5 Defining Moments: Sadibou Sy

Sy vs Rosta is OFFICIAL!

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Sadibou Sy once again has history in his sights.

The 38-year-old Swede will set out on the first leg of his latest attempt to become a two-division Professional Fighters League champion when his middleweight quarterfinal with Dalton Rosta buoys PFL 2025 World Tournament 3 on Friday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Sy struck welterweight gold in 2022. He enters his latest test with wins in eight of his past 10 bouts. Sy last suited up on June 21, when he dismissed Andrew Sanchez with punches in the third round of their PFL 5 pairing.

Fighters only get one shot! Watch the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, April 18 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+.

As Sy approaches his showdown with Rosta at 185 pounds, a look at five of the many moments that have come to define him:

1. Not-So-Warm Welcome

Bruno Santos extended a rude greeting to the Professional Fighters League debutant when he outmaneuvered the Swedish kickboxer to a three-round unanimous decision as part of the PFL 3 undercard on July 5, 2018 at the GWU Smith Center in Washington, D.C. All three members of the assigned judiciary scored it 29-28. Sy was his own worst enemy, as inactivity plagued him throughout the 15-minute encounter despite an enormous eight-inch reach advantage. After two uneventful rounds, Santos made his move in the third. There, the Brazilian pressed into the clinch, secured a body lock and completed a trip takedown. Santos passed from half guard to side control, then climbed to full mount in the waning seconds. Though his ground-and-pound was not potent enough to procure a stoppage, his path to victory had been paved.

2. Proof in the Pudding

Sy nailed down a playoff spot with a three-round unanimous decision over former King of the Cage and Bellator MMA champion Rory MacDonald in the PFL 6 co-headliner on July 1, 2022 at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. Scores were 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. A reliance on kicks and his trusted jab, along with significantly improved takedown defense, provided Sy with a way forward. MacDonald tried and failed repeatedly to drag the action to the mat, grew increasingly frustrated with the situation and called upon an ineffective clinch game that drew boos from those in attendance. Sy stayed calm under less-than-ideal circumstances, racked up points when opportunities presented themselves and ultimately put considerable distance between himself and the heavily favored Canadian on the scorecards to put the most significant victory of his career in the books.

3. As Good as Gold

A dedicated, technical approach anchored in body and leg kicks carried Sy to a unanimous decision over Kill Cliff Fight Club export Dilano Taylor, as their five-round welterweight final bolstered the PFL Championships on Nov. 25, 2022 inside The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. All three judges turned in 49-47 scorecards for “The Swedish Denzel,” who pocketed the $1 million prize at 170 pounds. Taylor struggled to manage distance effectively and allowed the Swede to snipe him from the outside for much of the match. Sy paired stance switches with a steady jab from both hands, circled away from danger and excelled at keeping the exchanges at his desired range. Taylor did his best work in the second and fourth rounds, where he crowded the Xtreme Couture product in the clinch and consolidated those efforts with short-range punches and knees. However, he failed to maximize his gains and lost his tenuous grip on momentum, at which point Sy resumed his assault on the legs and body to cruise to the checkered flag.

4. Heel Turn

Sy put his penchant for the spectacular on display when he wiped out Shane Mitchell with a sensational spinning wheel kick in the third round of their PFL 6 co-main event on June 23, 2023 at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. The end came 95 seconds into Round 3. Outside of a multi-punch volley in the first round, Mitchell was ineffective. Sy spent two-plus rounds more or less toying with his prey, as he piled up points with a sneaky jab and brutal kicks to the body and legs. Early in Round 3, he cut loose with the wheel kick, his heel striking Mitchell directly on the jaw. His circuits scrambled, the Aussie collapsed to the canvas and covered up to avoid any further punishment. By that time, a celebratory Sy had already turned his back and raised his arms in triumph, having secured another berth in the PFL playoffs.

5. No Repeat

Magomed Magomedkerimov ended the Swedish kickboxer’s bid for a second straight championship when he dispatched Sy with a guillotine choke in the third round of their PFL 10 welterweight final on Nov. 24, 2023 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. Magomedkerimov drew the curtain 1:17 into Round 3. The outcome was still up in the air when they entered the middle stanza. Sy stayed active with his kicks and did what he could maximize his advantage in length. Magomedkerimov connected with a sharp straight right to the body, rushed in and caught his counterpart ducking. Before Sy could respond, the Russian bit down a guillotine, jumped guard and ratcheted up the pressure with his hips. There was no escape. Sy did all he could to free himself but had no choice but to tap. It was his first submission loss in nearly a decade.