On Friday, Apr. 18, the Professional Fighters League hosted PFL 2025 World Tournament: First Round 3, live from Universal Studios Orlando in Orlando, Fla. The event featured the first round of the middleweight and lightweight tournaments.
In the main event Fabian Edwards finished Impa Kasanganay in the second round. This fight was competitive in the first round, with most the action happening in the clinch. In the second, Edwards was wobbled early on. However, he managed to regroup and land a jumping knee on Kasanganay. He then followed that up with a straight left that floored the past PFL season winner. Edwards landed a few ground strikes before the referee waved things off.
That win booked Edwards a second round match-up with Josh Silveira, who used his wrestling and grappling to take a decision over Mike Shipman.
In the other middleweight matches Dalton Rosta bullied Sadibou Sy, dragging him down in the second round and setting up a beautiful D’Arce choke, and Aaron Jeffrey took a narrow split decision over Murad Ramazanov. Rosta will now get a chance to avenge his 2023 loss to Jeffrey in Bellator (which remains his only pro loss).
In the lightweight bracket Gadzhi Rabadanov continues to look frightening in the PFL Smart Cage. He blew away Marc Diakiese in close to thirty seconds. After catching one of Diakiese’s kicks, Rabadanov bundled the Brit over and knocked him out cold with fast and brutal ground and pound.
He advances to meet Jay Jay Wilson (whom he beat by decision in Bellator back in 2022). Wilson looked great in beating Mads Burnell by TKO. Those two put on an intricate grappling session, with Wilson mostly in control, before Wilson upped the intensity with his ground and pound in the third round.
Brent Primus was a winner tonight. He smothered Vinicius Cenci before scoring a late submission. He’s going to fight Alfie Davis in the next round. Tonight Davis TKO’d Clay Collard thanks to a spinning back elbow and follow up ground punches.
The event aired live on ESPN+ starting at 5 p.m. ET. Check below for full results.
Fabian Edwards def. Impa Kasanganay by TKO (punches). Round 2, 2:14 – first round middleweight bout
Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Marc Diakiese by KO (punches). Round 1, 0:32 – first round lightweight bout
Dalton Rosta def. Sadibou Sy by submission (D’Arce choke). Round 2, 3:29 – first round middleweight bout
Jay Jay Wilson def. Mads Burnell by TKO (elbows and punches). Round 3, 4:42 – first round lightweight bout
Alfie Davis def. Clay Collard by TKO (spinning back elbow and punches). Round 1, 2:12 – first round lightweight bout
Josh Silveira def. Mike Shipman by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) – first round middleweight bout
Brent Primus def. Vinicius Cenci by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 3, 4:52 – first round lightweight bout
Aaron Jeffery def. Murad Ramazanov by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)- first round middleweight bout