Renan Ferreira showcased his dominance in the cage as he faced off against Ryan Bader in the main event of the PFL “PFL vs. Bellator Champs” event held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With Professional Fighters League’s reputation at stake, Ferreira delivered a stunning performance, securing a victory over his Bellator MMA counterpart.
Entering the bout, PFL fighters were trailing 0-5 against their Bellator counterparts, making Ferreira the last hope to salvage a win for the promotion. Against the former two-division Bellator champion, Renan Ferreira wasted no time in asserting his dominance. With a powerful left hand, Ferreira dropped Bader early in the fight, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Despite some controversy over the ground strikes, Renan Ferreira’s relentless assault led to a quick stoppage by referee Kerry Hatley, only 21 seconds into the bout. With this impressive win, Ferreira improved his record to 13-3 with three no contests, while Bader’s record fell to 31-8 with one no contest.
In the co-main event, Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen narrowly defeated PFL light heavyweight tournament winner Impa Kasanganay in a closely contested matchup. Eblen utilized a combination of takedowns and ground strikes to control the first round, but Kasanganay rallied back in the second round, nearly securing a stoppage victory.
However, Eblen managed to regain momentum in the final round, securing a takedown and controlling Kasanganay until the end of the fight. The judges were divided in their decision, with two scoring the fight in favor of Eblen and one for Kasanganay.
Another highlight of the event was Bellator welterweight champion Jason Jackson’s dominant performance against two-time PFL tournament winner Ray Cooper III. Jackson utilized his reach advantage and brutalized Cooper with calf kicks, eventually securing a second-round stoppage victory.
In the heavyweight division, Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov made a successful debut by submitting Bruno Cappelozza with an arm-triangle choke in the second round. Despite facing some adversity in the first round, Nemkov showcased his skills and secured the victory, extending his winning streak to 13 fights.
Overall, the event featured exciting matchups between PFL and Bellator champions, with Ferreira’s dominant performance standing out as the highlight of the night.
