PFL 2022 Championship Recap
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) was founded in 2017. It is unique from other MMA organizations because it operates based on a seasonal format, similar to other professional sports leagues like the NFL or NBA. PFL fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and a championship event, with the winner in each weight class taking home a guaranteed one million dollars.
During the regular season, fighters compete in a round-robin format to determine seeding in the playoff brackets. Fighters earn points for their performances, with a win worth three points, a draw one point, and a loss zero points. Fighters can also earn six points if they win in the first round, five points for a second-round finish, and four points for a third-round finish. Both athletes are awarded one point if the fight ends in a draw.
After the regular season, the top eight fighters advance to the single-elimination playoffs. The playoffs are split into quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a championship fight, with the winner of each bracket advancing to the next round. The championship event features six fights, the championship fight from each weight class, and two "special attraction" fights.
The PFL has quickly gained popularity due to its unique format, innovative rules, and world-class production. It allows fighters to compete regularly and creates much more exciting matchups as the season progresses and the stakes of each fight increase. Overall the PFL has done an excellent job differentiating itself from other MMA organizations and has carved out a unique space in the combat sports world.
With this being said, let's look at last season's champions and how they got there.
Larissa Pacheco – Women's Lightweight
Fighting out of Marituba, Brazil, Larissa Pacheco holds a professional record of 19-4, with her only losses coming against two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison and two losses during her short stint in the UFC against Jessica Andrade and Germaine De Randamie.
Pacheco first fought in the PFL in 2019, reaching the finals but ultimately came up short against Kayla Harrison. However, this wasn't the only time the two fought, as the two met in the very first fight of the season, where Harrison came out victorious again. During this season, Pacheco defeated the number one seed Sarah Kaufman during the playoffs and finished with a record of 2-2, with both losses coming to the eventual champion Kayla Harrison. These performances certainly put Pacheco on the radar of her opposition, and after a two-year hiatus, Pacheco would come back and fight in the 2021 season.
Pacheco would finish the 2021 regular season as the number one seed living up to all expectations with two first-round finishes accumulating the maximum of 12 points in the league table. However, Pacheco's season would come to a disappointing end as she missed weight against Taylor Guardado ahead of their semi-final bout. Thus, the next highest seed, Mariana Morais, would take her place. Unfortunately, this meant that any redemption planned for Kayla Harrison, who was subsequently fighting in the opposite semi-final, would have to wait.
Fast forward one year, and Pacheco would come into the 2022 season exactly where she left off. With two first-round finishes, Pacheco would, again, finish with a maximum of 12 points. Advancing into the semi-finals in London, England, Pacheco scored another first-round finish cementing her third fight and second PFL final against two-time champion Kayla Harrison. With two losses against Harrison already, Pacheco shocked the world as a huge +520 betting underdog and defeated Harrison via a unanimous decision to be crowned the 2022 champion and would finally get her vengeance over the two losses she suffered back in 2019. Pacheco is one of the most dangerous strikers in all of the women's MMA and has proven countless times that she is one of the best in the world.
Brendan Loughnane – Featherweight
Brendan Loughnane fights out of Manchester, England, and holds a professional record of 26-4. Loughnane participated in the UFC's "The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes" early in his career in 2012, which saw team UK vs. team Australia. Loughnane would lose a decision to Mike Wilkinson in the finale, ultimately missing out on a UFC contract. This wouldn't be Loughnane's only run-in with the UFC, as he would appear on Dana White's Contender series six years later in 2019. Despite a dominant win against Bill Algeo, Dana White infamously didn't offer him a contract as he "lacked heart."
Loughnane was then swiftly picked up by the PFL and has a record of 8-1 with the promotion. Loughnane would fight twice more in 2019 and pick up two wins in the PFL, but wouldn't enter the official season until 2021. Loughnane would finish the season as the number one seed with 9 points establishing a semi-final bout with Movlid Khaybulaev. Loughnane would, unfortunately, lose this match via a split decision, and it would be the last loss thus far in his career.
Fast-forward one year, and Loughnane would again progress through the regular season, but this time as the number 4 seed, setting up a match with Chris Wade. Loughnane would put on a dominant performance and win a unanimous decision, initiating a title fight against Bubba Jenkins. Loughnane would prove all his doubters wrong and more with a world-class victory and incredible performance stopping Jenkins in the fourth round via TKO.
Not only did Loughnane win the million-dollar prize, but after two failed attempts at gaining a UFC contract in his career, Loughnane also proved that he is one of the best featherweights on the planet and that the UFC missed out on an incredible talent.
Olivier Aubin-Mercier – Lightweight
Olivier Aubin-Mercier fights out of Quebec, Montreal, Canada, and has a professional record of 17-5. Like Loughnane, Aubin-Mercier would be a contestant in "The Ultimate Fighter" and lost via split decision to Chad Laprise in the finale. But, Aubin-Mercier would still win a UFC contract and fight in the promotion for five years. However, after suffering three-straight defeats to Alexander Hernandez, Gilbert Burns, and Arman Tsarukyan, Aubin-Mercier would be cut in 2019.
Aubin-Mercier would return to the octagon in 2021 after signing with the PFL. Aubin-Mercier was expected to debut against Joilton Lutterbach but had to pull out due to an injury. This would be costly, however, as although he would win his next matchup against Marcin Held, Aubin-Mercier would only fight once in the regular season and be unable to progress to the playoffs.
Returning to the 2022 season, Aubin-Mercier would finish as the number 2 seed with a split decision victory over Natan Schulte and a unanimous victory over 2021 lightweight champion Raush Manfio. With this stellar victory, Aubin-Mercier would go into the semi-final against Alex Martinez brimming with confidence and put on yet another impressive performance cementing a place in the PFL finals. In the final Aubin-Mericer would face Stevie Ray and give a highlight KO in the second round. Aubin-Mericer is undefeated in the PFL in his six fights and returns against debutant Shane Burgos on April 14th for the 2023 season.
Sadibou Sy – Welterweight
Sadibou Sy fights out of Stockholm, Sweden, and has a professional record of 13-6-2(1). Sy debuted in the PFL in 2018, and this year will be his fourth season with the promotion.
Sy started his PFL career as a middleweight and progressed to the playoffs with six points after an impressive first-round KO against Caio Magalhaes, even though he lost his first fight to Bruno Santos. Sy would then progress further after a majority draw against the man who gave him his first PFL loss, Bruno Santos. Finally, reaching the semi-finals, Sy lost a decision to Abuspiyan Magomedov.
In the following season, Sy would drop down to welterweight, and much like the previous year, Sy would progress to the playoffs with six points after a first-round finish and one defeat in the regular season. Sy reached the quarter-finals, where he would be eliminated after a majority draw against Ray Cooper III.
As the PFL 2020 season was postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic, Sy would return for the 2021 season. After his first bout was called a no contest due to an accidental eye poke in the second round against Nikolay Aleksakhin. Sy would win his second bout against Alexey Kunchenko, notching up four points, but just outside the qualifying places. However, as the number one seed Joao Zeferino would suffer an injury before his semi-final fight, Sy would come in as a replacement but would, unfortunately, suffer a defeat to Magomed Magomedkerimov.
Coming into the 2022 season, it's fair to say that Sy has had his fair share of ups and downs throughout his PFL career. Sy was the only athlete to win both fights during the regular season in the welterweight division, beating Nikolay Aleksakhin and Rory Macdonald. This earned him the spot as the number two seed. Sy would then defeat Carlos Leal Miranda and progress to the finals. In the finals, like the rest of the 2022 season, Sy showcased his incredible kickboxing and striking abilities and won via unanimous decision.
Sadibou Sy has proven himself to be an extremely dangerous fighter throughout his entire career, but what was most impressive was that throughout the last season, despite all of the hardships he has faced up until this point, he still never gave up and was finally able to capture the title and the million-dollar prize.
Rob Wilkinson – Light Heavyweight
Rob Wilkinson fights out of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, and has a professional record of 17-2. Rob Wilkinson started his career as a middleweight, but after a short, unsuccessful spell in the UFC, Wilkinson promptly moved up to light heavyweight. Wilkinson only had two fights with the UFC and lost both via TKO to Siyar Bahadurzada and former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Wilkinson debuted with the PFL in 2022 and finished the regular season as the number-one seed with 11 points after two TKO victories. The first came in the second round against Bruce Souto and the second in the first round against Viktor Pesta. Moving into the semi-finals, Wilkinson continued his destructive path with another first-round KO victory against Delan Monte. Reaching the final in his debut season, Wilkinson would again come out victorious after a doctors stoppage after the second round.
Bouncing back after his two TKO losses in the UFC, Wilkinson has been undefeated for the rest of his career, and at only 31 years old, he seemingly has so much more to offer the sport. The PFL has been an excellent way for Wilkinson to showcase his abilities. He will return this weekend against the only fighter to win a fight on a judge's scorecard against Jon Jones, ex-UFC fighter Thiago Santos.
Ante Delija – Heavyweight
Ante Delija fights out of Dubrovnik, Croatia, and has a professional record of 23-5. Delij has fought for the PFL since 2019 and has a 7-2 record with the promotion. Unfortunately, Delija could only fight once during the 2019 season, and although he did win, he couldn't progress to the playoffs.
Delija would return for the 2021 season finishing as the number three seed with one first-round TKO loss to Bruno Cappelozza and one first-round TKO victory over Chandler Cole. Progressing to the semi-finals, Delija would beat Denis Goltsov via unanimous decision, setting up a rematch with Cappelozza. Unfortunately for Delija, Cappelozza would go on to win again, this time via unanimous decision.
After coming so close to winning the title in 2021, Delija would come back for the 2022 season with a point to prove. Progressing from the regular season as the second seed with 8 points, Dilija scored a KO victory over Matheus Scheffel and a unanimous decision over Shelton Graves to reach the playoffs. In the semi-finals, Delija would dominate his opponent, Renan Ferreira, with a first-round TKO victory and book himself a back-to-back spot in the final. This time however, Delija would make no mistake in showing who the champion is, defeating Matheus Scheffel again, much like the first fight, with a first-round TKO.
Much like the other fighters on this list, Delija has been close to winning the title before, having been presented with many obstacles but only coming back stronger.
These champions set the standard high last season, and I speak for everyone when I say that we are all excited to see how things play out this year.
