Matches to Make After 2023 PFL 9

Lev PisarskyAug 24, 2023

PFL 9 determined the finals for men's lightweight and welterweight, two of its most skilled divisions. In the main event, Clay Collard fought former Ultimate Fighting Championship contender Shane Burgos. Burgos had gone 1-1 during the PFL regular season, losing to Olivier Aubin-Mercier but triumphing over Yamato Nishikawa, only making the postseason due to a late replacement. Collard, meanwhile, had defeated the same Nishikawa but also recorded a gorgeous early second-round knockout of last year's lightweight finalist Steven Ray. Early on, Burgos attempted to grapple but soon abandoned that for slugging it out toe-to-toe with Collard in an incredible back-and-forth war. However, Burgos found his opponent tougher than most men he faced in the UFC. Collard repeatedly beat Burgos to the punch and landed big blows, including a terrific left hook counter that put Burgos on his butt in Round 2. Burgos came back very strong in the final frame, scoring devastating leg kicks and crisp combinations upstairs alike in what was very possibly the best PFL fight of the year thus far. However, it wasn't enough, as Collard took the verdict 29-28 across the board.

In the co-main event, one of PFL's biggest stars, 2022 lightweight champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier, battled dangerous Brazilian striker Bruno Miranda. Miranda came in with an impressive seven-fight winning streak dating all the way back to 2017. Early on, he looked very strong, landing repeated leg kicks and a big body punch, likely winning the opening frame. However, Aubin-Mercier wasn't discouraged, dropping Miranda with a left hand early in the second stanza, and slowly, methodically advancing position before dispatching him with brutal ground-and-pound at 4:41 of the second round.

In one welterweight semifinal, defending champion Sadibou Sy met Carlos Leal Miranda for a second time. Like their first meeting in 2022, it was a grinding, competitive affair, with numerous clinches and even an unfortunate low blow. Sy had an advantage in the striking, but Miranda found occasional success in the grappling, including a takedown in Round 2 that likely won him the stanza. However, Sy still won a split decision with two scores of 29-28 in his favor, continuing a seven-fight winning streak. Oddly, while Miranda should have lost a point due to missing weight by a pound, that didn't factor into any of the scores.

In the other 170-pound semifinal, former 2018 PFL welterweight champion Magomed Magomedkerimov, the last man to defeat Sy, entered as a huge favorite against Solomon Renfro. Renfro offered spirited resistance, defending many takedowns and limiting damage when his back was on the canvas. He arguably won the last round, but Magomedkerimov still took the clear unanimous decision.

With the two finals set, let's look at both in greater detail.

Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Clay Collard

Collard has terrific boxing, but Aubin-Mercier has very solid defense as well as a sturdy chin. And it will likely be a matter of time before Aubin-Mercier gets a takedown, as he did against Collard's opponent on Wednesday night, Shane Burgos, during the regular season. Complicating matters is that Aubin-Mercier's own striking has become very potent, knocking opponents down and even out with his left, so Collard can't purely concentrate on defending the takedown to the detriment of his own striking defense. Nor can Collard hope that his cardio will win out and Aubin-Mercier will no longer be able to wrestle in the later rounds, as we saw Collard fade significantly after Round 2 himself. There is a chance that Collard, who has genuine punching power, catches Aubin-Mercier and lands the right follow-up shots to stop him, but “The Canadian Gangster” should be a sizable favorite to repeat as the PFL lightweight champion.

Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Sadibou Sy

Magomedkerimov defeated Sy in 2021 by decision and will likely look to implement a similar gameplan. He will strike with Sy for a while, where he will at least be able to tread water, then look for an opportunity to shoot or enter an advantageous clinch. It's not clear how exactly Sy will be able to stop this, as he lacks stopping power. The hope will likely be that he can defend more takedowns this time and that the five-round format, instead of three rounds in their first meeting, won't allow the Dagestani native to grapple as much. It will likely be a close, competitive, grinding affair that will end up going to the cards. Magomedkerimov will almost certainly be a favorite, but given the surprising resistance Renfro demonstrated, there is a good chance that Sy might win three out of five rounds. In particular, Sy has a good chance beginning with the third, when his foe's takedowns become noticeably less potent. However, if it's the nearly 37 year-old Sy whose cardio doesn't hold up, it should be a clear win for Magomedkerimov.