Run It Back: Ray Cooper III Reflects On PFL Redemption

After coming up short in the PFL Finals in 2018, Ray Cooper III managed to step it up in 2019 and win the whole thing. Now, “Bradda Boy” has looked back on his recent run thanks to this Professional Fighters League exclusive.

The PFL’s “Run it Back” series has returned, focusing on the fighters who won the PFL Finals and claimed a check of $1 million. It will be streaming live on the PFL’s social media pages Thursday’s at 8 p.m. ET. Last week’s guest was 2019 PFL Lightweight Champion Kayla Harrison.

Cooper (20-7-1) talked to 2018 PFL Champion Sean O’Connell about this past season. He discussed facing his cousin Zane Kamaka in the first match of the new season, knocking out Chris Curtis to reach the finals and beating David Michaud in the finals to become PFL Welterweight Champion.

Of note, Cooper is the only one to beat Curtis via knockout. Curtis was also a replacement opponent after Magomed Magomedkerimov, the man who beat him in the finals, withdrew from the competition. Cooper knew about it the moment of fight night. When talking about Kamaka, Cooper mentioned the anger that was in him and how he let it all go once the fight started.

Calm, cool and collected as he normally is, Cooper’s path to glory is looking to be duplicated in 2020.