Preview: PFL 7 ‘Jenkins vs. Pinedo’

The stakes are now raised as Professional Fighters League begins its 2023 postseason with the featherweight and light heavyweight semifinals.

Perhaps no one on the PFL 7 roster will be more motivated than Bubba Jenkins, who faces Jesus Pinedo in the featured attraction on Friday at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio. Jenkins came up short against Brendan Loughnane in the 145-pound final in 2022, but with the defending champion no longer part of the field, “I’m a Bad Man” could be the odds-on favorite to capture the $1 million prize in his weight class. Meanwhile, prized prospect Joshua Silveira begins his bid for a light heavyweight championship against Ty Flores in the co-main event. The former two-division Legacy Fighting Alliance titleholder has been marked for big things since he got started in MMA, and this is his opportunity to take the next step in his career.

The PFL 7 main card airs on ESPN and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, while prelims stream to ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Now to the PFL 7 “Jenkins vs. Pinedo” preview:

2023 PFL Featherweight Semifinal

Bubba Jenkins (21-6, 7-2 PFL) vs. Jesus Pinedo (21-6-1, 1-1 PFL)

After losing to Loughnane in the 2022 final, Jenkins will be on a mission to finish the job in the postseason this time around. To make it to this point, he relied on takedowns, positional control and submission defense to avenge a previous loss to Chris Wade before blowing out Sung Bin Jo with an 85-second submission victory that included a spectacular suplex to help set up the finish. Jenkins’ gameplan is no secret. While he is occasionally capable of landing a fight-altering strike, wrestling is the bread-and-butter for the two-time NCAA All-American. Jenkins is an athletic competitor who is adept at closing the distance and making his opponents defend takedowns and clinches. If one try fails, “I’m a Bad Man” will chain together multiple attempts. On the canvas, he controls position well and stays busy with ground-and-pound, occasionally creating openings for submissions against foes who are out of their depth.

Pinedo looked unremarkable in a split decision loss to Gabriel Braga in his first PFL outing, but perhaps that was due to his opponent being changed just a day before the fight. He showed a much more dynamic side with his finish of Loughnane at PFL 4, where he rocked the defending champ with a knee at close range before finishing him with follow-up punches. Pinedo is a good athlete with well-rounded skills who will throw strikes from odd angles while utilizing stance switches and awkward movement. At 6-foot, the Peru native is rangy for the division and will enjoy a two-inch reach advantage against Jenkins.

While Pinedo is more than willing to engage in a brawl, he is not likely to find a willing dance partner in Jenkins. Expect the Bellator veteran to take his time to find openings to close the distance and slow down the fight. If Pinedo’s takedown defense holds up, it could be a long night for Jenkins. A more likely scenario see Jenkins gradually imposing his will and grinding out a decision triumph.

Continue Reading » Silveira vs. Flores