PFL 8 is the aecond playoff event for PFL's 2024 season. This event features the light heavyweights and the lightweights. The prelims will be broadcast on ESPN+ with the main card on ESPN, on Friday 16th August.
PFL Playoff Predictions:
IMPA KASANGANAY (17-4) vs. JOSH SILVEIRA (13-3) – Light Heavyweight Playoff
Impa Kasanganay is the defending champion from last year's tournament, where he defeated Josh Silveira in a 5 round decision. Kasanganay was able to pressure Silveira and control the striking, while also getting take downs and attempting submissions and ground and pound in the grappling. Since then it seems like Impa has only improved more and has proven to be a dangerous striker this year. I like Impa to win again for the same reasons he won the first fight. Silveira is well rounded and is dangerous everywhere, but Impa is simply much faster and more technical. Impa should be the minute winner with his control on the feet and on the ground, and as long as he doesn't get caught with anything he should be able to win another decision against Silveira.
Pick: Impa Kasanganay (-400). Decision, high confidence.
ROB WILKINSON (19-2) vs. DOVLET YAGSHIMURADOV (23-7-1) – Light Heavyweight Playoff
Rob Wilkinson is another former champion, winning the 2022 season. He took some time off after failing a drug test and has come back looking good this season. He has been able to mix in his striking with his grappling quite well. He should be able to find success on the feet against Dovlet in this match up. Dovlet is a powerful boxer with decent wrestling. He found a lot of success in Bellator and has won both of his PFL fights this year. He has been out struck in the past against decent kick boxers such as Karl Albrektsson though, as his boxing technique is some what sloppy. If Rob keeps this fight on the feet I think it's his fight to lose. He has great cardio and should be able to land more volume over three rounds, or even find a KO.
Pick: Rob Wilkinson (-150). Decision or KO/TKO, medium confidence.
GADZHI RABADANOV (22-4) vs. MICHAEL DUFORT (13-5) – Lightweight Playoff
Gadzhi Rabadanov is a dominant wrestler who is big for the weight class. He shoots for take downs often and has great control. He doesn't present much danger, just dominates in top control which can make his fights a somewhat boring watch at times. Dufort is a grappler who may present danger in the form of submission attempts but I don't think that he is anything that Gadzhi hasn't seen before. I think Gadzhi controls in the wrestling and wins another decision. He is my current favourite to win the tournament.
Pick: Gadzhi Rabadanov (-625). Decision, high confidence.
BRENT PRIMUS (14-3) vs. CLAY COLLARD (25-13) – Lightweight Playoff
Not very confident in this pick at all, but I am going to go with Brent Primus. It is no secret that I am a big Clay Collard fan. Collard is an excellent boxer and will no doubt be the better striker in this fight, however he has struggled against wrestlers in the past. Most of Collard's recent losses are to wrestlers. You could argue that he deserved to get the decision against a lot of his recent decision losses, but there is a common theme in those fights – The opponent took him down. Brent Primus is a former Bellator champion, who is a wrestler. At 39 years it is fair to say he's past his prime but I know for sure that he will look to wrestle in this fight. Collard has improved his take down defense but Primus might be the best wrestler he has ever fought, and I would be surprised if he could defend the grappling of Primus for all 3 rounds. Primus opened as the underdog but the sharps quickly jumped on him and now he is a favourite.
Pick: Brent Primus (-155). Decision, low confidence.
Prelim Predictions:
Biaggio Ali Walsh (-650) – by KO/TKO in round 1. High confidence.
Antonio Carlos Junior (-260). By submission or decision. Very low confidence. Albrektsson has good take down defense and is the more technical striker, but ACJ is a slick submission grappler for this weight class.
Danny Sabatello (-1100). By decision. Medium confidence. Odds are ridiculous, could be worth a stab at his opponent, but Dayron is much smaller, not super dangerous on the feet, and is also a wrestler.
Elvin Espinoza (+114). By decision. Very low confidence. Really depends on which version of Mads Burnell shows up. Incredibly hard fight to call. Will likely go to decision either way.
Thad Jean (-300). By KO/TKO. Low confidence. His opponent Chris Brown is a very tricky veteran, but Thad Jean is aggressive and I think that's a good style to nullify Brown's kicks.
Jordan Oliver (-1000). By submission. High confidence.
Michelle Montague (-1400). By submission. High confidence.
