Most Higher-Seeded Semifinalists Pegged To Win As PFL Wraps Up Playoffs

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) lands in London, England this Saturday, August 20 for the final stop of its historic tour of the United Kingdom, featuring semifinal bouts in the women's lightweight and featherweight divisions.

Headlining PFL Playoffs 3 will be a women's lightweight semifinal matchup between undefeated sensation Kayla Harrison of the United States and Martina Jindrova of the Czech Republic.

Perhaps one of the most dominant women's mixed martial artists in the game today, Harrison is on track for a historic PFL championship three-peat, something that has never been done in the promotion before.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist owns a perfect 14-0 professional record, which includes six wins by knockout and five via submission.

This season, Harrison locked up the division's No. 2 seed with victories over Marina Mokhnatkina and Kaitlin Young.

A multiple-time champion in kickboxing and Muay Thai, Jindrova earned her spot in PFL after a standout performance in the organization's newly-established Challenger Series.

During the 2022 PFL regular season, Jinrdova defeated Vanessa Melo and Zamzagul Fayzallanova to finish at No. 3.

Prediction: While Jindrova certainly has the striking pedigree to compete in the upper echelon of PFL's women's 155-pound weight class, Harrison is still the most dominant fighter in the league.

While it's true that Jindrova can pull off a gigantic upset, it's more likely that Harrison takes the fight to the ground and picks up a win by TKO or submission.

Winner: Kayla Harrison

In the co-main event, featherweight semifinalists collide as Chris Wade of the United States meets London's very own Brendan Loughnane in a showdown charged with some bad blood.

The runner-up in last season's featherweight tournament, Wade competes in his fourth-straight postseason, with the hopes of finally going all the way to a title and the million-dollar purse.

Wade turned in a solid campaign this season, clinching the division's top seed with victories over two-time champion Lance Palmer and Kyle Bochniack.

Meanwhile, Loughnane will have the support of a hometown crowd on Saturday night.

The London native reached the semifinals for the second straight season, coming in at No. 4 with triumphs over Ryoji Kudo and Ago Huskic.

Prediction: Wade and Loughnane have been going back and forth on social media even before the two knew that they would be facing each other in the semifinals.

Now, the two featherweight contenders get to settle the score inside the PFL cage.

While Loughnane may have the crowd behind him, Wade has been on a different gear this season and should have all the tools necessary to pull out a win in enemy territory.

Winner: Chris Wade

The other women's lightweight semifinal showdown features Brazilian knockout artist Larissa Pacheco, taking on Ukraine's Olena Kolesnyk.

If not for Harrison, Pacheco likely would have captured a title or two in her PFL run.

Five of Pacheco's six wins inside under the outfit's banner have come by stoppage, which includes her two elimination-round outings this season.

Pacheco scored first-round knockout wins over Zamzagul Fayzallanova and Genah Fabian to clinch another top spot in the Final Four.

After a winless 2021 PFL campaign. Kolesnyk bounced back in a big way this year, picking up decision wins over Abigail Montes and Vanessa Melo to finish the regular season at No. 4.

Prediction: Kolesnyk's 2022 campaign has indeed been impressive, but on Saturday night, she runs into the league's second-most dominant female lightweight in Pacheco.

This likely ends in another highlight-reel stoppage from the Brazilian.

Winner: Larissa Pacheco

In the other featherweight semifinals bout, Japan's Ryoji Kudo locks horns with former BRAVE CF titleholder Bubba Jenkins of the United States.

Competing in his maiden PFL season, Kudo faced some early adversity and dropped his promotional debut, but he managed to get on the right track with an impressive first-round knockout victory over Alejandro Flores to secure the No. 2 spot in the division.

After missing out on the finals last year, Jenkins returns to the postseason at No. 3 after claiming wins over Kyle Bochniack and Reynaldo Ekson.

Prediction: This fight between Kudo and Jenkins could be the dark horse for Fight of the Night honors.

The two featherweights are well matched, and fans could very well see an instant classic.

At the end of the day, experience is on Jenkins' side, which could spell the difference.

Winner: Bubba Jenkins