After announcing his PFL signing yesterday, Derek Brunson already has a fight booked. The former UFC Middleweight contender will face Ray Cooper III on November 24th at the PFL 10 World Championships, per the PFL.
This bout takes place in the Middleweight (185 lbs) division.
Ray Cooper III claims a professional record of 25-8-1 (12-3-1 PFL). He has noteworthy wins over Magomed Magomedkerimov, Chris Curtis, and Rory MacDonald.
Derek Brunson holds a professional record of 23-9 (0-0 PFL) and has credible wins over Darren Till, Edmen Shahbazyan, and Uriah Hall.
Official odds have yet to be released.
The oddsmakers are always confident in Israel Adesanya.
— Verdict (@TournamentsMMA) April 5, 2023
He's lost 3 fights to Alex Pereira, but the oddsmakers still have him as a favorite heading into this weekend.#UFC287 pic.twitter.com/0MF4krsH1v
Ray Cooper III did not make it into the PFL Finals, but that isn't stopping him from competing in this huge event. Cooper has won seven of his last eight bouts and is looking to rebuild his win streak after losing to Carlos Leal back in May 2022. He last fought in July 2022, when he secured an early KO victory over Brett Cooper. He'll be looking to get one of the biggest wins of his in this bout and make a statement to Brunson and the PFL.
Derek Brunson is coming off a wild fight against Dricus du Plessis. After starting the fight strong and hurting du Plessis, Brunson's cardio would falter, causing him to lose the fight in the second round via TKO. He'll be looking to snap his two-fight losing streak and impress the PFL brass and fans in his debut as he readies for the 2024 PFL season.
Who do you think will win this bout? As a member of the Verdict Community, drop your prediction in the comments below.