Preview: 2023 PFL Championships

PFL Welterweight Championship

Sadibou Sy (16-6-2, 10-4-2 PFL) vs. Magomed Magomedkerimov (33-6, 15-1 PFL)

After an uneven beginning to his PFL tenure, Sy has come into his own of late, winning the 2022 championship and authoring some impressive finishes on his way to this year’s final. The 36-year-old Swede has a skilled jab and is an adept counterpuncher who can also do damage with an array of kicks and knees in close quarters. Perhaps more importantly, he has improved his takedown defense and is able to hold his own in grinding affairs. Up until now, Magomedkerimov’s bid to become a repeat PFL champion has been derailed by a multitude of issues. The Dagestani has lost just once in his last 19 professional appearances—an upset KO loss against Ray Cooper III in the 2021 final. That stretch includes a victory over Sy in which Magomedkerimov grounded and controlled his opponent for long periods of time.

While Sy has improved his defensive wrestling, he still struggled to create space over the final 10 minutes of his semifinal victory over Carlos Leal Miranda. Magomedkerimov is a more skilled grappler than Miranda, and he will almost certainly look to rack up more control time through clinches and takedowns in the rematch. Action could start slowly on the feet, as Sy is patient almost to a fault as he looks for opportunities to counter. Those chances could be few and far between against Magomedkerimov, a disciplined boxer who rarely takes risks during exchanges. While both men have spectacular knockouts on their records, the stylistic matchup here suggests a more conservative approach from both sides. Ultimately, Sy’s hopes to become a repeat champion hinge on him using his jab effectively, creating space for kicks and landing knees in close when Magomedkerimov initiates the clinch. Most importantly, he cannot spend large periods of the fight on his back or being pressed into the fence. Expect a close, sometimes ugly affair with Magomedkerimov doing just enough to get the nod on the scorecards.

Continue Reading »
Aubin-Mercier vs. Collard
Goltsov vs. Ferreira
Pacheco vs. Mokhnatkina
Sy vs. Magomedkerimov
Silveira vs. Kasanganay
Harrison vs. Ladd
Cooper vs. Brunson
The Prelims