PFL 8: Heavyweight & Featherweight Finals Set
Four fighters are now just one step away from huge paydays, as the heavyweight and featherweight finals were set for the Professional Fighters League at PFL 8, which took place on Oct. 5 from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
The heavyweight final will feature Josh Copeland and Philipe Lins, while Steven Siler and Lance Palmer will duke it out on New Year’s Eve for the featherweights. All four men had to win two fights at PFL 8, going through a quarterfinal and semifinal bout.
Copeland and Siler had the shortest interval time between fights. Copeland completed a two-round bout Francimar Barroso in the second main card bout where all three judges scored it 19-19. Copeland, however, moved on in the tournament because he won the fight’s first round. And in the main event of the evening, Copeland did not need the judges, knocking out Alex Nicholson in just under 90 seconds.
ONE PUNCH! The slipper still fits for the No. 8 seed @joshcuddlybear. Next stop: the PFL Heavyweight Championship on New Year’s Eve. #PFLPlayoffs #PFL8 pic.twitter.com/fGsnV3izC8
— #PFLmma (@ProFightLeague) October 6, 2018
Silver, meanwhile, also drew his quarterfinal bout against Nazareno Malegarie — which opened the PFL 8 main card — but he also advanced on the winning the first round tiebreaker. Silver then won his semifinal bout in the co-main event, but in more bizarre fashion than Copeland An illegal upkick from Alexandre Almeida saw Siler unable to continue, giving him a disqualification win.
Lins earned his spot in the heavyweight final with two finishes — a 58-second submission of Caio Alencar in their quarterfinal bout on the undercard, and a second-round TKO of Jared Rosholt in the semifinals on the main card. Palmer defeated Max Coga in the second undercard bout before earning a win over former WSOF opponent Andre Harrison — both coming by unanimous decision.
The Road to the Championship concludes on NYE in NYC! Congratulations to Heavyweight Division finalists @PhilipeLins and @joshcuddlybear! #PFLPlayoffs #MMA pic.twitter.com/MOLlC36sNC
— #PFLmma (@ProFightLeague) October 6, 2018
The Road to the Championship concludes on NYE in NYC! Congratulations to Featherweight Division finalists @LancePalmer and @Stevesiler! #PFLPlayoffs #MMA pic.twitter.com/pmz2f02BXi
— #PFLmma (@ProFightLeague) October 6, 2018
Check out the PFL 8 results below:
PFL 8 Main Card:
Heavyweight Semifinal: Josh Copeland def. Alex Nicholson via KO (Rd. 1, 1:27)
Featherweight Semifinal: Steven Siler def. Alexandre Almeida via DQ (illegal upkick) (Rd. 2, 0:52)
Heavyweight Semifinal: Philipe Lins def. Jared Rosholt via TKO (Rd. 2, 0:45)
Featherweight Semifinal: Lance Palmer def. Andre Harrison via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Heavyweight Quarterfinal: Francimar Barroso vs. Josh Copeland goes to a draw (19-19, 19-19, 19-19; Copeland advances on tiebreaker (winning the first round)
Featherweight Quarterfinal: Steven Siler vs. Nazareno Malegarie goes to a majority draw (20-18, 19-19, 19-19; Siler advances on tiebreaker (winning the first round)PFL 8 Undercard:
Heavyweight Quarterfinal: Alex Nicholson def. Jack May via TKO (Rd. 1, 2:03)
Featherweight Quarterfinal: Alexandre Almeida def. Jumabieke Tuerxun via majority decision (20-18, 20-18, 19-19)
Heavyweight Quarterfinal: Philipe Lins def. Caio Alencar via submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 1, 0:58)
Featherweight Quarterfinal: Andre Harrison def. Alexandre Bezerra via majority decision (20-18, 20-18, 19-19)
Heavyweight Quarterfinal: Jared Rosholt def. Kelvin Tiller via unanimous decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18)
Featherweight Quarterfinal: Lance Palmer def. Max Coga via unanimous decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18)
Heavyweight Alternate Bout: Mo De’Reese def. Mike Kyle via TKO (Rd. 1, 2:38)