PFL 9 is the final playoff event for PFL's 2024 season. This event features the welterweights and the featherweights. The prelims will be broadcast on ESPN+ with the main card on ESPN, on Friday 23rd August.
PFL Playoff Predictions:
BRENDAN LOUGHNANE (29-5) vs. KAI KAMAKA III (14-5-1) – Featherweight Playoff
Loughanne is the 2022 featherweight champion and I am picking him to make it to the finals. This is a match up between two primary strikers and I think that Loughnane is the better and more powerful fighter. We have seen Loughnane struggle with some strikers in the past, such as Jesus Pinedo and Marlon Moraes but Kamaka isn't as powerful as those two. Kamaka has been on a great run since being released from the UFC but I don't think he has a good style to beat Loughnane. He is a technical striker but he isn't very dangerous or high volume. He can wrestle but we have seen Loughnane deal with bigger, better wrestlers before with his championship win over Bubba Kenkins, and his wins over Tyler Diamond and Justin Gonzales. Loughnane hits harder than Kamaka so if this fight goes all three rounds (which I think it will) his damage should score more points than what Kamaka is landing.
Pick: Brendan Loughnane by KO/TKO or Decision. Medium-high confidence.
MAGOMED UMALATOV (16-0) vs. NEIMAN GRACIE (13-5) – Welterweight Playoff
The odds for this fight are crazy with Umalatov being as wide as -2500. No MMA fight should ever be that wide as truly anything can happen. With that being said, I am confident Umalatov wins and I would be surprised if he loses. Umalatov come into the PFL and really showcased his striking. He has some big KO wins over some pretty decent strikers. When he fought Nayib Lopez he really started to showcase the wrestling in his game, and since then he has really leaned on that wrestling. In this fight I think he should keep the fight standing as he is the much better and powerful striker, and Neiman Gracie of course does have dangerous BJJ. Gracie has been beaten on the feet before and I think the same happens again.
Pick: Magomed Umalatov by KO/TKO. High confidence.
SHAMIL MUSAEV (18-0-1) vs. MURAD RAMAZANOV 2 (12-1) – Welterweight Playoff
This is somewhat odd match making but it's just how the tournament has turned out. These two fought each other only a couple of months ago where Musaev won pretty clearly, getting a KO win. So now Murad Ramazanov needs to make a quick turn around to fight the same guy he got knocked out by. I did pick Ramazanov to win that first fight as I thought he could get the take downs – I was wrong. Musaev defended the take downs with not too much issue and was able to land big shots on the feet. I think the MMA Math adds up and the same happens again. Murad is still a big wrestler so maybe he could win the rematch by being super aggressive with take down attempts. For that reason I'm not super confident in Musaev, but I am expecting Musav to find another KO win.
Pick: Shamil Musaev by KO/TKO. Medium confidence.
GABRIEL BRAGA (14-1) vs. TIMUR KHIZRIEV (16-0) – Featherweight Playoff
This is very much a striker vs. wrestler match up. Braga is a Muay Thai striker and will no doubt be the better striker in this fight. He has showcased decent take down defense against Justin Gonzales and Chris Wade, but I'm not sure if he can stop Khizriev. Khizriev has been able to wrestle and control every opponent in Bellator and PFL so far, and I'd be surprised if that stops here. Braga does have good movement on the feet and does have some power and that's his best chance to win. I can't see him winning minutes because Timur is so dominant in the top control position. Braga hasn't fought a wrestler as good as Khizriev and I think he is going to be taken down and controlled.
Pick: Timur Khizriev by decision. Medium-high confidence.
PRELIM QUICK PICKS:
Mukhamed Berkhamov by decision or submission. Low-medium confidence.
Tyler Diamond by decision. Medium confidence.
Jose Perez by decision. Low confidence.
Luca Poclit by submission. Medium confidence.
Marcircley Alves by KO/TKO or decision. Low confidence.
