MAY | 2018 - Brooklynfights.com · ˗ Has had 86 Pro Muay Thai fights winning 70 of them and 4...

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2018 FIGHTER ROSTERM AY | 2 0 1 8

FEATHERWEIGHT145lbs

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ALEXANDRE ALMEIDA

2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION18-7-0

NICKNAME: “CAPITÃO”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU

WEIGHT: 145 LBS.

HEIGHT | REACH: 5’11” | 71”

FIGHTING OUT OF: MANAUS, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: XTREME COUTURE

AGE | BORN: 29 | 08/21/1988

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Started MMA career fighting for Brazilian regional promotions, most notably for Jungle Fights

˗ Defeated Rafael Miranda to capture the Jungle Fights Featherweight title at Jungle Fight 62

˗ Made his WSOF debut at WSOF24 by defeating fellow Brazilian Saul Almeida via submission

˗ Went 1-1 against perennial title contender Lance Palmer for the WSOF Featherweight belt

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Began fighting professionally at age 18

˗ Was selected to appear on TUF Brazil Season 4 before pre-fight medical exams kept him out

˗ Cleared to compete once updated tests proved his records were mixed up with someone else

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ANDRE HARRISON


NICKNAME: “THE BULL”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING

WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: LONG ISLAND, NY

ASSOCIATION: BELLMORE KICKBOXING MMA

AGE | BORN: 29 | 05/16/1988

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Went 7-0 under the Ring of Combat banner earning the Featherweight title via 1st round TKO˗ Former Titan FC Featherweight Champion who defended his belt 4-times˗ Won the WSOF Featherweight title in his 2nd appearance defeating Lance Palmer at WSOF35˗ Considered one of the top non-UFC Featherweight prospects in the world˗ Notable wins: Lance Palmer, Alexandre Bezerra, Cody Bollinger, Desmond Green and Steven Siler

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Was an All-American wrestler at Nassau Community College & Fort Hays State University˗ Although currently living in New York, Harrison is originally from Trinidad & Tobago˗ Everlast has created a custom gloves for Harrison˗ His MMA idol is Anderson Silva

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BEKBULAT MAGOMEDOV


NICKNAME: N/A

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO

WEIGHT: 145 LBS.

HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | N/A

FIGHTING OUT OF: MOSCOW, RUSSIA

ASSOCIATION: SPARTA MOSCOW & ATT

AGE | BORN: 27 | 11/05/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

˗ Defeated current UFC Featherweight and top Chinese fighter Guan Wang in RUFF 11

˗ Was signed to the World Series of Fighting riding a 16-fight win streak

˗ Made WSOF debut against Josh Hill and was dealt his only loss via split decision

˗ Awarded the vacant WSOF Bantamweight title by defeating Donavon Frelow at WSOF35

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ If he wins the $1 million prize, he plans to buy an apartment in Moscow for him and his brother

˗ Being able to take care of his parents is what inspires him to fight

˗ Freestyle wrestling is his favorite non-combat sport

˗ Muhammad Ali is his favorite athlete

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JUMABIEKE TUERXUN


NICKNAME: “SNOW LEOPARD”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SANDA / WRESTLING

WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: XI’AN, CHINA

ASSOCIATION: EXTREME SANDA

AGE | BORN: 31 | 04/17/1986

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for several notable promotions including UFC and Kunlun

˗ Former Legend FC Bantamweight Champion and WBK Featherweight Champion

˗ TUF 19 Finale Performance of the Night winner

˗ Notable wins: Paata Robakidze and Yoshiki Nakahara

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ He is an ethnic Kazakh, born and raised in Western China (Xinjiang Province)

˗ Juma competes in a Central Asian traditional sport of wrestling on top of horses when not fighting

˗ Started training to become a pro soccer player, but then realized he had a calling from MMA

˗ Nicknamed after the mystic snow leopard, a sacred animal found in the mountains of Xinjiang

˗ Would put part of the $1 million towards educating kids from his village

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LANCE PALMER


NICKNAME: “THE PARTY”


WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: SACRAMENTO, CA

ASSOCIATION: TEAM ALPHA MALE

AGE | BORN: 30 | 02/07/1988

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Defeated veteran Steven Siler at PFL Fight Night via Unanimous Decision

˗ Was the 3rd fighter to become WSOF Featherweight Champion and 1st to successfully defend the title

˗ Won his 2nd Featherweight title via majority decision against Alexandre Almeida at WSOF32

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ 4-time OHSAA State Wrestling Champion (150-6) with a Senior National Championship

˗ His high school wrestling career was documented in the movie "Pinned"

˗ 4-time All-American, Big Ten Champion and NCAA runner-up wrestling for Ohio State

˗ Wife Jessica Schiefer is a Pro Bikini competitor for the International Federation of Body Builders

˗ Working towards becoming a fireman and hopes to start career once his fighting days are over

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LEE COVILLE


NICKNAME: N/A

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: MUAY THAI

WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND


AGE | BORN: 40 | 09/12/1977

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ 4-time Thai Boxing World Champion

˗ Has never been to a decision in a fight and has never been knocked out

˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Rumble of the Rock and Cage Warriors

˗ Has had 86 Pro Muay Thai fights winning 70 of them and 4 World Titles (43 by knockout)

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Worked security for bars and clubs in England before going pro

˗ Avid Tottenham Hotspur FC fan

˗ Will buy a nice house and a big Rolex if he wins the $1 million championship prize

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MAGOMED IDRISOV


NICKNAME: N/A


WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: DAGESTAN, RUSSIA

ASSOCIATION: GORETS MMA

AGE | BORN: 29 | 03/05/1989

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions ONE Championship and M-1

˗ Knocked out former M-1 Lightweight Champion Alexander Butenko in his 2013 MMA debut

˗ European and National Champion in Ushu Sanda

˗ Notable wins: Herbert Burns, Ivan Buchinger and PFL’s very own Max Coga

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Went to college to become a teacher

˗ Follows soccer closely, especially the English Premier League

˗ If he wins the $1 million prize, he will buy a nice house in Dagestan for his wife and kids

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NICKNAME: “LORO”


WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: MANAUS, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: LONG ISLAND MMA

AGE | BORN: 35 | 06/23/1982

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

MARCOS GALVÃO


CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Former Bellator Bantamweight Champion and Bellator Season Six Tournament winner

˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Shooto, WEC, Jungle Fight and Bellator

˗ Ranked as high as #2 bantamweight fighter in the world according to Sherdog

˗ Notable wins: Joe Warren, Luis Nogueira and Ed West

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Featured in the sports biopic “Stronger Than the World” done on Jose Aldo, former UFC Champion

˗ First job was teaching BJJ to underprivileged youth in Manaus to get them out of the street life

˗ After having his savings stolen from his house, Loro raised over $25k in 5 days using GoFundMe

˗ His nickname "Loro" means "blonde" in Portuguese because he often dyes his hair this color

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MAX COGA


NICKNAME: “MAD MAX”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JUDO

WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: FRANKFURT, GERMANY

ASSOCIATION: TEAM MMA SPIRIT

AGE | BORN: 28 | 06/24/1989

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently on an 8-fight win streak, 4 via TKO and 3 by submission

˗ 4-time Superior FC Featherweight Champion

˗ Fought for major international promotions such as M-1 and Europa MMA

˗ Ranked as the #1 Featherweight in Western Europe by Tapology

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Studied economics and physical education while in college

˗ Max wants to buy his mom her dream car (Mercedes-AMG SLC 43) since he totaled her car as a teen

˗ His walkout song is the theme song for Mad Max Fury Road

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NAZARENO MALEGARIE


NICKNAME: “EL TIGRE”


WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

ASSOCIATION: TEAM TAVARES

AGE | BORN: 31 | 05/16/1986

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, Bellator, Pancrase and Jungle Fight

˗ Has never been knocked out nor submitted

˗ 2-time BJJ World Champion and 2-time Argentine Judo Champion

˗ Notable BJJ win over 4-time BJJ World Champion Gilbert “Durinho” Burns

˗ Won Pancrase and SMASH Fight Featherweight Championship

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Moved from Argentina to Brazil at age 16 and began training with PFL Lightweight Thiago Tavares

˗ Prior to becoming a fighter, he was a waiter in Brazil and Argentina

˗ Avid soccer fan and loyal supporter of Argentine team, Independiente

˗ His idol is Diego Maradona

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STEVEN SILER


NICKNAME: “SUPER”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING/ JUDO

WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: OGDEN, UT

ASSOCIATION: THE PIT ELEVATED FIGHT TEAM

AGE | BORN: 31 | 02/15/1987

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ After his time on TUF 14, Siler had a successful 9-fight stint in the UFC

˗ Post-UFC, went on a 5-0 run before falling to future WSOF Champion Andre Harrison at Titan FC 37

˗ Of his 29 wins, 15 have come via submissions and 6 from KOs

˗ Notable Wins: Josh Clopton, Cole Miller, Joey Gambino, Kurt Holobaugh and Mike Brown

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Has a part-time job doing credit repair from home

˗ Loves to fight and says he’d punch his best friend in the face if you paid him enough money

˗ Originally got into MMA so he could be on a local TV show

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TIMUR VALIEV


NICKNAME: “THE LUCKY”


WEIGHT: 145 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: MOSCOW, RUSSIA

ASSOCIATION: RICARDO ALMEIDA ACADEMY

AGE | BORN: 28 | 01/19/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ 3-time Russian style Unifight Champion and European Pankration Champion

˗ Dagestan and New Jersey Grappling Champion

˗ After losing in his MMA debut, went on 10-fight win streak including his first 4 with the WSOF

˗ Fought in WSOF28 co-main event against Chris Gutierrez and was dealt his 2nd loss via split decision

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Competed in soccer throughout high school

˗ At the age of 19 began to train in mixed martial arts with the Dag-fighter team

˗ Left Dagestan to train in New Mexico with the famed Jackson Wink MMA team

˗ Valiev has been a sparring partner to friend and UFC Champion Frankie Edgar

LIGHTWEIGHT155lbs

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BRIAN FOSTER

2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION27-10-0

NICKNAME: N/A

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: KICKBOXING

WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: GRANITE CITY, IL

ASSOCIATION: FAMILY COMBAT MMA/ FACTORY X

AGE | BORN: 34 | 04/03/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Foster owns 13 submissions and 13 KOs in his 27 career wins

˗ Fought 3 times in a single night to win the Lightweight Tournament at the historic WSOF25 event

˗ Awarded UFC Fight of the Night vs. Rick Story and UFC Knockout of the Night vs. Forrest Petz

˗ Notable wins: Joao Zeferino, Matt Brown and Luiz Firmino

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Began his professional MMA career in 2006, after his brother died, using MMA to cope

˗ Carries a photo of his brother with him to every fight

˗ Underwent successful brain surgery to correct a brain hemorrhage that sidelined him

˗ Has four kids: Alex, Breanna, Ashton and Austin

˗ Walk out song is Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd

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CHRIS WADE


NICKNAME: N/A


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: ISLIP, NY

ASSOCIATION: LONG ISLAND MMA

AGE | BORN: 30 | 09/30/1987

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, WSOF and Ring of Combat

˗ Suffolk County Wrestling Champion and New York State High School Wrestling Champion

˗ Former Ring of Combat Lightweight Champion

˗ Undefeated amateur kickboxing and MMA career

˗ Notable wins: Mehdi Baghdad and Frankie Perez

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Competed in amateur kickboxing where he was undefeated and held titles

˗ Was a standout wrestler for SUNY Oneonta

˗ Worked for a Budweiser distributor in Long Island before transitioning into fighting full time

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ISLAM MAMEDOV


NICKNAME: N/A


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: JERSEY CITY, NJ

ASSOCIATION: CHAMPION DERBENT

AGE | BORN: 28 | 02/10/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently on a 12-fight win streak including 6 by submission and 3 via TKO

˗ He returned at WSOF23, earning another first-round TKO over Jimmy Spicuzza

˗ Was on the cusp of a world title shot at WSOF25 after defeating Jorge Patino

˗ Suffered a torn ACL that kept him out of the final rounds of the one-night lightweight tournament

˗ 7 of his 8 submission wins have come by armbar

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ He was about to quit MMA before he signed with WSOF in 2015

˗ Loves to play video games when not training and his favorite game is Battleground

˗ Claims he can eat M&Ms all day long

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JASON HIGH


NICKNAME: “HIGHWALKER”, “KANSAS CITY BANDIT”


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: KANSAS CITY, MO

ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM

AGE | BORN: 36 | 10/12/1981

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Competed in notable promotions such as UFC, Strikeforce, Titan FC, WSOF and currently PFL˗ Defeated Caros Fodor via Unanimous Decision at PFL’s inaugural event in Daytona˗ Defeated Mike Ricci at WSOF31 via KO at WSOF31 which made ESPN’s “Top Plays of the Day”˗ Earned a gold medal at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation World Championship in 2012˗ Notable wins: Andre Galvao, Jordan Mein, Hayato Sakurai, Mike Ricci and Caros Fodor

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ In an effort to ensure he gets the proper nutrients, High grows his own vegetables and other food˗ Walked on to the U. of Nebraska Lincoln wrestling team, eventually earning 3 varsity letters˗ Avid book reader who routinely seeks recommendations from his social media followers˗ Was an EMT and bartender prior to fighting

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LUIZ FIRMINO


NICKNAME: “BUSCAPÉ”


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: COCONUT CREEK, FL

ASSOCIATION: JACKO HYBRID TRAINING CENTER

AGE | BORN: 36 | 3/18/1982

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Shooto, Pride Bushido, Dream and WSOF˗ Was ahead on the scorecards after 3 rounds against Justin Gaethje before the fight was stopped˗ He was a cast member for the Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians˗ Former CFA Lightweight Championship

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His nickname comes from a type of Brazilian firework that runs in all sorts of directions ˗ He earned the nickname by rushing towards his opponents and finishing them with little effort˗ A Brazilian cowboy in his spare time, Firmino enjoys riding horses in traditional Brazilian Vaquejada˗ Claims to have the biggest sweet tooth in all of MMA˗ Passionate skateboarder

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NATAN SCHULTE


NICKNAME: “RUSSO”


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.




AGE | BORN: 26 | 2/20/1992

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for the first time outside of Brazil at WSOF35 where he had his 10-fight winning streak

˗ Fought in multiple amateur tournaments, including a Muay Thai tournament in Serbia

˗ Has fought for NFC (Nitrix Champion Fight), PEC (Paranagua Extreme Combate), XFCI and WSOF

˗ Notable wins: Henerson Duarte, Glaucio Elizario and Sergio Barbosa

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Was a bouncer at a club in his hometown of Joinville

˗ Started training Muay Thai as a kid so he would stop being bullied

˗ Big fan of The Walking Dead and anything that involves zombies

˗ Went to extracurricular art school as a kid as his parents thought he would be a sculptor

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RAMSEY NIJEM


NICKNAME: “STRIPPER RAMSEY”


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: OREM, UT

ASSOCIATION: THE PIT

AGE | BORN: 30 | 04/01/1988

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Went 5-5 during 4-year career with the UFC

˗ TUF 13 finalist where he fought former Lightweight interim Champion Tony Ferguson

˗ Was also a member of TUF: Redemption (25th season), competing on Team Dillashaw

˗ Notable wins: Beneil Dariush and Justin Edwards

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Was part of his high school’s soccer, cross country and wrestling teams

˗ Attended Utah Valley University as a collegiate wrestler

˗ Ramsey is a Palestinian American born in California and raised in Washington

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RASHID MAGOMEDOV


NICKNAME: “HIGHLANDER”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING

WEIGHT: 155 LBS.




AGE | BORN: 33 | 5/14/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ His only two losses in MMA have come via decisions˗ Former M-1 Global Welterweight Champion˗ Russian Combat Sambo Federation: Dagestan Combat Sambo Runner Up˗ Russia Union of Martial Arts: Russian National Champion “Hand to Hand”˗ Russian Kickboxing Federation (RKF): 2006 Bronze Medalist- 70kg

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Engaged in various types of martial arts as a child including karate, boxing and kickboxing ˗ He won national competitions in each discipline˗ Served in the Russian military˗ His favorite post fight meal are hamburgers and his favorite non-combat sport is basketball

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ROBERT WATLEY


NICKNAME: “CONTACT”


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: CHARLOTTE HALL, MD

ASSOCIATION: ROYAL MARTIAL ARTS

AGE | BORN: 28 | 08/23/1989

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently on a 10-fight win streak

˗ Former LFA Lightweight Champion (defending it 5-times)

˗ Has never been knocked out

˗ Had over 10 amateur bouts before transitioning to the professional level

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Watley’s nickname, Contact, comes from having trouble keeping his contacts in his eyes

˗ Prior to MMA, he was an oil change technician

˗ If not an MMA fighter, he would’ve loved to have grown to become a world class chef

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THIAGO TAVARES


NICKNAME: N/A


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: TEAM TAVARES

AGE | BORN: 33 | 11/08/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Won UFC awards for Fight of the Night (4x), Submission of the Night (1x), Performance of the Night (2x)

˗ MMAjunkie’s 2015 June Fight of the Month vs. Brian Ortega

˗ Held an undefeated record of 10-0 in his first 3 years in the sport before being signed by the UFC

˗ Notable wins: Clay Guida, Manny Gamburyan, Michihiro Omigawa, Sam Stout, and Justin Salas

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Began training Judo when he was only 5 years old and began his Jiu Jitsu training at age 9

˗ Ran as a Communist Party member for a state election in Brazil, which he lost

˗ Goes to med school while training MMA

˗ If crowned winner of the $1 million, he dreams of to transferring to an American university

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WILL BROOKS


NICKNAME: “ILL WILL”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: FREESTYLE WRESTLING, KICKBOXING

WEIGHT: 155 LBS.




AGE | BORN: 31 | 10/08/1986

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Won his UFC debut vs. Ross Pearson at TUF 23 Finale˗ Defeated Michael Chandler at Bellator 120 to become the Interim Lightweight Champion˗ Beat Chandler in a rematch at Bellator 131 to become undisputed Lightweight Champion ˗ Bellator Season 9 Lightweight Tournament Winner˗ Ranked as the #25 Best Lightweight Fighter in the world by Tapology

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Took up wrestling in high school but went on to play college football at Harper College˗ Became estranged from his parents as a youth in Chicago, but was taken in by a friend's family˗ Lost his adopted mother after a long battle with cancer, inspiring him to become an MMA star˗ Fights for his wife and 2-year old daughter

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YUKI KAWANA


NICKNAME: N/A


WEIGHT: 155 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: YOKOSUKA, JAPAN

ASSOCIATION: Y&K MMA ACADEMY

AGE | BORN: 28 | 02/04/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has been fighting with Shooto Japan for 10 bouts

˗ Only loss as a pro came at Shooto Mobstyles: Fight and Mosh against Koshi Matsumoto

˗ Currently riding a 4-fight win streak

˗ Knocked out Shingo Suzuki in 21 seconds with a punch

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Yuki enjoys reading comic books, fishing and driving in his spare time

˗ His favorite movie is gladiator and his favorite actor is Russell Crowe

˗ Traditionally eats a big plate of sushi after every fight

˗ Him and his wife are currently expecting their first child

WELTERWEIGHT170lbs

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ABUBAKAR NURMAGOMEDOV

2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION14-1-0

NICKNAME: “DAGESTANI GANGSTER”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO/ FREESTYLE WRESTLING

WEIGHT: 170 LBS.



ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN KICKBOXING ACADEMY

AGE | BORN: 28 | 11/13/1989

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began his pro career with an 8-fight win streak and is currently on a 6-fight win streak

˗ Of his 14 wins, 7 came by way of knockout and 3 by submissions

˗ Notable wins: Matthew Frincu, Vladimir Gindzhu, Richard Totrav and Magomed Shakhbanov

˗ Was named to Bleacher Report’s Top 25 MMA Prospects for 2017

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ He has represented the KHK MMA Team of the Kingdom of Bahrain

˗ Combat Sambo World Championships bronze medalist and Russian National Combat Sambo Champion

˗ Abubakar is cousins with UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov

˗ Grew up being trained by the legendary Sambo/wrestling practitioner Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov

30

BOJAN VELICKOVIC


NICKNAME: “SERBIAN STEEL”


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: DENVER, CO

ASSOCIATION: ELEVATION FIGHT TEAM

AGE | BORN: 29 | 12/18/1988

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Gold medalist in amateur MMA before making his professional debut in 2010

˗ Former Resurrection Fighting Alliance (Welterweight) and Tesla FC (Middleweight) Champion

˗ Awarded UFC’s Performance of the Night after defeating Nico Musoke via KO

˗ Notable wins: Nico Musoke and Alessio Di Chirico

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Born and raised in Novi Sad, Serbia, Bojan moved to the USA to elevate his MMA training

˗ Holds a 14-2 record in Muay Thai

˗ Went to college for 3 years in Serbia, studying tourism and hotel management

˗ Grew up during the Bosnian-Serb conflicts, forcing him into a very rough childhood

31

HERMAN TERRADO


NICKNAME: “THE HITMAN” / “TITAN”


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: CHULA VISTA, CA

ASSOCIATION: GAMEBRED TRAINING CENTER

AGE | BORN: 28 | 9/27/1989

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Knocked out A.J. Matthews in the 1st round of his promotional debut with Strikeforce

˗ Scored 3 consecutive 1st round stoppages – 2 submissions and 1 TKO

˗ Defeated Joao Zeferino at PFL Daytona via split decision in his promotional debut

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Began body building at the age of 11

˗ Began his MMA journey on his home island of Guam where he was a standout high school wrestler

˗ First job was as a telemarketer

˗ His favorite post-fight meal is pizza and pasta

˗ Married to his wife Rosana and has 2 sons

32

JAKE SHIELDS


NICKNAME: N/A

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: AMERICAN JIU JITSU

WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: SAN FRANCISCO, CA

ASSOCIATION: CESAR GRACIE FIGHT TEAM

AGE | BORN: 39 | 01/19/1979

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ A former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and EliteXC Welterweight Champion˗ International Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Federation - 2007 Gracie Open Superfight Champion˗ Went on an impressive 15-fight win streak before falling to Georges St-Pierre˗ One of the best grapplers to step foot in MMA, Shields has won 12 fights via submission˗ Notable wins: Carlos Condit, Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler and Tyron Woodley

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His patented "American jiu-jitsu" is proven as one of the most effective grappling systems in MMA˗ Starred in and co-produced Fight Life, an award-winning documentary on the sport of MMA˗ Appeared in both print and video ads for PETA, touting his vegetarian lifestyle˗ Single father raising his 17 year-old daughter Maddie

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JOÃO ZEFERINO


NICKNAME: “THE BRAZILIAN SAMURAI”


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: RENZO GRACIE MMA ACADEMY

AGE | BORN: 28 | 9/27/1989

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ BJJ World Champion and champion on Brazilian regional stage all the way up to Middleweights

˗ Started his career at 1 -3 but then went 12-1 in his next 13 appearances, earning a call from the UFC

˗ Earned his way to the WSOF Lightweight Tournament Final before falling to Brian Foster

˗ All 15 of Zeferino's career submissions have come in the opening round

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Duke Roufus Kickboxing brown belt

˗ Zeferino practices Yoga in order to help his mobility in MMA

˗ Enjoys skiing in his downtime

˗ Plays country music while training and teaching his classes, claim his students don’t like him as a DJ

34

JONATAN WESTIN


NICKNAME: “THE BLIZZARD”


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

ASSOCIATION: ALLSTARS TRAINING CENTER

AGE | BORN: 27 | 05/20/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Victory FC, Cage Warriors and Scandinavian Fight Nights

˗ Has never been submitted

˗ Currently on a 6-fight win streak

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Trains with UFC stars such as Alexander Gustafsson and Ilir Latifi

˗ Has a short movie produced about him and his journey to become a pro MMA fighter

˗ Nicknamed “Blizzard” due to the crazy combos he starts fights with to catch his opponent off guard

˗ Hobbies include cooking and baking for him and his family

˗ Will buy a summer house in the Swedish countryside for him and his wife if he wins the $1 million

35

MAGOMED MAGOMEDKERIMOV


CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as ACB, Abu Dhabi Warriors, WSOF and Kunlun

˗ Defeated Bobby Cooper at WSOF33 in his most recent professional fight

˗ Riding a three-fight win streak, all with different promotions

˗ Notable wins: Bobby Cooper, Artem Shokalo and German Yakubov

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Trains at Eagles MMA in Makhachkala with fellow PFL Russian athletes

˗ Was with Khabib helping him prepare for UFC 223, where he went on to win the lightweight belt

NICKNAME: NA


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.

HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” |NA


ASSOCIATION: CHAMPION / EAGLES MMA

AGE | BORN: 28 | 1/10/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

36

PAUL BRADLEY


NICKNAME: “THE GENTELMAN”


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: SAN DIEGO, CA

ASSOCIATION: ALLIANCE MMA

AGE | BORN: 34 | 6/13/1983

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Bradley has also fought in WSOF, Bellator MMA, UFC, Strikeforce, Shark Fights and King of the Cage ˗ He was a contestant on UFC’s TUF: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest˗ Recorded an 11-fight win streak to begin his MMA career˗ Scored a 40 second TKO against previously undefeated fighter Chris Honeycutt at Bellator 148˗ Notable wins: Chris Honeycutt, Keith Smetana, Anton Tomash, Kenneth Allen and Ted Worthington

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Competed in wrestling in high school where he was a State Champion˗ Wrestled for the University of Iowa and was a 2-time All-American˗ Has a degree in Health and Sports Studies from University of Iowa˗ After graduating, he coached wrestling at the University of Buffalo and Indiana University

37

PAVLO KUSCH


NICKNAME: N/A


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.

HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 75.5”

FIGHTING OUT OF: KIEV, UKRAINE

ASSOCIATION: COMBAT DOBRO

AGE | BORN: 29 | 8/22/1988

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently riding a 9-fight win streak with his last loss coming back in 2013

˗ All of his victories have come from finishes with 19 of his 22 wins ending with submissions

˗ Kusch is ranked #1 of 234 active Ukraine Pro Welterweights by Tapology

˗ Kusch is ranked #4 of 665 active Europe Eastern Pro Welterweights by Tapology

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Wants to buy a yacht with $1 million if crowned winner of the Welterweight division

˗ Favorite non-combat sport is chess

˗ Avid supporter of Dinamo Kiev

˗ Loves any and all Tarantino movies

38

RAY COOPER III


NICKNAME: “BRADDAH BOY”


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: WALANAE, HI

ASSOCIATION: 808 TOP TEAM

AGE | BORN: 25 | 02/07/1993

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Cooper is the #1 ranked Welterweight fighter in Hawaii according to Tapology

˗ Achieved a 100% finish rate with 8 KOs and 5 submissions

˗ Went on a 8-fight win streak while competing in US regional MMA organizations

˗ Notable wins: Charles Bennett, Gabe Rivas, Adrian Bartee and Dave Mazany

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His father was one of the first professional Hawaiian MMA fighters

˗ His dream fight is to battle PFL’s Jake Shields, who also fought his father

˗ Trained by his Uncle Kai and Uncle Ronald at 808 Top Team

˗ Has a wife named Kelly and three kids named Kalia, Kara and Raynald IV

39

RICK STORY


NICKNAME: “THE HORROR”


WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: PORTLAND, OR

ASSOCIATION: GRACIE BARRA

AGE | BORN: 33 | 08/28/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ A veteran of the sport with 19 fights (12-7 record) during his 7-year UFC career

˗ Won Submission of the Night and Fight of the Night awards while with the UFC

˗ Former Elite Warriors Welterweight Champion

˗ Notable wins: Tarec Saffedine, Gunnar Nelson, Johny Hendricks, Thiago Alves and Brian Foster

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Played football and baseball as a kid, as well as track (pole vault) and of course, wrestling

˗ Runner-up in the 2006 NAIA National Championship while wrestling at Southern Oregon University

˗ Graduated with a Health Education major and a Military Science minor

˗ Took 19-months off from fighting post-UFC to focus his efforts on becoming a firefighter

40

YURI VILLEFORT


NICKNAME: N/A

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU/MUAY THAI

WEIGHT: 170 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: BRASILIA, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: JACKO HYBRID TRAINING CENTER

AGE | BORN: 27 | 3/23/1991

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began pro career 6-0 fighting for Florida-based promotions before signing with Strikeforce

˗ After a brief stint in UFC and a 1-year hiatus, he’s riding a 5-fight winning streak

˗ He has an extensive fighting background in Judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Muay Thai

˗ Was the youngest pro fighter on American Top Team at age 18

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Yuri’s older brother Danillo is currently a PFL fighter in the Middleweight division

˗ His father, BJJ black belt Francisco Silva, was a jiu-jitsu legend, reportedly winning 300 fights

˗ At the age of 3, Villefort’s Father enrolled him in his first Judo class and he began competing at 16

˗ Briefly ventured into soccer before moving to Rio de Janeiro to begin BJJ training at Brazilian Top Team

MIDDLEWEIGHT185lbs

42

ABUSUPIYAN MAGOMEDOV

2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION18-3-0

NICKNAME: “ABUS”


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: DUSSELDORF, GERMANY

ASSOCIATION: UFD GYM

AGE | BORN: 27 | 09/02/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Former Superior FC 18 Middleweight Champion

˗ Rarely goes the distance; 9 out of his 10 last wins came by way of knock out or submission

˗ Currently on a 6-fight win streak

˗ Never been knocked out

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Huge soccer fan and an avid supporter of Manchester United

˗ Has two sons at the ages of 5 and 6

˗ His favorite superhero is Spiderman and would love to live his life for a day

˗ Favorite music genre is Hip Hop and believes 50 Cent is the best rapper in the world

43

ANDERSON GONÇALVES


NICKNAME: “BIG BONES”


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: JOINVILLE, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: ASTRA FIGHT TEAM

AGE | BORN: 31 | 02/20/1987

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Jungle Fight, Rebel FC and Aspera

˗ Currently on an 11-fight win streak

˗ Has never been knocked out

˗ Currently ranked #7 of 378 active Middleweights in Brazil according to Tapology

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Worked for a car and truck parts company in Brazil

˗ Served the Brazilian Army for many years

˗ His nickname comes from his extremely long limbs and skinny frame

44

ANDRÉ LOBATO


NICKNAME: N/A


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: BELEM, BRASIL

ASSOCIATION: LOBATO TOP TEAM

AGE | BORN: 33 | 11/27/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Former Jungle Fight Middleweight Champion

˗ Was riding an 11-fight win streak before losing to Yushin Okami in Everett during his PFL debut

˗ Out of his 25 victories, 23 have come via KO or submission

˗ Has one of the highest yearly fight averages in the sport, competing around 4-times every year

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Graduated college with a degree in Physical Education

˗ Worked as a bodyguard before becoming a full time fighter

˗ Became an MMA fighter after his father's death as a way to support his fathers dream

˗ Began his training in BJJ in 1999 and became a professional mixed martial artist in 2009

45

BRUNO SANTOS


NICKNAME: “CARIOCA”


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: MMA MASTERS

AGE | BORN: 30 | 07/17/1987

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Santos opened his career with 13 consecutive wins fighting largely in his native country of Brazil

˗ Has has success when fights go the distance with 14 of his 16 wins coming via decisions

˗ Former WFE Middleweight Champion

˗ Notable wins: Vagab Vagabov and Chris Camozzi

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ He has 7 dogs and 3 birds

˗ His nickname, Carioca, is what they call people that come from the city of Rio de Janeiro

˗ He always wanted to be a soccer player

˗ Says that his inspiration has always been his mother

46

DANILLO VILLEFORT


NICKNAME: “INDIO”


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: BRASILIA, BRASIL

ASSOCIATION: INDIO DOJO

AGE | BORN: 34 | 05/08/1983

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made professional MMA debut 13 years ago

˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as WEC, UFC and Strikeforce

˗ Won his first WSOF bout beating former Ultimate Fighter Contestant Kris McCray at WSOF2

˗ Has never been submitted in MMA competition

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Danillo’s younger brother Yuri is currently a PFL fighter in the Welterweight division

˗ His father, BJJ black belt Francisco Silva, was a jiu-jitsu legend, reportedly winning 300 fights

˗ Earned a bronze medal at the Judo Veterans World Championships in 2016

˗ Became Champion at the Judo U.S. Open in the Light Heavyweight division in 2017

47

EDDIE GORDON


NICKNAME: “TRUCK”


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: FREEPORT, NY

ASSOCIATION: SERRA-LONGO JIU JITSU

AGE | BORN: 34 | 07/22/1983

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Started MMA after running into old friend Chris Weidman, former UFC Middleweight Champion

˗ Was the Middleweight Tournament Winner of UFC’s TUF19 Finale via 1st round KO

˗ Former Ring of Combat Middleweight Champion

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica

˗ Attended Fordham University, graduating with a degree in Finance, Marketing and Communications

˗ He worked as a finance director and then a sales consultant before pursuing MMA

˗ Best Selling Author of "Forever TRUCKIN: Mastering the Will to Win”

˗ Works as a motivational speaker in his spare time

48

GASAN UMALATOV


NICKNAME: “COBRA”


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: ASTRAKHAN, RUSSIA

ASSOCIATION: EAGLES MMA

AGE | BORN: 35 | 11/3/1982

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, M-1 and Fight Nights

˗ While with UFC, won TUF Brazil 3 Finale by defeating Wernei Cardoso via decision

˗ World Champion in Uni fighting and Champion in Russian grappling and ushu sanda

˗ Notable wins: Gregor Herb and Paulo Thiago

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Used to be a member of the Russian Navy

˗ Graduated from two universities (Astrakhan State Technical University and Astrakhan State University)

˗ Graduated in both Law and Sports Science

˗ He is a devout Sunni Muslim

49

JOHN HOWARD


NICKNAME: “DOOMSDAY”


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: BOSTON, MA

ASSOCIATION: WAI KRU

AGE | BORN: 35 | 03/01/1983

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ UFC veteran with a 7-7 record during his 6-year career with the promotion˗ Earned a victory in WSOF debut by defeating Michael Arrant via decision˗ Former CES and Ring of Combat Middleweight Champion˗ Notable wins: Siyar Bahadurzada, Charlie Brenneman, Uriah Hall, Dennis Hallman and Cathal Pendred

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Born and raised by single mother in Dorchester, MA, one of the roughest neighborhoods in the state˗ Played football and basketball before learning the electrical trade after high school˗ His nickname "Doomsday" is from the infamous villain who killed Superman˗ Was diagnosed as having Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of 33˗ Diehard New England Patriots fan and enjoys playing video games in his downtime

50

LOUIS TAYLOR


NICKNAME: “HAND GUNS”


WEIGHT: 185 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: CHICAGO, IL

ASSOCIATION: CHICAGO FIGHT TEAM

AGE | BORN: 38 | 05/12/1979

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made his WSOF debut with a victory at WSOF29, taking just 29 seconds to choke out Cory Devela

˗ He brought a 6-fight win streak to the cage, featuring 6 stoppages, including 5 in the 1st round

˗ Was in the tryouts for TUF 13

˗ Notable wins: Joe Vedepo, Jason Louck, Brian Houston, Phil Hawes and Zach Conn

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Nickname addresses gun violence, “I want people to find a better way then killing to solve issues”

˗ Was a talented wrestler at Eastern Illinois University before transitioning into MMA career

˗ Before fighting professionally, he was a wrestling coach and a stock person at a liquor store

˗ Listens to Lauren Hill, Bruno Mars and Boys to Men during workouts to keep it “soft and relaxed”

51

REX HARRIS


NICKNAME: “T-REX”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: GRAPPLING

WEIGHT: 185 LBS.

HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 74.5”

FIGHTING OUT OF: WEST PITTSTON, PA

ASSOCIATION: WORLD CLASS BOXING

AGE | BORN: 35 | 12/21/1982

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made his WSOF debut with a victory at WSOF24, defeating Justin Torrey via decision

˗ Had 6-fight win streak before his lost to Bruno Santos at PFL Everett via unanimous decision

˗ 7 of Harris’ 10 career wins have come by way of stoppage, including 4 by knockout

˗ Former GOTC Middleweight ChampION

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Featured on a 2012 cover of the "Weekender" magazine

˗ Talented Division III Wrestler with 56-10 Record

˗ Has been wrestling since the 4th grade with between 300-400 wrestling matches under his belt

52

SADIBOU SY


NICKNAME: “SADI”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: MUAY THAI

WEIGHT: 185 LBS.

HEIGHT | REACH: N/A | N/A

FIGHTING OUT OF: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

ASSOCIATION: WASA KICKBOXING

AGE | BORN: 31 | 11/27/1986

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for promotions such as Scandinavian Fight Nights, IRFA and Superior Challenge

˗ Finished his last 2 fights by 1st round knockout, including the 2016 Knockout of the Year

˗ Has a heavy background in Muay Thai, having competed professionally for many years

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Started working at the age of 12 to support his family

˗ When not training for fights, Sadi teaches MMA classes as well as personal trainer sessions

˗ Worked with a specialist to develop a pair of lenses that allow his vision to be between 80-100%

˗ Only had 20% of his vision during all of his fights except the last one

˗ If not a fighter, Sadi would have pursued a career as an actor

53

SHAMIL GAMZATOV


NICKNAME: N/A

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: COMBAT SAMBO/ KICKBOXING

WEIGHT: 185 LBS.

HEIGHT | REACH: 6’2” | 75.5”


ASSOCIATION: TATAEM TEAM

AGE | BORN: 27 | 08/09/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Gamzatov is ranked #21 of 300 active Russia Pro Light Heavyweights by Tapology

˗ 10 of his 11 victories have come via finishes, 5 KO/TKOs and 5 submissions

˗ Defeated Teddy Holder via 1st round KO at WSOF27

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Born in the city of Kizlyar in a Muslim family of Avar origin

˗ Was a Dagestani amateur kickboxing and grappling champion

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT205lbs

55

BOZIGIT ATAEV

2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION17-1-0

NICKNAME: “VOLK”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: TULA, RUSSIA

ASSOCIATION: RUSSIAN TOP TEAM

AGE | BORN: 39 | 12/03/1979

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

˗ A known finisher with 15 in the 1st round, and only 1 of 17 wins coming by way of decision

˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as Pride, Shooto, K-1 and Kunlun

˗ Opponent Alistair Overeem describes their Pride 24 fight as the most important win one of his career

˗ Notable wins: Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Roman Zentsov and Aaron Brink

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Born Russian and of Kumyk ethnicity

˗ Represented Russia in RINGS

˗ Gold medalist in the 2013 World Wushu Championships

56

BRANDON HALSEY


NICKNAME: “BULL”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: LONG BEACH, CA

ASSOCIATION: Body shop

AGE | BORN: 31 | 09/16/1986

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Won his 2nd professional fight against UFC veteran Shonie Carter via unanimous decision

˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, Bellator and M-1

˗ Former Bellator Middleweight Champion and Bellator Season 10 Middleweight Tournament winner

˗ Notable wins: Alexander Shlemenko and Kendall Grove

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Holds his high school’s best wrestling record in history (150-16 / 80 pins) and was State Champion

˗ Played football in high school and earned First Team All-San Diego County honors as a linebacker

˗ Wrestled collegiately at California State University, Bakersfield

˗ Finished 7th at the NCAA D-1 National Championships and earned All-American honors

57

DAN SPOHN


NICKNAME: “DRAGON”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: COLUMBUS, OH

ASSOCIATION: RONIN TRAINING CENTER

AGE | BORN: 33 | 10/12/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Won titles in 3 different regional MMA promotions˗ Owns one of the fastest knockouts in Bellator history with a flying knee KO in just 9 seconds˗ Earned a spot on UFC’s TUF Season 19 following regional fight success˗ Captured the CFFC Light Heavyweight title by knocking out Azunna Anyanwu in 2015˗ Defeated former WSOF fighter Angel DeAnda on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Holds a 3rd degree black belt in Kachido Aikijitsu, studying for 17 years under Sensei Tim McConahay˗ Enjoys to draw in his spare time˗ Received his nickname by his sensei and mentor as a symbol of his well-rounded skill set˗ Wife is a 3rd degree brown belt

58

JAMIE ABDALLAH


NICKNAME: “THE REAL DEAL”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

ASSOCIATION: XFC AUSTRALIAN TOP TEAM

AGE | BORN: 27 | 10/26/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Turned pro in 2011 and went on a 7-0 run to begin MMA career

˗ Captured the vacant Australian FC Light Heavyweight belt with a 35 second KO of Daniel Almeida

˗ Defended the title once before dropping the belt to eventual UFC fighter Rob Wilkinson

˗ Notable wins: Daniel Almeida and Randall Rayment

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Recently cast in season 1 of an Australian television series, Romper Stomper

˗ Has ambitions to expand acting career beyond season 1 of the TV series

˗ Enjoys fried chicken and french fries as a cheat meal

˗ Has been sponsored by Mama’s BBQ Chicken & Salad Bar in Victoria, Australia

59

JASON BUTCHER


NICKNAME: “BUTCHER”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: HUNTINGTON, WV

ASSOCIATION: GROUND ZERO HUNTINGTON

AGE | BORN: 33 | 10/23/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began MMA career 7-0 fighting in Spartan FC and Bellator

˗ Current King of the Cage Light Heavyweight Champion

˗ Made his debut at Bellator 71 against Duane Bastress, winning via submission early in the 1st round

˗ Notable wins: Jesse Murray, Giva Santana and William Hill

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Lives off the grid in his van in West Virginia and likes to blend chicken breast to drink as a meal

˗ Describes his personal style as “barbaric”

˗ His favorite superhero is Master Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

˗ Claims that mixed martial arts saved his life

60

MAXIM GRISHIN


NICKNAME: “MAXIMUS”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: TAMBOV OBLAST, RUSSIA

ASSOCIATION: AKHMAT FIGHT CLUB

AGE | BORN: 33 | 05/02/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began his pro MMA career in 2008, competing for M-1 Global in just his 3rd professional bout˗ Defeated former Bellator Heavyweight Champion and current UFC top contender Alexander Volkov˗ Went on a dominating 12-0 run in MMA from 2012 to 2016˗ Grishin is Tapology’s #2 ranked Light Heavyweight in Russia˗ Notable wins: Alexander Volkov, Joachim Christensen and Trevor Prangley

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Defeated MMA veteran Ramon Thierry Sokoudjou in a kickboxing bout in 2013

˗ Utilizes Omegawave system in fight camp to ensure he’s reaching ideal levels in training sessions

˗ Has had time training with MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko

61

RAKIM CLEVELAND


NICKNAME: “THE BOOGEYMAN”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.




AGE | BORN: 28 | 04/25/1989

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has fought professionally for VFC, Primus FC, and Titan FC

˗ Amateur: 5-time Heavyweight Champion, Top 5 Heavyweight in the Midwest

˗ Notable wins: Houston Alexander, Calley Kruger, and BJ Lacey

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Was hit by a drunk driver at the age of 6 and broke many bones in his leg

˗ His fans created the Boogeyman persona because he was “scaring” all of his opponents away

˗ Played college football at Grandview University in Des Moines, IA

62

RASHID YUSUPOV


NICKNAME: N/A


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.



ASSOCIATION: GORETS MMA

AGE | BORN: 25 | 05/15/1992

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Only loss in MMA was due to an injury situation

˗ Defeated MMA veteran Viktor Nemkov to capture the M-1 Global Light Heavyweight title

˗ Defended the M-1 belt in resounding fashion against Stephan Puetz and recently had a 1st round KO

˗ Notable wins: Charles Andrade, Martin Zawada, Viktor Nemkov, and Stephan Puetz

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Feels as though he’s only reached 50% of his potential thus far in his career

˗ Former amateur MMA Champion in Dagestan

˗ Studying English to help his MMA career in America

63

RONNY MARKES


NICKNAME: “BEBEZÃO”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: LAS VEGAS, NV


AGE | BORN: 29 | 04/21/1988

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has fought at Middleweight, Light Heavyweight and Super Heavyweight

˗ Fought for promotions such as M-1, WSOF, UFC, Shooto, King of the Cage and PFL

˗ Former King of the Cage Super Heavyweight Champion

˗ Notable wins: Smealinho Rama, Paulo Filho and Aaron Simpson

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Used to sell mixed drinks at the beach at the beginning of his fighting career

˗ His main goal is to win the $1 million prize and pay for his daughter’s dream to become a doctor

˗ Self-proclaimed all-time great Natal (his hometown in Brazil) Futvolley player

˗ His nickname means Big Baby, as he was over 200 pounds at 17 years of age

64

SEAN O’CONNELL


NICKNAME: “THE REAL OC”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: SALT LAKE CITY. UT

ASSOCIATION: JEREMY HORN’S ELITE PERFORMANCE

AGE | BORN: 34 | 09/02/1983

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ He won his first two fights by KO in 36 & 37 seconds, and his third fight by TKO in 84 seconds

˗ Went 2-5 in his UFC career but did earn three post-fight bonuses

˗ Notable wins: Trevor Carlson, Marvin Eastman, Matt van Buren and Anthony Perosh

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Wrestled in high school and played collegiate football as a walk-on at the University of Utah

˗ Graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in psychology

˗ Host of MMA Tonight on Sirius XM radio

˗ Well known radio personality that routinely provides hilarious moments during weigh-ins

65

SMEALINHO RAMA


NICKNAME: “THE PRINCE”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: ALBERTA, CANADA

ASSOCIATION: RENZO GRACIE ACADEMY

AGE | BORN: 25 | 04/30/1992

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made WSOF debut at WSOF14, ending the unbeaten record of former Olympic wrestler Steve Mocco

˗ Earned 1st round TKO win over 5-time UFC veteran Tim Hague

˗ Crowned inaugural WSOF Heavyweight Champion, with 51 second TKO victory over Derrick Mehmen

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Was born in Greece (to a Greek mother and Albanian father) but moved to Canada as a teenager

˗ Inspiration for MMA came from watching Anderson Silva vs. Chris Leben

˗ Father was a professional soccer player in Albania

˗ Former Canadian 108kg National Wrestling Champion

66

VINNY MAGALHÃES


NICKNAME: “VINNY”


WEIGHT: 205 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: LAS VEGAS, NV


AGE | BORN: 33 | 07/02/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, M-1, Titan FC and ACB

˗ He was a cast member for TUF: American Top Team vs Blackzilians

˗ Former M-1 and Titan FC Light Heavyweight Champion as well as TUF Runner Up

˗ Grappling record of 31-18, including wins over former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Fabricio Werdum

˗ Notable wins: Jake Heun, Matt Hamill and Viktor Nemkov

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His nickname, Vinny is short for his actual name, Vinicius

˗ He is brothers with famous Brazilian celebrity singer, Sidney Magal

˗ Vinny was (and still is) a BJJ instructor prior to competing in MMA

˗ Will use the 1 million dollars to pay for his kids college tuition

HEAVYWEIGHT265lbs

ALEX NICHOLSON

2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION11-5-0

NICKNAME: “THE SPARTAN”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: APOPKA, FL

ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM ORLANDO

AGE | BORN: 27 | 02/05/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has competed as a Middleweight, Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight

˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as LFA and UFC

˗ 10 out of his 11 wins came in the 1st round

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Recently had his first son, Odin

˗ Married to Hannah Goldy, an MMA fighter herself

˗ Proposed to his wife right before weighing in for his UFC debut

69

CAIO ALENCAR


NICKNAME: “CAIÃO”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: NATAL, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: KIMURA / NOVA UNIÃO

AGE | BORN: 39 | 12/02/1978

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Former Shooto Heavyweight Champion and Finalist in Jungle Fights Heavyweight tournament

˗ Defeated former UFC contender Jared Rosholt via 1st round TKO at WSOF NYC

˗ Has stoppage wins in all but 1 of his MMA victories

˗ Ranked as the #2 Heavyweight in Brazil by Tapology

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Became a MMA manager during off time, starting Bitetti Combat with Amaury Bitetti

˗ Attended law school but decided to pursue other opportunities in the US

˗ Moved from Brazil to Oregon in order to train with Chael Sonnen & Fabiano Scherner

70

DANIEL GALLEMORE


NICKNAME: “BIG KANSAS”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: EMPORIA, KS


AGE | BORN: 32 | 06/14/1985

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Gallemore compiled an amateur record of 12-3 before turning pro in 2011

˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as Victory FC, Bellator and Titan FC

˗ Former Victory FC Heavyweight Champion

˗ All 7 professional MMA wins have come via knockout or submission

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Competed in wrestling and football while in high school

˗ Began training MMA after graduation simply to stay in shape

˗ Gallemore is an undefeated boxer, with a 4-0 record

71

FRANCIMAR BARROSO


NICKNAME: “BODÃO”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: TEAM BODÃO

AGE | BORN: 38 | 02/28/1980

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Signed with PFL after 9 bouts in the UFC over a 5-year span

˗ Former Shooto and WOCS Light Heavyweight Champion

˗ Finished a Desert FC fight in 5 seconds with a head kick against Abhijeet Petkar

˗ Notable UFC wins: Ednaldo Oliveira, Ryan Jimmo, Elvis Mutapcic and Darren Stewart

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His nickname means “big goat” because in Brazil, the goat is seen as a crazy/unpredictable animal

˗ As 1 of the oldest of 8 siblings, he was responsible for taking care of the house and family

˗ Would have turned out to be a a cop or a member of the Brazilian army if MMA wasn’t an option

72

JACK MAY


NICKNAME: “THE OUTLAW”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: CHINO HILLS, CA

ASSOCIATION: CSW

AGE | BORN: 36 | 04/14/1981

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for several top MMA promotions including UFC, Bellator, and Titan FC

˗ Started MMA career 7-0 with 6 KOs before losing to Derrick Lewis at UFC on FOX 11

˗ Has never loss by way of submission

˗ Defeated Dave Cryner via KO at Bellator 170 in his last professional fight

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Went to 4 different colleges on a full basketball scholarship before playing professionally overseas

˗ Led the country in technical fouls his Sophomore year, establishing himself as “The Outlaw”

˗ Worked as a nightclub bouncer and personal trainer before fighting professionally

˗ Started MMA training 5 years ago when he watched the UFC on TV and fell in love with the sport

73

JAKE HEUN


NICKNAME: “THE HONEY BEAR”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: Palmer, AK

ASSOCIATION: TIGER MUAY THAI

AGE | BORN: 30 | 08/24/1987

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Selected to appear on UFC’s TUF 17 and TUF 19˗ Made WSOF debut at WSOF11 and defeated Kendrick Miree via unanimous decision˗ Of his 11 wins, 8 have come via knockout or submission˗ Has competed in Muay Thai bouts in Thailand to hone his skills before returning to MMA˗ Notable wins: Kendrick Miree, Davin Clark, Clinton Williams and Mu Bae Choi

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Has trained and lived in Thailand for the past few years˗ One of the most active PFL fighters across social media˗ Previously trained at the world-renowned American Top Team˗ Was given the nickname “The Honey Bear” by former UFC contender, Chris Leben

74

JARED ROSHOLT


NICKNAME: “THE BIG SHOW”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: ARLINGTON, TX

ASSOCIATION: TEAM TAKEDOWN

AGE | BORN: 31 | 08/04/1986

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for Titan FC in his 3rd professional fight and earned a victory via TKO

˗ Debuted in the UFC at TUF 18 Finale, defeating Walt Harris via unanimous decision

˗ Impressive 6-2 run during 2-years with UFC before making debut at WSOF34

˗ Notable wins: Soa Palelei, Josh Copeland, Timothy Johnson and Stefan Struve

BEYOND THE CAGE

˗ Won 4 state wrestling titles in high school and was a 3-time All-American at Oklahoma State

˗ His brother, Jake, was a 4-time All-American and 2-time National Champion with Oklahoma State

˗ Lunatic Fringe by Red Rider is his walkout song to help get him in a competitive state of mind

˗ Enjoys spending spare time outdoors fishing and hunting

75

JOSH COPELAND


NICKNAME: “CUDDLY BEAR”

SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: STRIKING

WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: DENVER, CO


AGE | BORN: 35 | 10/20/1982

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began MMA career 9-0 while winning a regional MMA title along with the RFA heavyweight title˗ Following a brief stint in the UFC, Copeland went on to capture the Prize FC Heavyweight title˗ Made a successful WSOF debut at WSOF29, defeating Mike Hayes via unanimous decision˗ Defeated Mike Kyle at PFL Everett by unanimous decision˗ Notable wins: Jan Jorgenson, DJ Linderman and Mike Kyle

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Prior to getting into MMA, he attended Dallas Baptist University to study youth ministry˗ Loves to inspire others and gave one of his titles to a kid with cancer while visiting a local hospital˗ Trained at the same gym as former WSOF Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje˗ Best friends with Bellator’s Justin Wren, who routinely travels to the Congo for humanitarian work

76

KELVIN TILLER


NICKNAME: “THE MAMA’S BOY”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: TOPEKA, KS

ASSOCIATION: UNITED MARTIAL SCIENCES

AGE | BORN: 27 | 06/26/1990

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as WSOF and Bellator

˗ Rarely goes the distance, having won 7/8 of his bouts by submissionor KO

˗ Has never been KO’ed or submitted, only loss came by judges scorecards

˗ Tiller holds wins over PFL’s very own Dan Spohn at Bellator 56

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Growing up, Tiller was often involved in street fights. He started training boxing to let go of stress

˗ Tiller ran track while in High School and won the city championship on the 100-meter dash as a senior

˗ Had a son at age 18 and said that was the turning point in his life and his choices

77

PHILIPE LINS


NICKNAME: “MONSTRO”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: NATAL, BRAZIL

ASSOCIATION: KIMURA/ NOVA UNIÃO/ AMERICAN TOP TEAM

AGE | BORN: 32 | 08/17/1985

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Bellator and Bitteit Combat

˗ Made it to the semifinals of Bellator’s Light Heavyweight tournament in 2014

˗ 8 of his 10 wins came by knockout or submission

˗ After not fighting from 2006-2011, Lins entered the Bellator cage and finished the fight in 40 seconds

˗ Was ranked by Bloody Elbow as the second best Light Heavyweight prospect in 2012

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Is lifelong friends with fellow PFL fighters Ronny Markes and Caio Alencar

˗ He is married and has a daughter, the three of them live between Coconut creek, FL and Natal, Brazil

˗ When not training, he loves surfing and swimming

˗ Is known for creating a playlist with heavy metal, gospel and reggae to listen before fighting

78

SHAWN JORDAN


NICKNAME: “THE SAVAGE”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: BATON ROUGE, LA


AGE | BORN: 33 | 10/21/1984

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made professional MMA debut at Bellator 9 with 30-second submission victory˗ Competed in every major US MMA promotion including UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce, and WSOF ˗ Went 6-4 with UFC where he was 2-time Performance of the Night and Knockout of the Night winner˗ Made WSOF debut at WSOF33 with a first-round TKO finish against Ashley Gooch˗ Knockout specialist with finishes in 95% of fights won

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Ranked as one of the top 10 fullback prospects coming out of high school˗ Former LSU football player and member of the 2003 & 2007 BCS National Championship teams˗ At LSU, Jordan set school records in the bench press (610lbs), power clean (440) & split jerk (440)

79

VALDRIN ISTREFI


NICKNAME: “THE BEAST”


WEIGHT: 265 LBS.


FIGHTING OUT OF: ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLAND

ASSOCIATION: PLANET EATER

AGE | BORN: 27 | 03/03/1991

2018 PFL PAY: N/A

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently on a 5-fight win streak while fighting for various international promotions

˗ Finished 10 fights via submission or KO

˗ Has never been knocked out nor submitted

˗ Ranked as the #2 Heavyweight in Western Europe by Tapology

BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Worked as a local bouncer before transitioning into MMA full time

˗ Avid basketball fan and used to play in high school before transitioning to kickboxing

˗ Would choose to fight Kristijan Golubović, notorious Serbian gangster (Albanian’s arch rivals)

MAY | 2018 - Brooklynfights.com · ˗ Has had 86 Pro Muay Thai fights winning 70 of them and 4...

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Transcript of MAY | 2018 - Brooklynfights.com · ˗ Has had 86 Pro Muay Thai fights winning 70 of them and 4...