Preview: PFL 8 2024 | Light Heavyweight, Lightweight Playoffs

Lightweight Semifinal

Brent Primus (14-3, 2-0 PFL) vs. Clay Collard (25-13, 7-5 PFL)

A former Bellator lightweight champion in Primus meets PFL’s most exciting fighter in a unique clash of styles. Primus clinched the No. 1 seed after submitting Bruno Miranda and Solomon Renfro with back-to-back rear-naked chokes. At 39, Primus isn’t as explosive as he used to be, and he has never been viewed as much of a striker, so his ground game will be vital in this matchup. Would the PFL playoffs be the same without Collard? Fans have been accustomed to Collard’s boxing-heavy style for years, which has led to some major wins, but shaky takedown defense has been the Utah native’s kryptonite. Collard couldn’t keep Mads Burnell off of him in his last fight, which cost him a decision loss. If it weren’t for Collard’s sensational second-round finish over Patricky Freire in the first round, he wouldn’t even be in this situation. While Collard’s hands are fun to watch fly, he’s locked into a pretty unfavorable matchup here. Primus is an elite MMA wrestler who’s made a career off stifling talented strikers. He has only been stopped once, and Collard doesn’t have the raw power to keep him at bay. If Primus gets Collard to the ground, this fight is his, and he may even end it early with his third straight rear-naked choke.

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Kasanganay vs. Silveira
Wilkinson vs. Yagshimuradov
Rabadanov vs. Dufort
Primus vs. Collard
Walsh vs. Stapleton
The Prelims