The 2024 PFL lightweight championship was claimed in violent fashion Friday.
Khabib Nurmagomedov teammate Gadzhi Rabadanov crushed former Bellator lightweight champion Brent Primus with a brilliant and violent combination to win gold (and $1 million) at 2:31 of Round 3.
2024 PFL World Championship took place at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Rabadanov (24-4-2) dropped Primus (15-4) twice prior to the finishing sequence. He seemed a step ahead in most of the exchanges, faster and with more power.
FACE FIRST KO! #andNOW 2024 PFL Lightweight World Champion Gadzhi Rabadanov!!#PFLWorldChampionship
LIVE NOW ON ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/g6Ddy1VpMq— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 29, 2024
The victory extended his winning streak to 10. A Bellator import, Rabadanov beat Solomon Renfro, Elvin Espinosa, and Michael Dufort to punch his ticket into Friday’s championship.
Primus’ loss snaps a three-fight winning streak. Also a Bellator import, Primus defeated Bruno Miranda, Renfro, and Clay Collard in succession to solidify his title shot.
Up-to-the-minute 2024 PFL Championship results include:
- Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev – for featherweight title
- Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos – for women’s flyweight title
- Impa Kasanganay vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov – for light heavyweight title
- Magomed Umalatov vs. Shamil Musaev – for welterweight title
- Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Brent Primus via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 2:31 – to win 2024 lightweight title
- Denis Goltsov def. Oleg Popov via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:55 – to win heavyweight title
- Abdullah Al-Qahtani def. Maraoune Bellagouit via TKO (punches) – Round 1 – for MENA featherweight title
- Omar El Dafrawy def. Mohammad Alaqraa via TKO (punches) – Round 2; 0:57 – to win MENA welterweight title
- Ali Taleb def. Rachid El Hazoume via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:25 – to win MENA bantamweight title
- Mohsen Mohammadseifi def. Georges Eid via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) – for MENA lightweight title
- Mansour Barnaoui def. Alfie Davis via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:41
- Slim Trabelsi def. Abraham Bably via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Gabriel Braga def. Jeremy Kennedy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Asael Adjoudj def. Jose Perez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:10
- Costello van Steenis def. Joao Dantas via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 0:48
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.
