PFL 7 (2021 season)

The PFL 7 mixed martial arts event for the 2021 season of the Professional Fighters League was held on August 13, 2021. This was the start of the playoffs for the Welterweight and Lightweight divisions. This event aired on ESPN2, with the prelims on ESPN+.[1][2][3]

PFL 7
The poster for PFL 7
Information
PromotionProfessional Fighters League
DateAugust 13, 2021 (2021-August-13)
VenueSeminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
CityHollywood, Florida, United States
Event chronology
PFL 6 PFL 7 PFL 8
Main article: PFL (2021 season)

Background

Rory MacDonald and Ray Cooper III headlined the first PFL playoff card, with the Welterweight and Lightweight playoffs holding their semifinal bouts. MacDonald made his third appearance with PFL cage, going 1-1 in the regular season, with his most recent outing being a highly controversial decision loss to Gleison Tibau. He took on the former PFL champion Cooper, who was 2-0 during the regular season in 2021.[4]

The Lightweight bracket saw UFC and boxing veteran Clay Collard take on Raush Manfio while Loik Radzhabov and Alexander Martinez fought in the other lightweight semifinal.[5]

Featured additions included a lightweight contest include two-time PFL champion Natan Schulte taking on 12-time UFC veteran Olivier Aubin-Mercier, as well as planned bout with Swedish PFL vet Sadibou Sy facing 28-time UFC veteran Gleison Tibau.[4][5]

On August 4, it was announced that João Zeferino was out of his Semi-Final match-up against Magomed Magomedkerimov, with #5 ranked Sadibou Sy taking his place. Curtis Millender (replacing Sy) was then scheduled to face Gleison Tibau. Natan Schulte was also announced to have been scratched, with Olivier Aubin-Mercier now fighting Darrell Horcher. Lastly, Nikolay Aleksakhin was removed from his bout against Brett Cooper, with Cooper now facing Tyler Hill.[6] On August 12, Millender was announced to have pulled out of the bout against Tibau, so Tibau instead faced Micah Terrill, while Magomed Umalatov faced Leandro Silva.[7]

At weigh-ins, Darrell Horcher and Leandro Silva weighed in at 159.25 and 172.5 pounds, missing weight by 3.25 and 1.5 pounds respectively. The bouts proceeded at catchweight and they were fined 20% of their purses, which went to their opponents Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Magomed Umalatov respectively.[8]

Results
Main Card (ESPN 2)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Ray Cooper III def. Rory MacDonald Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Welterweight Magomed Magomedkerimov def. Sadibou Sy Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Lightweight Raush Manfio def. Clay Collard Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Lightweight Loik Radzhabov def. Alexander Martinez Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) 3 5:00
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Welterweight Gleison Tibau def. Micah Terrill Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke) 1 2:18
Catchweight (159.25 lb) Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Darrell Horcher Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-26, 29-27) 3 5:00
Welterweight Brett Cooper def. Tyler Hill KO (punches) 1 2:32
Catchweight (172.5 lb) Magomed Umalatov def. Leandro Silva Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Welterweight Michael Lombardo def. Kyron Bowen TKO (leg kicks) 1 3:42
Lightweight Elvin Espinoza def. Hopeton Stewart Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 2:45

    2021 PFL Welterweight playoffs
    Semifinals Finals
          
    5 Sweden Sadibou Sy* 3
    4 Russia Magomed Magomedkerimov UD
    4 Russia Magomed Magomedkerimov 3
    3 United States Ray Cooper III KO
    2 Canada Rory MacDonald 3
    3 United States Ray Cooper III UD
    Legend
    (SD)
    		   (Split Decision)
    (UD)
    		   (Unanimous Decision)
    (MD)
    		   (Majority Decision)
    SUB
    		   Submission
    (T)KO
    		   (Technical) Knock Out
    L
    		   Loss

    2021 PFL Lightweight playoffs
    Semifinals Finals
          
    1 Tajikistan Loik Radzhabov UD
    4 Paraguay Alexander Martinez 3
    1 Tajikistan Loik Radzhabov 5
    3 Brazil Raush Manfio UD
    2 United States Clay Collard 3
    3 Brazil Raush Manfio UD
    Legend
    (SD)
    		   (Split Decision)
    (UD)
    		   (Unanimous Decision)
    (MD)
    		   (Majority Decision)
    SUB
    		   Submission
    (T)KO
    		   (Technical) Knock Out
    L
    		   Loss

    See also

    References
    1. Fontana, Scott. "PFL playoffs slated for August in Florida casino". nypost.com. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
    2. Fontana, Scott (2021-06-08). "PFL playoffs slated for August in Florida casino". New York Post. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
    3. Lee, Alexander K. (2021-06-08). "PFL 2021 playoff dates announced for August". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
    4. "2021 PFL Playoffs 1 additions include Oliver Aubin-Mercier vs. Natan Schulte". MMA Junkie. 2021-07-27. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
    5. Newswire, MMA Fighting (2021-07-27). "PFL announces full card for first playoff event headlined by Rory MacDonald vs. Ray Cooper III on Aug. 13". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
    6. "2021 PFL Playoffs 1 sees four matchups altered, one fight added". MMA Junkie. 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
    7. "Updated Fight Card for Tomorrow Night's Prelims!". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
    8. Sherdog.com. "PFL Playoffs Weigh-in Results: Welterweight & Lightweight Semifinals Set, 2 Fighters Heavy". Sherdog. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
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