Preview: PFL 8, 2022 Playoffs

If Rory MacDonald is to capture his second championship in a major mixed martial arts promotion, he will first have to end the unbeaten run of a surging contender.

MacDonald, a former Bellator MMA titleholder, faces Russian prospect Magomed Umalatov in a featured Professional Fighters League welterweight playoff bout atop PFL 8 on Saturday at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. The card marks the promotion’s maiden voyage to the United Kingdom and features semifinal matchups at welterweight and heavyweight. With Ray Cooper III and Bruno Cappelozza out of the mix this year, new champions are guaranteed in both weight classes, so intrigue abounds. The main card airs on ESPN and streams to ESPN+ at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, while prelims stream to ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET/ 9 a.m. PT. Qualifying bouts follow the main card on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

Without further delay, the PFL 8 preview:

2022 PFL Welterweight Semifinals

#1 | Rory MacDonald (23-9-1, 2-3 PFL) vs. #4 | Magomed Umalatov (12-0, 3-0 PFL)

ODDS: Umalatov (-300), MacDonald (+220)

Like fellow high-profile signee Anthony Pettis, MacDonald enters the PFL playoffs as the top seed in his weight class, but also just like Pettis, it’s difficult to feel especially confident in “The Red King” following his most recent performance. At PFL 6, the Tristar Gym representative lost a forgettable unanimous decision to Sadibou Sy in a bout where he seemed to have no other gameplan than to repeatedly shoot for takedowns against the fence. The lanky Sy’s defensive wrestling held up, and the end result was a grueling—and largely forgettable—clinch battle. In the brief moments where the fight was at range, MacDonald was outstruck by his kickboxing-minded adversary. What’s more concerning is that MacDonald was unwilling to stray from a wrestling-heavy approach that was largely unsuccessful.

In the past, MacDonald has been known for a stiff jab, a versatile arsenal of kicks and the ability to land well in combination in addition to his ability to smoothly transition between striking and grappling aspects of MMA. While he was dominant in a stoppage of Brett Cooper in his first PFL regular-season outing, MacDonald has been largely underwhelming in compiling a 2-3 record in the promotion. To make matters worse, he draws what appears to be an extremely difficult matchup in Umalatov, a former Eagle Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder with a combat sambo background who has finished all but one of his 12 professional victories. After a measured beginning against former Brave Combat Federation champion Jarrah Al-Silawi, Umalatov showed just how dynamic he can be when he rocked his opponent with a standing backfist before swarming for the finish to score a knockout victory with his powerful right hand. In addition to a slight reach advantage, Umalatov has a strong enough wrestling game to keep the action upright, where he is known for a solid jab and fight-ending overhand right.

A previous version of MacDonald has shown the tools necessary to combat Umalatov, particularly if the Russian spends too much time waiting for the perfect opening. However, if the former Bellator champion is unwilling to use his kickboxing, he could be in for another long night. Though he has said all the right things in interviews, one has to wonder how much MacDonald has left in the tank and how much passion he has left for fighting. Umalatov by decision is the pick.

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Delija vs. Ferreira
Goltsov vs. Scheffel
Sy vs. Miranda
The Prelims
Qualifiers