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Brendan Loughnane is poised for another shot at a $1 million prize after a thrilling victory at PFL 6. The 2022 featherweight champion secured the No. 1 seed for the 2024 playoffs with a dramatic TKO win over Justin Gonzales on Friday night.
Loughnane dominated the first round with precise striking, and midway through the second round, he landed a perfectly timed knee that opened a severe cut on Gonzales’ forehead. The cage side doctor halted the fight at 3:34 of the second round, awarding Loughnane (29-5) the win by doctor’s stoppage.
As the top seed, Loughnane will face No. 4 seed Kai Kamaka in the semifinals. The other semifinal matchup features No. 2 seed Gabriel Braga against No. 3 seed Timur Khizriev.
“The timing on that knee, I just watched it back — it was perfect,” Loughnane remarked. “I could see his brain. I could see pink brain coming through the head and I thought, ‘[Referee] Jason [Herzog], do him a favour, lad. This is going to get ugly.’”
In the co-main event, former Bellator interim welterweight champion Logan Storley (16-3) showcased his wrestling skills with a unanimous decision win over Luca Poclit (10-2). Despite the victory, Storley did not qualify for the welterweight playoffs, following an earlier loss to Shamil Musaev in his PFL debut. The judges scored the fight 30-27, 29-28, and 29-29.
The welterweight playoffs are now set, with No. 1 seed Musaev facing No. 4 seed Murad Ramazanov in a rematch, and No. 2 seed Magomed Umalatov taking on No. 3 seed Don Madge. Notably, Musaev defeated Ramazanov with a second-round knockout earlier on the preliminary card.
PFL 6, held at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., provided fans with an exciting night of action and set the stage for an intense playoff season. With Loughnane in peak form and the welterweight matchups heating up, the 2024 PFL season promises thrilling battles.