Carlos Leal punched his 2023 PFL playoff ticket in an impressive fashion.
Entering the cage at 2023 PFL 6 at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, Leal (19-4) needed a win in any fashion, or even a draw, to clinch his spot in the playoffs. At 1:13 of Round 2, Leal put last season’s finalist Dilano Taylor (10-5) out on his feet before dropping him to the canvas.
The first five minutes of the fight was competitive, but Leal had the advantage going into the second round after a late flurry. He kept the pressure high early in Round 2, and found home for a hard right hand that rocked Taylor. As he retreated backward, Taylor did his best to avoid taking further damage, but he was out of sorts. Leal landed a series of clean shots that knocked Taylor’s mouthpiece out. With the referee watching closely and ready to step in, one more clean punch put Taylor on the canvas, and the celebration was on for Leal.
Check out video of the finish below (via Twitter):
THE LION!! Carlos Leal puts Taylor on Ice Skates and gets the finish!
Carlos Leal is going back to the #PFLPlayoffs!#PFLRegularSeason LIVE NOW
🇺🇸 ESPN+
🌎 https://t.co/jPNvomD5xg pic.twitter.com/8bmUEfQtzD— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 24, 2023
The finish was the second of the season for Leal, who recorded a first-round finish of David Zawada at 2023 PFL 3 in April. He has clinched a playoff spot for the second straight year.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 6.
