Upsets galore at 2021 PFL 1, but season format doesn’t close door on the defeated

By Nolan King |

April 24, 2021 12: 45 am

Upset, upset, upset.

Underdogs cashed in three of the four necessary card fights Friday at 2021 PFL 1 against three of the promotion’s most vital names.

First, it used to be seasoned MMA outdated Bubba Jenkins, who pulled off an inconceivable unanimous decision victory over two-time featherweight champion Lance Palmer in the necessary card opener.

Two fights later, two-time light-weight champion Natan Schulte added a loss to his resume for the first time since 2017 when he used to be defeated by the enlighten of unanimous decision by conventional Bellator and UFC fighter Marcin Held.

“Subsequent time, you might want to presumably presumably presumably’t seek information from of that I will only perambulate to the ground and accumulate a discover about at to conclude the combat on the ground,” Held acknowledged at the put up-combat information conference. “I’m able to punch. I’m able to accumulate in the placing. I’m able to accumulate on the ground. I’m a total MMA fighter. I’m hoping I confirmed that I’m one of the most provocative fighters on this division right here in PFL.”

The necessary match continued the theme when 2020 step forward boxing megastar Clay Collard execrable the promotional debut of conventional UFC light-weight champion Anthony Pettis. Collard pummeled Pettis in the first two rounds sooner than he survived a late onslaught to notch the unanimous decision accumulate.

“These are the invent of fellows we’ve been chasing since we started this,” Collard acknowledged at the put up-combat information conference. “He used to be a (WEC) champion and a UFC champion. It’s a dream reach appropriate. To accumulate a accumulate over a guy adore that, I judge says loads on this division. I judge it made a statement and that’s what I came right here to attain is accomplish a statement and let everyone know. That is my coming-out party.”

The celebration is warranted, but only transpires for thus long. In the PFL format, victories aren’t measured by momentum, buzz, or card placement. Without reference to the three wins being excessive-magnitude victories over astronomical names, the factors live the identical. PFL is perchance the most commence self-discipline in mixed martial arts. A single loss is a astronomical blow, but the defeated aren’t damned.

“(Brendan Loughnane) used to be awarded six factors tonight,” PFL senior vp of corporate communications Loren Mack acknowledged at the put up-combat information conference. “He is the man to beat on this division now (with) six factors. The remainder of the factors that had been allocated had been three factors for the winners, for everyone that won tonight, and nil factors for everyone else. The opportunities are calm there for the fighters who lost to reach and accumulate to the playoffs, but their backs are against the wall.”

The format makes PFL distinctive in the MMA situation. Now not only does it, in theory, play into fighters’ aggression and urgency, but it additionally winds into the psyche of the competitors having to combat the identical opponents extra than one occasions. For instance, Jenkins expects Palmer to reach encourage encourage with a vengeance for a rematch that in his estimation is highly in all probability.

“(Palmer) being a two-time champion and this sort of formidable opponent and this sort of great athlete for the closing 5 or six years associated with these of us and associated with this organization,” Jenkins acknowledged at the put up-combat information conference. “We figured that after we accumulate this dub, he used to be going to reach encourage encourage and we’d look him later in the match. We knew that after the dub, he’s going to devour some of us to reach encourage encourage for.”

The promotion returns Friday, April 29 with 2021 PFL 2, which features the welterweight and light-weight heavyweight divisions. The card is headlined by conventional UFC welterweight title challenger and conventional Bellator welterweight champion Rory MacDonald as he takes on Curtis Millender.