WHAT A NIGHT!
Here are your Lightweight & Light Heavyweight standings following #2022PFL1!
B2YB @nxtlvlbrands pic.twitter.com/0vz4qqyc29— PFL (@PFLMMA) April 21, 2022
Fight Facts is a breakdown of all of the interesting information and cage curiosities on every card, with some puns, references and portmanteaus to keep things fun. These deep stat dives delve into the numbers, providing historical context and telling the stories behind those numbers.
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TOTAL NUMBER OF PFL FIGHTS: 727
TOTAL NUMBER OF PFL EVENTS: 78
The Professional Fighters League kicked off its 2022 season in style with lightweights and light heavyweights up first to get on the scoreboard. The main event delivered exactly what was promised and more with three rounds of unbridled chaos, while several other key figures notched significant wins to start their campaigns off well. PFL 2022 1 featured both 2021 champs pulling off statement wins, while also seeing the fastest submission under PFL branding and one of the latest finishes in a non-title fight.
Human Clay: After three hard-fought rounds, Clay Collard earned three points by claiming a unanimous decision over Jeremy Stephens. A finisher by trade, each of the last appearances for the former boxer has all gone the distance.
Lil Heathen, Big Skid: In his PFL debut, Stephens fought valiantly but fell short to Collard. This placed “Lil Heathen” on a seven-fight winless streak, and the longtime vet has not gotten his hand raised since February 2018. At that time, fellow PFL 2022 1 competitor Simeon Powell had yet to make his pro debut.
Call Me Out and See What Happens: Coming back after two rough rounds, 2021 lightweight champ Raush Manfio knocked Dan Madge out in Round 3. The Brazilian earned his first finish in the PFL ranks by netting the four-point finish, while becoming one of a small number of active PFL fighters to go unbeaten after five outings.
Don’t Drink Out of That Shoe: In just 29 seconds, 2021 lightweight tourney winner Antonio Carlos Jr. tapped out fellow hometown friend Delan Monte. “Cara de Sapato” tied the organization’s record for the quickest submission in company history, tying Louis Taylor’s 29-second guillotine choke of Cory Devela in 2016 when the league was known as World Series of Fighting.
A Brazilian Brabo Barrage: The submission from the Brazilian a brabo choke, his maneuver is the second of its type in WSOF-PFL history. The first came from David Branch over Jesse Taylor at WSOF 10 in 2014.
UFC’s Loss is PFL’s Gain: Earning six points for his finish and placing himself as the early frontrunner to retain his title, Carlos Jr. landed not just his fastest finish as a PFL fighter, but also the quickest of his career. He had never recorded a sub-minute stoppage prior to this tapout.
Almost Got the Knockout Too: As a professional, Carlos Jr. has seen 11 of his 14 wins come inside the distance. All 11 have come by tap, giving him a submission rate of 79%.
Questionable Sudden Line Movement: With big money coming in on fight week, Carlos Jr. closed as the biggest betting favorite on the card by far, clocking in at -2000. “Cara de Sapato” is now the eighth fighter in company history to serve as a favorite this massive or higher.
The Line Was Anything But Junior: Prior to this PFL outing, the highest Carlos Jr. had ever measured as a betting favorite was -485, ahead of his UFC Fight Night 85 battle with Daniel Kelly in 2016.
Sure-Thing Schulte: Although he fell short to Olivier Aubin-Mercier by split decision, Natan Schulte entered into his 14th fight with the organization. He is tied with Ray Cooper III as the second-most active fighter to compete under its banner.
A Sordid Affair: Cory Hendricks sprang the biggest upset of the evening at +325 by clubbing Emiliano Sordi in Round 2 to earn five points. The Nevada native now celebrates a finish rate of 89% with his win over the 2019 light heavyweight champ.
Save Yourself, Hamlet: The runner-up of 2021’s 205-pound bracket, Marthin Hamlet started off this season with a three-point decision win over Teodoras Aukstuolis. The Norwegian fighter now holds a perfectly balanced distribution of victory, with three wins by knockout, three more by submission and the final three on the scorecards.
Repping the “International” Flag: Omari Akhmedov leveled Viktor Pesta in 85 seconds to notch six points at light heavyweight. The triumph was the Russian’s first due to strikes since he knocked Thiago de Oliveira Perpetuo out in November 2013.
Dagestan Dynamite: When Akhmedov last landed a knockout at UFC Fight Night 32 – and not the prior TKO due to injury -- five of the 19 other competitors at the event had not turned pro in MMA.
The Razor Will Cut You: Early into the second frame, Rob Wilkinson made good on his organizational debut by putting Bruce Souto away with strikes. “Razor Rob” has finished 93% of his fights, with only one of those stoppages coming beyond Round 2.
The Points Don’t Matter: In a non-tournament “showcase” fight, Simeon Powell knocked Clinton Williams out with a knee in the third round. The Brit is a perfect 6-0 as a pro, with five of those victories coming inside the distance.
Even Jacob Montalvo Didn’t See It Coming: Powell’s knee knockout of Williams clocked in at 4:38 of the third period, making his stoppage the third-latest in a non-title fight across WSOF-PFL history.
Never Say Never Again: Coming into PFL 2022 1, Carlos Jr. had never secured a brabo choke (10 submissions), Sordi had never dropped consecutive bouts (33 fights) and Souto had never been knocked out (18 fights).