First 2022 PFL Playoff Event to Feature Lightweights, Light Heavyweights in NYC

The Light Heavyweight Semifinals matchups are OFFICIAL! #PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/lYUzvD3Et6

— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 18, 2022

Even while its regular season is still rolling, the Professional Fighters League is gearing up for its playoffs in August.

Via press release, the PFL made official its first fight card of the playoff season, titled PFL 7: 2022 Playoffs. It will go down on Aug. 5 at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York, and lightweights and light heavyweights will be the featured weight classes on the fight card. Three of four at 155 pounds, and all four competitors in the light heavyweight bracket, have all been established, and the matchups for the latter have already been put together.

PFL CEO Peter Murray weighed in on this first event with a statement, writing, “The PFL is excited to bring our first 2022 PFL Playoff event to New York City at the Hulu Theater on Aug. 5. We look forward to an incredible live experience as the PFL’s world-class athletes continue their pursuit of a PFL Championship and the $1 million prize.”

The organization uses a seed system for its playoffs, where the no. 1 seed will take on the fourth-ranked seed, while the two and three seeds square off. The winners of those matches advance the finals, which will take place at an unconfirmed date rumored to be Nov. 25 at an unannounced location. While this first show will go on in New York City, the PFL will take to Wales and London for the next two playoff cards.

Representing the lightweight bracket thus far in the playoffs include current top seed Anthony Pettis, Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Alex Martinez. Pettis qualified for this based on a first-round submission win over Myles Price at PFL 3, while the others each pocketed a pair of decision victories to match Pettis’ six points. The remaining qualifier will be decided at PFL 5 on Friday, as Pettis squares off with Steven Ray. Should Pettis prevail, Raush Manfio will reach the playoffs; if Ray pulls off the win, it will depend on his method of victory if he makes it in.

At 205 pounds, the two semifinals are already on the books. Top-seeded Rob Wilkinson will toe the line with Delan Monte, while Omari Akhmedov tangles with 2021 champ Antonio Carlos Jr. Wilkinson and Akhmedov each scored a pair of finishes this season to conclude their regular season runs with 11 points, and Wilkinson’s quicker stoppages served as the tiebreaker. Carlos Jr. pulled off a first-round submission in his first match, and settled for a decision in his second to get nine points and the three seed. Monte pulled off an upset by knocking out Emiliano Sordi in the first round of PFL 4, and that six-point drubbing resulted in him reaching the $1 million bracket.