For the second time, Clay Collard spoiled a decorated UFC veteran’s PFL debut by shutting out Jeremy Stephens in Wednesday’s headlining of the tournament-based promotion’s Season 4 opener.
Collard went through Stephens’ best shots and kept up the pressure to win 30-27 points from all judges in the fight card main event at ESports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The main card aired on ESPN and ESPN+.
Stephens quickly introduced Collard to the power that struck down so many opponents in the octagon. But he seemed surprised when his fellow UFC vet still looked him in the face and bombarded him with gunshots to the head and body. A particularly wild right left Stephens completely out of position and wide open for a trio of shots that Collard put together in short order. At close range, Collard expertly framed Stephens with his elbow and delivered knees to the head. At the end of the opening frame, Stephen began to swell under his left eye.
Still, the recent PFL acquisition continued to land big blows, and he badly injured Collard in the second and third rounds. However, when the fight went into deep water, changing the fight’s trajectory wasn’t enough and he began looking for takedowns. He was surprised on that front as well, when Collard ducked after an uppercut and threw it to the mat. Collard would do that two more times in the open area, running away for added effect.
Both men were exhausted in the third round, and Stephens threw an illegal spinning elbow in the final seconds of the fight. It hit Collard’s throat and went unpunished as the boxing and MMA vet added another big name to his résumé after upsetting former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis in Season 3. Collard also added three points to his Season 4 total after coming up short in the finals of the previous tournament.
Manfio pulls through the save after a slow start
Season 3 lightweight winner Raush Manfio was on course to become the second champion upset in the PFL’s Season 4 opener. He was trailing on all scorecards to Don Madge, who had dictated the range and pace of action for nearly three rounds. Then Manfio unleashed an overhand right, erasing everything that had happened up to that point.
Madge hit the canvas and was quickly knocked out by follow-up punches at the 2:42 mark of the final frame. Up to this point, Manfio’s right hand had been short except for once or twice, as evidenced by a quick shake of the head from Madge. The right opportunity and angle seemed to elude Madge, and the Season 3 Champion was doing himself a disservice by waiting rather than pushing for the action. However, he ended up taking four points and avoiding an awkward start to the season. Madge’s seven-fight winning streak – including two in the UFC before his unexpected dismissal – came to an abrupt halt, while Manfio extended his current winning streak to five fights.
Aubin-Mercier annoys Schulte
For the second year in a row, two-time lightweight champion Natan Schulte was upset in a PFL season opener. In 2021 it was Marcin Held who won on points. This year it was Olivier Aubin-Mercier who brought it out via split call.
The Canadian Gangster had an absolutely perfect game plan and largely stuck to it despite running out of gas at the end of three rounds against the ex-champ, who was pressuring him relentlessly with kicks and punches at close range. Aubin-Mercier’s southpaw stance proved a difficult challenge for Schulte as jabs and lead links temporarily halted his advance. Aubin-Mercier then pulled sideways and pinned down his opponent with arrow-straight one-two shots that always found their target. Neither shook Schulte, but they scored more points, as did repeated body shots that briefly put the Brazilian in trouble in the first round.
Schulte fought his way through the onslaught to smother his opponent in the cage at the end of each round, and he convinced a judge he’d done enough with a 29-28 score. But the other two saw it for Aubin-Mercier on the same record, giving the Canadian three points and his third straight PFL win.
‘Shoeface’ runs over Monte
Season 3 Light Heavyweight Champion Antonio Carlos Junior is off to a great start to win his second PFL tournament. In less than 30 seconds he had opponent Delan Monte tapping for a D’Arce choke after taking a stiff right cross to the face.
“Shoeface” took a hard right hand from his opponent and appeared to pinch his knee in an early exchange. But his punch landed harder and he pulled the chokehold before the two even touched the ground. By the time Monte realized what was happening, he had reached the point of no return. The official end came just 29 seconds into the first round and six points on the board for Junior, who led the table and won $1 million last year.
Full PFL 1: Collard vs. Stephens results:
Clay Collard def. Jeremy Stephens by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Rush Manfio defeated. Don Madge via KO (Strikes) – Round 3, 2:42
Defeated Antonio Carlos Jr. Delan Monte via submission (D’Arce Choke) – Round 1, 0:29
Olivier Aubin Mercier defeated. Natan Schulte via split decision (29-28, 28-29-28, 29-28)
Cory Hendricks defeated. Emiliano Sordi via TKO (Strikes) – Round 2, 2:13
Defeated Alexander Martinez. Stevie Ray by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Martin defeated Hamlet. Teodoras Aukstuolis by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Omari Akhmedov defeated. Viktor Pesta via KO (Punch) – Round 1, 1:25
Rob Wilkinson defeated. Bruce Souto via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 0:46
Simeon Powell defeated. Clinton Williams via KO (knee) – Round 3, 4:38