The first finalists for the upcoming PFL World Tournament Finals in August were decided on Friday night in Wichita.
Last year’s lightweight tournament champion Gadzhi Rabadanov, teammate of the legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, closed out the show in the main event with a first round knock out of former UFC title challenger Kevin Lee.
GADZHI RABADANOV DOMINATES KEVIN LEE FOR A FIRST ROUND VICTORY!#PFLWorldTournament LIVE NOW?? ESPN & ESPN+?https://t.co/jPNvomCxHI pic.twitter.com/3tBk4YPySb
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 21, 2025
That makes four consecutive knockouts by Rabadanov, who will now come up against the other lightweight finalist, England’s Alfie Davis, who beat last year’s finalist Brent Primus by decision.
As for the other men’s division, Brazil’s Marcirley Alves and America’s Justin Wetzell made it through to the bantamweight finals with a pair of decision wins.
HADLEY GETS DROPPED#PFLWorldTournament LIVE NOW?? ESPN & ESPN+?https://t.co/jPNvomCxHI pic.twitter.com/QwoRnH5Zox
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 21, 2025
In the co-main event, former Bellator champion Liz Carmouche, who lost at this stage last year, won a decision victory at age 41 over Elora Dana, which will put her in the finals against a much younger fighter.
That fighter is BJJ black belt, Jena Bishop, who submitted Ekaterina Shakalova.
JENA BISHOP TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP! She finishes Ekaterina Shakalova with a rear naked choke. #PFLWorldTournament LIVE NOW?? ESPN & ESPN+?https://t.co/jPNvomCxHI pic.twitter.com/uKGaFuatWr
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 20, 2025
Despite an overall lack of finishes, with only four submissions and the lone knockout, the card entertained with highlights like Alves’ masterclass and a brawl between Archie Colgan & Mansour Barnaoui.
The rest of the finalists for the Professional Fighter’s League World Tournament will be decided next Friday in Chicago, Illinois, as the big boys compete.
Heavyweights, light-heavyweights, and middleweights will fight for a spot in the $500,000 tournament finals, as Fabian Edwards vs. Josh Silveira headlines.
