PFL 2 Results: Will Brooks Outlasts Luiz Firmino

Professional Fight League (PFL) held their second event in from the Chicago Theater in Chicago, Illinois, tonight (Thurs., June 21, 2018).

In the main event, former Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks met Luiz Firmino. Brooks won a decision in his hometown to get back into the win column after a disappointing UFC tenure.

UFC vet Ramsey Nijem battled Brian Foster in the co-main, but it didn’t end all that well when he was knocked out by a huge jumping knee in the third. Touted Olympic judo medalist Kayla Harrison made her MMA debut, submitting Brittney Elkin with an armbar in the first frame as most expected.

Longtime UFC veteran met another former Octagon competitor in Jason High, and the bout ended with controversy when Escudero submitted High, only to see High contest the loss. The cageside commission held up the win for Escudero. Kicking off the main card, UFC veteran Sean O’ Connell beat Ronny Markes via TKO 41 seconds into the second round.

Former Bellator middleweight champion Brandon Halsey looked outstanding in his light heavyweight tournament bout against former heavyweight Smealinho Rama, who Halsey stopped via TKO after a cut over Rama’s eye ended the fight at the end of the second round. Elsewhere on the undercard, former UFC fighter Thiago Tavares lost in bizarre fashion to Robert Watley. Tavares suffered a kick to the groin early into the second round, but the referee deemed the kick accidental, and Watley was awarded the TKO win. Vinny Magalhaes scored a quick submission victory, as well.

PFL features a tournament-based format with a $1 million prize for the winner.

Here are the results:

Main Card:

Luiz Firmino vs. Will Brooks

Brian Foster def. Ramsey Nijem via KO 0:23, round three

Kayla Harrison def. Brittney Elkin via submission (armbar) 3:19,  round one

Efrain Escudero def. Jason High, submission (guillotine), 0:35, round three

Sean O’Connell def. Ronny Markes, TKO (strikes), 0:41, round two

Preliminary Card:

Vinny Magalhaes def. Jamie Abdallah, submission (rear-naked choke), 1:37, round one

Brandon Halsey def. Smealinho Rama, TKO, 0:01, round three

Rakim Cleveland def. Rashid Yusupov, TKO, 5:00, round two

Islam Mamedov def. Yuki Kawana via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Maxim Grishin def. Jason Butcher, TKO, 1:40, round one

Robert Watley def. Thiago Tavares, TKO, 0:35, round two

Natan Schulte def. Chris Wade via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-28)

Dan Spohn def. Bazigit Atajev, TKO, 4:31, round three.