Preview: PFL 6 2024

Featherweights and welterweights will duke it out for the eight remaining playoff spots when the 2024 Professional Fighters League regular season concludes with PFL 6 this Friday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Brendan Loughnane, the 2022 featherweight champion, looks to punch his ticket back to the playoffs with a win over Justin Gonzales in the main event. Meanwhile, former Bellator MMA welterweight contender Logan Storley needs a bounce-back victory against Luca Poclit in the co-headliner at 170 pounds. Further down the bill, ascending welterweight star Magomed Umalatov puts his undefeated record on the line against Brennan Ward, and 2023 featherweight finalist Gabriel Braga squares off against onetime Brave Combat Federation champion Bubba Jenkins at 145 pounds.

Prelims begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT, with the main card to follow at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN/ESPN+. Now to the PFL 6 preview:

Featherweights

Brendan Loughnane (27-5, 10-2 PFL) vs. Justin Gonzales (14-4, 0-1 PFL)

After winning the featherweight tournament in 2022, Loughnane’s first-round knockout loss to Jesus Pinedo the following seasons was one of the most shocking upsets in PFL history. The Manchester, England, native had won five fights straight up to that point, and no PFL featherweight had shown he could match up with Loughnane’s striking. Losing to Pinedo forced Loughnane to travel to Thailand to sharpen his game, and the results are showing. Loughnane put the division on notice with a first-round TKO over Pedro Carvalho. Despite the stoppage being a bit early, Loughnane dominated Carvalho early and dropped him with a right hand, forcing referee Kevin MacDonald to intervene. Gonzalez comes into the headliner desperate to show signs that he’s still the same fighter he once was. Gonzalez was 14-1 before 2023, but the Top Notch MMA product has lost his last three fights. Mads Burnell and Timur Khizriev outworked him ahead of decision wins, but Gabriel Braga dealt the most significant blow to Gonzalez’s career with a first-round knockout in April. Loughnane is one of the PFL’s biggest stars, and this fight will give him the platform to showcase his powers. Gonzalez is not a severe threat on the ground and will provide Loughnane the striking battle he wants. With the opening in front of him, Loughnane should cruise back into the playoffs with an early knockout.

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Loughnane vs. Gonzalez
Storley vs. Poclit
Umalatov vs. Ward
Braga vs. Jenkins
The Prelims