What we learned from PFL 1
Ariel Helwani and Randy Couture react to Kayla Harrison appearing very emotional after earning a win by unanimous decision vs. Larissa Pacheco at PFL 1. (0:50)
The first night of PFL Season 2 delivered on several fronts. There were four first-round finishes in Thursday’s 10 fights, including the second-shortest fight in PFL history, and two other bouts that ended before three rounds were over.
There were also surprises to be had throughout the night. Kayla Harrison, a heavy favorite heading into the women’s lightweight competition, dominated Larissa Pacheco throughout but couldn’t come up with a finish — costing herself some bonus points in the race for the PFL playoffs. She’s tied for second after the first round of fights, but even early on in her professional MMA career, Harrison was disappointed in the result.
There was a lot to digest with PFL 1, and so a panel of ESPN’s MMA experts has convened to break down five key topics in order to assess the promotion’s second-season debut in depth.
Who impressed you the most in the welterweight division at PFL 1?
Brett Okamoto: Magomed Magomedkerimov, with his first-round finish of John Howard. I know everyone is looking for the redemption story of Ray Cooper III this season, after he was upset by Magomedkerimov in the finals last year. But I gotta say, my money right now is on Magomedkerimov to repeat. He’s awkward on the feet — it’s hard to hit him cleanly — and his finishing prowess on the ground carried him to $1 million in 2018. I expected Magomedkerimov to beat Howard, and he still exceeded my expectations on Thursday.
Marc Raimondi: Cooper continues to be one of the bright spots for PFL, and his win over Zane Kamaka — his “cousin,” in a battle for Hawaii bragging rights — cemented that even further. While beating Kamaka isn’t as significant on paper as Cooper’s pair of wins over Jake Shields last year, it was an emotional fight and Cooper handled the situation with aplomb, finishing in the second round with a rear-naked choke. “Bradda Boy” proved he was no 2018 flash in the pan, and is very likely on another collision course with Magomedkerimov.
Myron Medcalf: I think Magomedkerimov was vicious in his dominant victory over Howard, a veteran of the sport. He thoroughly controlled someone who has been in the game for 15 years. Magomedkerimov had no problem taking Howard down and then securing the guillotine in the final seconds of the opening round. He’s the defending welterweight champion for a reason. His grappling is still the most significant tool in the PFL’s 170-pound division.
Jeff Wagenheim: Magomedkerimov. Yeah, I’m that boring guy who goes with the Million Dollar Man from last season. But how could I not throw my chips all in on the poised, well-rounded, dangerous Dagestani after seeing him methodically take apart Howard, a UFC vet, in the first round? Six points, cha-ching! Magomedkerimov has a target on his back, yeah, but he has all the weapons necessary to protect his fortress at the top of the hill.
What’s your impression of Kayla Harrison’s performance? Does the result prove she’s vulnerable?
Medcalf: I think Harrison was solid in just the fourth fight of her professional career. She never panicked in difficult spots, especially when her opponent was going for a rear-naked choke. Harrison is the headliner of a brand new division. She was on ESPN2 for the first time. And she had to deal with a last-minute opponent switch, too. That’s a lot for any fighter to digest, and she left Long Island as a winner. As she grows, Harrison just has to learn to trust herself and bring the stuff she’s doing in the gym into the cage. But that’s an experience thing. It will come.
Okamoto: Harrison’s performance was inspiring — if you’re one of her potential opponents. Don’t get me wrong, Harrison still dominated this bout and is — by far — the favorite to win it all. But as we saw, against an opponent with 14 career bouts, Harrison does lack experience. She can make mistakes. And Sarah Kaufman, a 135-pounder who is willing to fight all the way up at 155 just for the opportunity, has plenty of experience, as she showed in her win. Kaufman is capable of challenging Harrison. But beating her? We’ll see.
Wagenheim: Kayla was in the cage for waaaay too long. She brings to this sport gold-level judo that one might expect to outshine Ronda Rousey‘s bronze grappling game, but Harrison’s MMA setups, while putting her (mostly) in control, did not earn her those finishing positions that Rousey used to find so quickly. If Harrison allows Kaufman, a former Strikeforce champion, to stick around this long, Kayla might not be cashing a $1 million check in December. Of course, this is just her fourth pro fight. She’s learning on the job, and her gig involves fighting in the cage and carrying a fight promotion on her shoulders. That’ll weigh you down.
Raimondi: It was a complete effort for Harrison against Pacheco, a UFC and “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran. Pacheco was the most experienced and probably toughest opponent for Harrison in MMA to date, and the two-time Olympic judo champion basically dominated for 15 minutes. Pacheco figured to be one of the more difficult matchups for Harrison this season, so she’ll likely be expected to get finishes — and the bonus points that come with them — in her next fight and beyond. The women’s 155-pound season seems to be a two-horse race between Harrison and Kaufman, who dominated and finished Morgan Frier on Thursday night.
Which fighter that lost at PFL 1 shouldn’t be counted out?
Raimondi: Gamzat Khiramagomedov. The Russian was submitted by Glaico Franca in the first round, but consider this: Thursday marked Franca’s 25th career fight, while Khiramagomedov had fought only eight times previously. It might be an uphill climb for the prospect, getting thrown into the deep end of this 170-pound season, but he has the ability to be a tough out against anyone. Khiramagomedov, 25, had never lost before Thursday night and finished nearly every other opponent he’d faced in his young career. We haven’t heard the last of “The Predator” this season.
Wagenheim: I’ll go with David Michaud, the guy who was knocked out in 17 seconds. He’s a fresh fighter! Actually, my reasoning is that we didn’t get to see what he can do. None of the losing fighters who lasted longer impressed me to the point where I’d expect a rematch to go the other way. I feel like I know what those others bring, while Michaud remains a mystery shrouded by a nasty liver kick. That’s the kind of mule meanness that’ll put you off your game, so I’m giving Michaud a mulligan.
Okamoto: The biggest upset of the night was Franca’s rear-naked choke of Khiramagomedov. This was Khiramagomedov’s first professional loss. He’s definitely a candidate to bounce back. The talent is unquestionable in this 25-year-old.
Medcalf: Genah Fabian had just one professional MMA fight prior to Thursday’s card, and she held her own against the talented Bobbi Jo Dalziel. Fabian showcased her toughness and durability. Dalziel’s size will make her a difficult matchup for anyone, but look for Fabian to make great strides this season. The Muay Thai combatant is capable of winning fights and getting finishes in this division.
What was the biggest surprise of the night?
Raimondi: How little the size difference mattered in Kaufman’s fight with Frier. Kaufman is a career 135-pounder; the former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion at that weight, in fact. At one point, the Canadian fighter once considered dropping down to 125 pounds. Now she’s fighting at 155 against women substantially bigger than her. I spoke to Kaufman on Sunday and she told me she was 152 pounds just walking around. Frier had at least three inches on Kaufman and at least 10 to 15 pounds, but Kaufman made it look easy, taking Frier down, landing ground and pound and eventually submitting her by arm triangle choke in the first round.
Okamoto: Welterweight Sadibou Sy‘s 17-second (!!!!) knockout of Michaud. Sy winning is not a shocking result. But 17 seconds? Michaud is a 10-year veteran. He has a wealth of experience, fighting in multiple organizations. He’d been knocked out only once, going into PFL 1. He was on a three-fight win streak, and he’s from a very smart camp at MMA Lab. To see him get washed in 17 seconds, yeah, that was a surprise.
Wagenheim: We’ve already covered Harrison, but nothing that happened tonight surprised me as much as something that did not happen: I totally expected Kayla to run through Pacheco. I know the Brazilian is a UFC veteran who has shared a cage with Jessica Andrade and Germaine de Randamie, but the way Pacheco was thrust into this matchup at the last minute led me to unrealistic expectations. That’s on me, not Harrison.
Medcalf: I thought Kaufman was really deliberate and focused in her first-round submission win over Frier. She didn’t waste any time. She claims she’s here to “spoil” Harrison’s party, and she left the building as one of the most impressive fighters of the evening. She’s not a big fighter, after competing at 135 pounds throughout her career, and that could create problems against more advanced, larger fighters in the division. But the veteran’s experience is a clear advantage within the field.
What did the PFL show us on Thursday?
Okamoto: The same thing it showed us in 2018, honestly. This season format works. It’s easy to follow if you’re willing to pay attention. There are certainly favorites in some of these weight classes, and you’ll see some lopsided bouts because of that. Several of these fights featured some of the biggest underdogs you’re liable to see all year. But overall, the PFL offers compelling stories, some elite talent and an engaging format. The promotion proved it was on to something in 2018. In 2019, the PFL is looking to build its brand and make you care. I like the PFL’s chances.
Wagenheim: The PFL showed us last year and reinforced Thursday night that there’s room for innovation in combat sports. Taking chances doesn’t always sparkle — for me, matching cousin vs. cousin veered from sport to sideshow — but the total presentation felt fresh. I’d always presumed that having stats updating on the screen while a fight is going on would be distracting or even annoying, but it was neither. Begrudgingly, I liked it — or I was oblivious to it when the action heated up. Another thing that gets my thumbs-up: While every fight counts as much as every other, the show built to its star performers.
Raimondi: It’s going to be a really compelling season. With Magomedkerimov, Cooper, Sy and Handesson Ferreira seemingly leading the way, welterweight is wide open. The women’s lightweight season will be extremely fascinating, building hopefully to that anticipated Harrison vs. Kaufman fight. Watching Harrison’s development on this level has already been a pleasure. Special shout-out to the broadcast team of Sean O’Connell, Randy Couture and Yves Edwards, as well as the new ring announcer, former WWE fan favorite Lilian Garcia, who all did a great job. O’Connell won the PFL light heavyweight season and $1 million last year, and now he’s trying his hand at play-by-play. The first night was a major success.
Medcalf: The PFL showed us that it’s got a hell of a season ahead. The format creates a unique brand of excitement. It was a good card, with a lot more to come.