triumph against Gabriel Alves Braga. The 29-year-old, known for his elite level wrestling has looked astir flawless since making his nonrecreational debut backmost successful 2014.

With 17 failing the hard trial successful Khizrev, Loghnane was vying to go the archetypal antheral to manus the brutal brawler his archetypal defeat. But alas, the Englishman became the latest unfortunate to neglect the test.

Despite being known for his gruelling crushed game, Khizrev was accelerated to asseverate his dominance from the opening bell... but lasting up. The Russian's accelerated manus question had his English rival backpedalling and incapable to respond with thing significant. Eager to instrumentality the combat to the mat, Loughnane attempted a spinning footwear which failed to land, allowing Khizrev to onshore a takedown and spot retired the remainder of the round.

Round two, erstwhile again, saw Khizrev dictating proceedings arsenic helium landed a tidy spinning footwear to the body, pursuing it up with different footwear and past an uppercut. The Russian seemed to person the velocity advantage, with 2 coagulated jabs uncovering its home. Khizriev rapidly stumbled to his feet, but was speedy to awesome to his country that helium was ok.

In the third, and the Russian was erstwhile again successful cruise control. He started the circular with a coagulated jab and a knee, backing Brendan against the face. A bloodied and battered Loughnane conscionable wasn't moving close and was incapable to onshore thing significant. There was intelligibly and contented with the Brit's genu and Khizriev was taking afloat vantage of it.

In the title rounds, Loughnane was inactive successful the combat and trying to onshore something. The Manchester sensation is known for his heart, but the undefeated Russian was excessively blistery to handle. Khizriev wasted nary clip successful shooting for a takedown and helium secured it with small resistance. Brendan refused to enactment connected his back, but couldn't get retired of trouble. The undefeated prima feinted with the hands earlier executing a jaw-dropping spinning kick.

Loughnane did good to scope the last round, and was successful dire request of a knockout if helium stood a accidental of becoming a two-time champion. Khizriev disguised a fewer shots good earlier landing done the defender with an uppercut. The 2 featherweight giants traded successful the mediate of the cage, with the Russian coming retired connected apical with a cracking genu up the mediate - but was inactive incapable to enactment Loughnane away. The backmost extremity of the contention saw Khizriev instrumentality the Brit's backmost earlier seeing retired the combat - sealing a ascendant victory.

All 3 judges were successful agreement, scoring the contention successful favour of Khizriev - with 1 having it 50-45 successful favour of the Russian and the different 2 scoring it 49-46. "He is simply a erstwhile champion. A pugnacious fighter. Yes helium took a batch of damage, I was honestly surprised. We person to springiness emotion to him, hats off. He is simply a pugnacious dude," said Khizriev. "That was a precise pugnacious and a agelong road. My household took a batch from maine successful this fight. I was precise nervous. Now I person to springiness backmost erstwhile I spell backmost home."

Full 2024 PFL World Championship Results

Main Card

Timur Khizriev beats Brendan Loughnane - unanimous determination

Dakota Ditcheva beats Taila Santos - 2nd circular TKO

Dovlet Yagshimuradov beats Impa Kasanganay - archetypal circular knockout

Shamil Musaev beats Magomed Umalatov - 3rd circular TKO

Gadzhi Rabadanov beats Brent Primus - 3rd circular knockout

Denis Goltsov beats Oleg Popov - archetypal circular submission

PFL MENA 2024 Championship

Abdullah Al-Qahtani. beats Marouane Bellagouit - archetypal circular knockout

Omar El Dafrawy beats Mohammad Alaqraa - 2nd circular knockout

Hattan Al Saif beats Lilia Osmani - 2nd circular knockout

Ali Taleb beats Rachid El Hazoume - archetypal circular knockout

Mohsen Mohammadseifi beats Georges Eid - unanimous decision

Showcase fights

Mansour Barnoui beats Alfie Davis - 3rd circular submission

Slim Trabelsi beats Abraham Bably - divided decision

Gabriel Braga beats Jeremy Kennedy - unanimous decision

Asael Adjoudj beats Jose Perez - archetypal circular submission

Costello Van Steenis beats Joao Dantas - archetypal circular knockout