Another set of playoff finals are set after the PFL’s first overseas trip.
The 2022 PFL Playoffs 2 event took place Saturday at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales, with semifinal fights at heavyweight and welterweight. Check out the results from those playoff fights below.
Taylor upsets top seed MacDonald
Dilano Taylor got a big short-notice opportunity when Magomed Umalatov couldn’t get a visa to fight in Wales. He cashed in on it in a big way, too.
Taylor (10-2) took out No. 1 welterweight seed Rory MacDonald (23-10-1), a former Bellator champion, with a first-round TKO to advance to the November playoff final for a shot at the title and $1 million.
Taylor’s finish came at the 3:59 mark of the first round and put him into the title fight against No. 2 seed Sadibou Sy, who beat Carlos Leal earlier in the event.
Taylor got his shot as an alternate when Umalatov was ruled out, even though he was coming off a TKO loss to Magomed Magomedkerimov in his second regular-season fight in July.
“I already knew I had power in my right hand, and I already knew my jab is really hard to beat,” Taylor said in his in-cage interview after the fight. “I’m intrigued (by the matchup with Sy). I don’t know how that goes just yet.”
MacDonald tried to tie Taylor up quickly into the fight, but when he went for an inside trip, it was Taylor who wound up on top. On the canvas, MacDonald looked for an armbar, but Taylor worked through it and after fending off a potential triangle choke went to work in half-guard.
MacDonald worked back to his feet with three minutes left, but Taylor seemed plenty comfortable standing with him. He established range with ease, and when MacDonald threw a left, Taylor landed a straight right hand that put the Canadian on the canvas. From there, he pounced and landed a dozen punches until Marc Goddard shut things down.
RIGHT ON THE BUTTON 🎯🎯#PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/sKWM7wsicc
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 13, 2022
MacDonald was one of the PFL’s highest-profile free agent signings in its short history. But he went 1-2 in 2021 and lost in the semifinals, and suffered the same fate and record in 2022.
Ante Delija dominates Renan Ferreira, books final rematch vs. Scheffel
With MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop in his corner, Ante Delija powered his way to the $1 million heavyweight final.
Delija (22-5) made relatively easy work of Renan Ferreira (9-4) with a first-round TKO to advance to a rematch with Matheus Scheffel, whom he knocked out in the regular season.
🔨🔨🔨🔨 ANTE DELIJA IS #PFLCHAMPIONSHIP BOUND!!!!!!#PFLPlayoffs LIVE NOW
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🌍 https://t.co/jPNvomkWj8 pic.twitter.com/Y4x7S6mMtx— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 13, 2022
Delija fought in the heavyweight final in 2021, but lost a decision to Bruno Cappelozza.
Delija took Ferreira down in the first and stayed heavy on him on the canvas. He fended off a triangle choke attempt to land heavy punches. With a minute left, he poured it on and passed Ferreira’s guard. He rained down heavy hammer fists with Ferreira pressed against the fence, and ultimately it was all Marc Goddard needed to see for the TKO finish.
Matheus Scheffel's Cinderella story has him in heavyweight final
Matheus Scheffel wasn’t even supposed to be in the playoffs. Now he’ll fight for $1 million.
Scheffel (17-8) was a heavyweight alternate who got into the postseason when Bruno Cappelozza had to pull out. Saturday, he survived some takedowns from late replacement Juan Adams (10-5) to ultimately outwork him and get a standing TKO in the third round.
Adams used a couple takedowns and heavy top pressure to appear to be in control early in the first round. But back on the feet, he appeared to be losing energy and Scheffel took advantage with some solid punches in the closing seconds of the first.
The Ref waves it off! Matheus Scheffel is #PFLChampionship Bound!#PFLPlayoffs LIVE NOW
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🌍 https://t.co/jPNvomkWj8 pic.twitter.com/1PYp7rbUGr— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 13, 2022
In the second, Adams had to show off his chin against Scheffel’s jabs, but midway through the round he scooped Scheffel up for a slam. He didn’t get any work done on top, though, and Scheffel moved back to the feet and tried to put together some offense. By the end of the round, Adams was bleeding and Scheffel appeared to have the momentum heading to the final frame.
Adams slowed way down in the third, and his right eye was mostly swollen shut. Scheffel looked like he was going to cruise to the final, but as the fight started to wind down, Adams continued to take punches he couldn’t see coming. It was enough to make the referee jump in to stop the fight, even though Adams still was on his feet.
Sy punches ticket to welterweight final
For the first time in four PFL seasons, Sadibou Sy is on his way to a $1 million final.
Sy (12-6-2) took a unanimous decision from Carlos Leal (17-4) in the 2022 welterweight semifinals to advance to November’s championship bout. Sy won with a trio of 29-27 scores, aided by a point deduction for Leal in the third round.
The fight appeared to be hanging in the balance heading to the third. But nearly two minutes into the round, Leal caught Sy with a low blow. The fight was stopped to give Sy to recover.
You got spinning moves?
I have spinning moves.Judges decision up next#PFLPlayoffs LIVE NOW
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🌍 https://t.co/jPNvomkWj8 pic.twitter.com/W59juXYLNa— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 13, 2022
Before the fight started back, though, the referee took a point from Leal, even though the low blow was the first of the fight and Leal hadn’t been given any prior warnings. Ultimately, that point deduction didn’t matter when Sy turned things up down the stretch to leave no doubt on the scorecards.
Sy snapped Leal’s 11-fight winning streak and advanced to his first PFL final. To win the title and $1 million, Sy will have to fight Rory MacDonald in a rematch. Sy beat him in the regular season in an upset.
