PFL Chicago combat week is off and working. This Friday night time, precisely seven days faraway from the drama that was PFL Wichita in Kansas, the fabled SmartCage touches down within the Windy Metropolis of Chicago, IL for the ultimate card earlier than one other island within the PFL World Match within the month of July.
Identical to final April, this yr’s model of PFL Chicago, the seventh card of 10 within the World Match, will originate from Wintrust Area, the house court docket of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. This week’s card options the final of the semifinal fights as a part of a nine-fight schedule.
Finalists within the middleweight, gentle heavyweight, and heavyweight tournaments shall be confirmed on Friday night. After this card concludes, the match will resume on Friday, Aug. 1 with PFL Atlantic Metropolis from Boardwalk Corridor.
Stay protection of PFL Chicago begins Friday night with the early card at 8:30 pm ET/ 5:30 pm PT. Inside the USA of America, the present shall be seen on ESPN+ by way of streaming media and ESPN over linear tv. In the event you’re watching internationally, DAZN will carry the cardboard gavel-to-gavel.
PFL Chicago Primary Occasion: PFL Middleweight Match Semifinal #2: Fabian Edwards vs. Josh Silveira
On the prime of the invoice this coming Friday night time is the second semifinal bout on this yr’s middleweight bracket matching Fabian Edwards (14-4 MMA) with Josh Silveira (14-4 MMA.) All bouts on PFL Chicago are an marketed most of three rounds at 5 minutes per spherical, primary occasion included. The survivor of this battle advances to the August championship bout, the place he’ll await the victor of the sooner semifinal between Dalton Rosta (10-1 MMA) and Aaron Jeffery (16-5 MMA.)
Fabian Edwards shall be touching down in Chicago having posted a document of 3-2 courting again to his days within the late Bellator MMA. Again in April, he trekked to Common Orlando to combat Impa Kasanganay (18-6 MMA), knocking him out contained in the second spherical with a flying knee and punches.
Ought to Edwards get his hand raised in victory on Friday night time within the PFL Chicago primary occasion, it could doubtlessly arrange a rematch with Aaron Jeffery from Bellator’s first Champions Collection card final March in Belfast. He’s obtained to get previous Josh Silveira, although, and looking out too far forward to the ultimate might be a grave mistake.
On the opposite facet of the cage, Josh Silveira enters the semifinal section with a mark of 2-3 in his final 5 fights. Most lately, he scored a unanimous determination over Mike Shipman (17-5 MMA) on April 18 in Orlando. Silveira has been a streaky fighter of late.
To search out the final time that he had a sustained profitable streak contained in the cage, you’d must journey again in time to the 2023 PFL season, the place he received three fights in succession en path to a visit to the PFL Mild Heavyweight Championship, the place he’d lose to Impa Kasanganay in Washington, DC. If Silveira will get scorching on the proper time, he might be this yr’s middleweight champion.
PFL Chicago Co-Primary Occasion: PFL Mild Heavyweight Semifinal #2: Phil Davis vs. Sullivan Cauley
Instantly beforehand, the co-main occasion of the night sees the second semifinal combat at 205 lbs happen. Phil Davis (25-7, 1 NC MMA) makes the stroll for the thirty fourth time as knowledgeable fighter towards Sullivan Cauley (7-1 MMA.) The winner advances to satisfy the victor of the Antonio Carlos Jr. vs. Simeon Powell combat. “Mr. Fantastic” comes into this weekend’s combat at PFL Chicago having gone 3-2 in his final 5 fights.
On the night time of Might 1, he completed off Rob Wilkinson (19-4, 1 NC MMA) with a proper hand adopted by floor and pound strikes lower than a minute into the second spherical of their contest. Davis is a seasoned veteran of aggressive violence with one of the vital spectacular resumes of anybody remaining on this match, weight class however.
He’s already obtained the Bellator MMA Mild Heavyweight Championship on his mantle and he’s one victory away from getting the shot so as to add one other. Sullivan Cauley stands in his method.
The latter has posted a document of 4-1 in his final 5 fights. At the moment, he’s on a two-fight profitable streak prolonged most lately by means of first-round knockout (elbows) towards Alex Polizzi (11-5 MMA) in Orlando on Might 1. Whereas PFL Chicago is simply Sullivan Cauley’s ninth combat as knowledgeable fighter, he’s a reasonably robust man to beat, with all 4 of his newest wins coming inside the space.
Will he get a resume-building victory on Friday? Tune in and discover out.
PFL Chicago: PFL Middleweight Semifinal #1: Dalton Rosta vs. Aaron Jeffery II
Additionally on the late card would be the first semifinal at 185. New Citadel, PA’s Dalton Rosta (10-1 MMA) and Aaron Jeffery (16-5 MMA.) As beforehand talked about, the victor right here will sq. off towards the winner of the principle occasion of PFL Chicago within the remaining.
This combat is a rematch of Dalton Rosta’s solely profession defeat within the sport from Bellator 298 in August of 2023. That summer season night time, Jeffery knocked “Hercules” from the ranks of the unbeaten with a unanimous determination victory after quarter-hour of motion in the principle card from Sioux Falls, SD
Rosta has posted a document of 4-1 in his final 5 fights. In the meanwhile, he’s received two contests in succession. On April 18, he stopped Sadibou Sy (17-9-2, 1 NC MMA) with a second-round submission by means of D’arce choke. Revenge is on the thoughts of Dalton Rosta on Friday. Can he avenge his lone defeat?
In the meantime, Aaron Jeffery is sporting a document of 3-2 over the course of his previous 5 appearances. Like his opponent, Jeffery has additionally received two in a row. In his April 18 contest, he bested Murad Ramazanov (12-3, 1 NC MMA) by way of cut up determination.
Any time you will have a rematch on a card, the storylines virtually write themselves. Can Jeffery go 2-for-2 vs. Rosta en path to the ultimate?
PFL Chicago: PFL Mild Heavyweight Semifinal #1: Antonio Carlos Jr. vs. Simeon Powell
The opposite gentle heavyweight semifinal on Friday night time in Chicago pits Antonio Carlos Jr. (17-6, 2 NC MMA) towards Simeon Powell (11-1 MMA.) By the top of the night time, the survivor will know if he’s combating Phil Davis or Sullivan Cauley.
Carlos heads to Illinois with a 4-1 document in his final 5 fights. Again in Might, he returned to the win column with a cut up determination versus Karl Moore (12-4 MMA) after three rounds of motion.
He’s a veteran of the PFL, having competed within the promotion since its 2021 season and profitable the sunshine heavyweight championship that yr. How will he fare as his quest for a second title continues?
Throughout the best way, Simeon Powell enters having posted a 4-1 document of his personal within the final 5 contests. Nowadays, he’s received two fights in a row, stopping Karl Albrektsson (14-7 MMA) with a second-round knockout (punches and elbows.)
Powell has been with the PFL since showing on Challenger Collection in 2022 from Common Orlando. Will he derail Antonio Carlos Jr.’s momentum in PFL Chicago?
PFL Chicago; PFL Heavyweight Semifinal #2: Valentin Moldavsky vs. Alexandr Romanov
Each heavyweight semifinals are on the PFL Chicago early card. Semifinal quantity two pits Valentin Moldavsky (14-4, 1 NC MMA) towards Alexandr Romanov (19-3 MMA.)
Moldavsky has posted a document of 3-2 in his final 5 MMA fights. He booked his ticket to the Windy Metropolis by eliminating Sergey Bilostenniy (13-4 MMA) by means of unanimous determination.
Valentin Moldavsky beforehand held the heavyweight title in Bellator 4 years in the past, solely to lose it on his first protection. How will his twentieth profession combat pan out?
Throughout the best way, Alexandr Romanov sports activities a 3-2 document of his personal during the last 5 contests. He’s at present on a two-fight profitable streak. On Might 1, he locked in a first-round submission (standing guillotine choke) of Tim Johnson (18-12 MMA) within the latter’s thirtieth profession look within the sport.
Romanov joined the PFL’s lively roster forward of this match and to this point, it’s paid off handsomely for him. Can he advance to the ultimate?
PFL Chicago: PFL Heavyweight Semifinal #1: Rodrigo Nascimento vs. Oleg Popov:
The primary semifinal combat of the night at PFL Chicago occurs on the second combat of the early card. Rodrigo Nascimento (12-3, 1 NC MMA) makes the stroll to the SmartCage to sq. off towards Oleg Popov (20-2 MMA)
Nascimento has posted a document of 3-2 over the course of his final 5 bouts. In his PFL debut on Might 1, he outlasted Abraham Bably (5-2 MMA) by cut up determination after three rounds of motion. That is an fascinating semifinal for the Nascimento camp.
Ought to Nascimento advance to the ultimate, it might arrange a rematch versus Alexandr Romanov when the calendar flips to the month of August. The 2 beforehand met final November in Edmonton when each have been nonetheless within the UFC, with the previous coming away victorious by unanimous determination.
Within the different nook, Oleg Popov touches down in Chicago with a 4-1 document in his final 5 fights. Again on Might 1, he noticed himself get again within the win column with a cut up determination victory over Karl Williams (10-3 MMA) within the latter’s PFL return. Solely time will inform if Popov’s subsequent combat shall be in August for a championship or subsequent season.
Closing Ideas
Which semifinal or semifinals are you trying ahead to on PFL Chicago? Tell us within the feedback.
