On Friday, Aug. 23, the Professional Fighter League’s 2024 season playoffs will conclude, as the the welterweight and featherweight semifinal tournament matches are set to go down at PFL 9: 2024 Playoffs. Four fighters from each weight class will enter, and the two winners will face off in the finals later this year.
The early card airs live on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the main card on ESPN at 10 p.m. ET.
Brendan Loughnane stormed through the 2024 regular season; can he continue his hot streak and get past Kai Kamaka III?
The English knockout artist Brendan Loughnane has had unbelievable success since entering the PFL in 2019. His past four wins have all come by way of knockout, including a notable win over former long-reigning World Series of Fighting champion and one-time UFC title contender Marlon Moraes.
With two wins this season, he will now face the Bellator veteran Kai Kamaka III. The Hawaiian athlete will be entering this match on a five-fight winning streak to book him a spot in the semifinals.
To stop Brendan Loughnane requires a Herculean effort. A safe pick in this fight is the English-born athlete.
Neiman Gracie snuck into the playoffs with a 1-1 record in the regular season; how does he fare against the undefeated Magomed Umalatov?
Brazilian welterweight Neiman Gracie is a standout athlete in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, where he has collected multiple world titles in the sport. In MMA, the 35-year-old has a submission-win rate of approximately 70-percent.
Magomed Umalatov has a strong background in Combat Sambo, and has won national titles in the sport while competing in Russia. After some training with Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Russian athlete now trains at the world-class American Top Team gym.
“The Prince” Umalatov sports a perfect unbeaten record of 16-0, winning most of these fights by way of knockout. Gracie is unlikely to make it to the finals with Umalatov standing in his way.
Gabriel Braga and Timur Khizriev have a combined record of 30-1; which stalwart gets his hand raised and moves onto the featherweight final?
Another classic matchup between of Brazil vs. Russia with two highly touted talents who are 14-1 and 16-0. Gabriel Braga is an all-action fighter, while Khizriev utilizes a smothering top-position game from his wrestling background in Dagestan.
The unbeaten Khizriev is likely to keep his perfect record intact.
Which fight is the sleeper match-up on this card?
Murad Ramazanov facing Shamil Musaev has Fight of the Night written all over it, in the welterweight semifinals. This fight will feature two action-oriented Russians who will be aiming for a finish.
| Fight | Pick |
| Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET) | |
| FW: Brendan Loughnane vs. Kai Kamaka III | Loughnane |
| WW: Magomed Umalatov vs. Neiman Gracie | Umalatov |
| FW: Gabriel Braga vs. Timur Khizriev | Khizriev |
| WW: Shamil Musaev vs. Murad Ramazanov | Ramazanov |
| Early Card (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET) | |
| WW: Ray Cooper III vs. Mukhamed Berkhamov | Berkhamov |
| WW: Eric Alequin vs. Luca Poclit | Poclit |
| FW: Tyler Diamond vs. Enrique Barzola | Diamond |
| BW: Marcirley Alves vs. Brahyan Zurcher | Zurcher |
| FW: Jesse Stirn vs. Jose Perez | Perez |
| HW: Maxwell Djantou Nana vs. Kent Mafileo | Mafileo |
| WW: Shido Boris Esperanca vs. Tyler Hill | Esperanca |