It’s not every day you get a heavyweight heel hook, but that’s what fans got Friday at PFL Playoffs 1.
In a heavyweight showcase bout that served as the featured prelim, Sergey Bilostenniy submitted Tyrell Fortune with a gnarly heel hook at 2:00 of Round 1.
The finishing sequence was an elongated leg lock battle, which Bilostenniy (12-3) eventually won in destructive fashion. Fortune (14-3) tried his best to fight the submission, but eventually his body caved to the damage. There was no tap, but the damage was evident and referee Jason Herzog intervened.
Sergei Bilostenniy locks in a heel hook and Jason Herzog calls the fight when Fortune was in pain!
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Bilostenniy, 28, gets his revenge on Fortune, who defeated him by disqualification, due to strikes to the back of the head, in April 2023. The win was his third in a row.
Fortune, 34, adds an official loss to his record for the first time since 2021 (though he lost a fight to Daniel James in 2022 that was later overturned to a no contest).
The up-to-the-minute 2024 PFL Playoffs 1 results include:
- Sergey Bilostenniy def. Tyrell Fortune via submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 2:00
- Alexei Pergande def. Daniel Boehle via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Cody Law def. Zachary Hicks via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:15
- Dedrek Sanders def. Sergio Cossio via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:34
- Anthony Ivy def. Jaleel Willis via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:49
- Kevin Pease def. Nick Meck via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 1.
