5 Defining Moments: Chris Wade

Already a two-time semifinalist and onetime finalist for the Professional Fighters League, Chris Wade undoubtedly believes the fourth time can be the charm.

The former Ring of Combat champion will take on Brendan Loughnane when their 2022 featherweight semifinal co-headlines PFL 9 this Saturday at Copperbox Arena in London. Wade enters the cage on the strength of back-to-back victories, having compiled a 10-4 record across 14 appearances with the organization. He last fought at PFL 5, where he cut down Kyle Bochniak with a head kick and follow-up punches a mere 70 seconds into their June 24 pairing.

As Wade makes final preparations for his semifinal showdown with Loughnane at 145 pounds, a look at five of the moments that have come to define him:

1. Golden Ticket

Wade put away Pat DeFranco with a rear-naked choke, improved to 6-1 as a pro and captured the Ring of Combat lightweight championship in the second round of their ROC 47 headliner on Jan. 24, 2014 at the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Referee Gasper Oliver called for the stoppage at DeFranco’s request 2:31 into Round 2. After a closely contested first round, Wade stepped up the aggression and went about exploiting his advantages. An accomplished amateur wrestler, he bullied DeFranco to the mat in the second round, methodically progressed toward his back and started his hunt for the choke. Wade eventually snaked his arms in place, applied his squeeze with a palm-to-palm grip and prompted the tapout. He went on to successfully defend the title some four months later, then relinquished it to sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

2. Blade Runner

“The Long Island Killer” dazzled in his promotional debut when he choked Cain Carrizosa unconscious with a guillotine in the first round of their UFC 177 lightweight prelim on Aug. 30, 2014 at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California. The previously unbeaten Carrizosa blacked out 72 seconds into Round 1. Wade executed a head-and-arm throw inside the first 15 seconds and set up shop in side control. From there, he caught Carrizosa in the scramble, slid the arm-in guillotine into position and waited for the Bellator MMA alum go limp. Nearly eight years later, it still stands as the third-fastest finish on Wade’s resume.

3. Immovable Object

Islam Makhachev rebounded from his first professional defeat to claim a unanimous decision over the onetime Ring of Combat titleholder in their entertaining and highly competitive UFC Fight Night 94 lightweight showcase on Sept. 17, 2016 at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Makhachev. The grappling exchanges between the two were something to behold. Makhachev threatened with a triangle choke in the first round, and Wade answered with an attempted guillotine in the second. They covered the rest of the time scrambling and sweeping, though Makhachev slowly seized control of the match. Wade briefly achieved full mount in Round 3, but Makhachev also did his best work across the final five minutes. He, too, advanced to mount before transitioning to the back and securing position with a body triangle. Wade could not shake him and spent the waning moments defending against chokes and punches from the rear.

4. Semi-Sweet Symphony

Wade outscrambled, outgrappled and outhustled onetime NCAA wrestling champion Bubba Jenkins to a unanimous decision in their PFL 9 featherweight tournament semifinal on Aug. 27, 2021 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Scores were 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28, all for the Long Island MMA representative. Jenkins struck for two takedowns early in the first round, then ran into trouble. Wade threatened him with an anaconda choke, transitioned to a guillotine and ultimately moved to the back, where he worked toward a rear-naked choke. The scene repeated itself over and over again across the final 10 minutes. Jenkins initiated grappling exchanges, only to be outmaneuvered by the former Ring of Combat titleholder. Wade opened a cut near his counterpart’s right eye with a hook kick in the third round and shifted to advantageous positions once the action spilled onto the floor.

5. Failed Final

The undefeated Movlid Khaybulaev left the Sunshine State $1 million richer after he laid claim to a clear-cut unanimous decision over Wade in the Professional Fighters League featherweight tournament final on Oct. 27, 2021 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. All three judges struck 50-45 scorecards for Khaybulaev, who called upon suffocating top control and clean counterstriking in the 25-minute shutout. Wade was characteristically stubborn and resilient, but his inability to stave off takedowns and his opponent’s unwavering commitment to mat returns resulted in a mountain that was too steep for the Long Island native to climb. Khaybulaev led the dance like a pro and more often than not forced the exchanges—whether on the feet or on the ground—to unfold under his terms. The victory pushed his record to 19-0-1 with one no contest.