The lightweight and welterweight finals of the PFL's 2023 season are now set after another action-packed night of fights in New York City completed the lineup for the 2023 PFL Championships.
The main event of the PFL Playoffs in New York saw Clay Collard defeat Shane Burgos after three tightly contested rounds of striking as the pair served up a superb scrap that went all the way to the scorecards.
Collard took the nod from the three cageside judges, who all scored the bout 29-28 as he booked his place in the lightweight final.
In that final he'll face off against the 2022 lightweight champion as Canada's Olivier Aubin-Mercier put himself in position to become a back-to-back lightweight champion with a second-round TKO finish of Bruno Miranda in his semi-final.
The welterweight final was also confirmed, as 2022 champion Sadibou Sy and 2021 runner-up Magomed Magomedkerimov booked their spots in the 170-pound final with decision wins over Carlos Leal and Solomon Renfro, respectively.
The night also saw the continuation of Biaggio Ali Walsh's MMA development, as the amateur prospect picked up a second-round TKO victory, while on the preliminary card, former amateur world champion Michelle Montague moved to 4-0 as a professional with a submission finish of Abigail Montes. All four of her pro wins have come via rear-naked choke.
PFL Playoffs: Official results
MAIN CARD
- Clay Collard def. Shane Burgos via unanimous decision 29-28, 29-28, 29-28) – lightweight semi-final
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Bruno Miranda via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:41 – lightweight semi-final
- Sadibou Sy def. Carlos Leal via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Magomed Magomedkerimov def. Solomon Renfro via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Ed Davis via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:23 – amateur bout
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Alexei Pergande def. Shawn Stefanelli via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Mostafa Rashed Nada def. Korey Kuppe via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:55
- Michelle Montague def. Abigail Montes via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:38
- Abdullah Al-Qahtani def. David Zelner via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)
- John Caldone def. Nathaniel Grimard TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 2:32
