Preview: PFL 6 ‘Harrison vs. Young’

Welterweights

Magomed Magomedkerimov (28-6, 10-1 PFL) vs. Joao Zeferino (26-10, 5-2 PFL)

This pairing was supposed to serve as a PFL 3 matchup before visa issues forced Magomedkerimov to withdraw from the card. The American Top Team product is a 2018 PFL champion and owned an impressive 13-fight winning streak before suffering an upset loss to Ray Cooper III at the 2021 PFL Championships. With two fights to work with, the Dagestani had to be considered one of the favorites at welterweight once again; now he could need a finish to secure a playoff spot. While he is not an overwhelming athlete, Magomedkerimov has very few weaknesses. He is a technical boxer with a stiff jab, solid straight right and sound footwork. He has not typically been known for his knockout power, but he rarely makes mistakes that will put him at risk on the feet. Magomedkerimov’s best work comes through grappling, as he can land knees in the clinch and possesses a variety of trips and throws to get the fight to the canvas. Once there, Magomedkerimov is adept at maintaining control while methodically landing ground-and-pound and looking for openings to secure submissions. While the Dagestani’s work rate can leave something to be desired, in most cases, he is adept at controlling the pace of the fight. Faced with a last-minute opponent change following Magomedkerimov’s exit, Zeferino struggled in a split-decision loss to Dilano Taylor. The Brazilian has improved his striking over the years, but his fights can get ugly if he is unable to get opponents to the canvas—something which surfaced down the stretch against Taylor. Zeferino is at his best when he can use his jab and left hook to work into takedown range, but he is susceptible to taking damage when he does not disguise his shots. To his credit, Zeferino is quite persistent in his quest to get his adversary down, even when it means absorbing punches to do so. From top position, Zeferino is adept at transitioning from one submission to another. In this particular matchup, though, it is likely that “The Brazilian Samurai” will need to utilize his active guard from his back or look to sweep and reverse. An aggressive approach could potentially help Zeferino steal rounds, but Magomedkerimov’s technique leaves little room for error. The Dagestani will find a submission victory difficult to come by, but he should be able to rack up plenty of points with his boxing and control to earn a decision.

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Harrison vs. Young
MacDonald vs. Sy
Cooper III vs. Cooper
Magomedkerimov vs. Zeferino
The Prelims