Fabian Edwards secured a decisive victory in the PFL 3 main event in Orlando on Friday, stopping the 2023 league champion Impa Kasanganay with an emphatic finish. Edwards` celebration was brief, focused on the task ahead in the tournament.
The headline bout featured two accomplished strikers, and Edwards immediately established dominance with sharp, inside elbows that repeatedly caught Kasanganay off guard. Early in the fight, one of Edwards` elbows caused a significant cut on Kasanganay`s face, leading to visible bleeding.
Despite the deep gash, which required a doctor`s check between rounds, Kasanganay was deemed fit to continue the fight.
While Kasanganay landed some shots, including a short punch following an accidental head clash, Edwards, a two-time Bellator middleweight title challenger, consistently found opportunities to land his most effective strikes. The end came after a perfectly timed jab visibly rocked Kasanganay, prompting Edwards to press forward aggressively.
Edwards unleashed a flurry of punches that sent Kasanganay collapsing to the canvas. The referee intervened at 2:14 of the second round to stop the contest. After a brief moment with his brother, UFC champion Leon Edwards, Fabian turned his attention to his next opponent, Josh Silveira, who also earned a victory earlier in the night.
Reflecting on his win, Edwards stated, “I feel good but the job’s not done. One down, two more to go. I can’t get too happy. PFL, you should have brought in elbows a long time ago.”
In the co-main event, Gadzhi Rabadanov continued his dominant run in the lightweight division, needing just 32 seconds to dispatch former UFC fighter Marc Diakiese.
The fight began with Diakiese attempting a kick that Rabadanov caught, using it to trip his opponent and take the fight to the ground. Rabadanov then overwhelmed Diakiese with a rapid series of ground punches, causing Diakiese to go limp and resulting in a swift knockout finish.
This stunning sequence marked another knockout win for Rabadanov, advancing him in the PFL tournament to face Jay Jay Wilson in the second round.
Dalton Rosta delivered a statement performance in the middleweight tournament, dominating and eventually submitting PFL veteran Sadibou Sy. Although Sy is known for his striking, Rosta dropped him with a hard punch in the second round, leading to a scramble on the mat.
Rosta maintained pressure on the ground with punches and submission attempts, ultimately finding an opening for a D’arce choke. He secured the hold tightly, leaving Sy unconscious and forcing the referee to stop the fight.
Jay Jay Wilson earned his spot in the lightweight semifinals with a punishing victory over Mads Burnell. While he was on track for a decision win, Wilson continued to wear down Burnell. In the final round, he trapped Burnell on the ground and began landing heavy strikes.
Each successive punch weakened Burnell, and Wilson showed no signs of slowing until the referee stepped in. It was an impressive display of relentless pressure, culminating in a finish late in the third round.
The main card opened with Alfie Davis surprising multi-time PFL competitor Clay Collard. Davis landed a perfectly timed spinning back elbow that stunned Collard. Collard was visibly rocked and momentarily dropped but managed to continue fighting.
However, his recovery was short-lived as Davis followed up with a barrage of punches. The referee Blake Grice stopped the contest at 2:12 of the first round, awarding Davis the TKO victory.
Main Card Results
- Fabian Edwards def. Impa Kasanganay via TKO (strikes) — Round 2, 2:14
- Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Marc Diakiese via knockout (ground and pound) — Round 1, :32
- Dalton Rosta def. Sadibou Sy via submission (D’Arce choke) — Round 2, 3:29
- Jay Jay Wilson def. Mads Burnell via TKO (strikes on the ground) — Round 3, 4:42
- Alfie Davis def. Clay Collard via TKO (spinning back elbow and punches) — Round 1, 2:12
Prelim Results
- Josh Silveira def. Mike Shipman via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Brent Primus def. Vinicius Cenci via submission (rear naked choke) — Round 3, 4:52
- Aaron Jeffery def. Murad Ramazanov via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Percy Harlow