Preview: PFL 2025 World Tournament 3

Lightweight Quarterfinal

Vinicius Sacchelli Cenci (10-2, 0-0 PFL) vs. Brent Primus (15-4, 3-1 PFL): Cenci enters his PFL debut with a Brazilian-heavy resume and nine finishes on his ledger. He’s not a big name, but his submission game makes him a potential dark horse in the tournament. At 6-foot-1, the 29-year-old is a tall, lanky, strong lightweight who hopes to make the most of his opportunity to replace Bellator standout Alexander Shabliy in the tournament. Primus, the former Bellator champion, is one of the scariest 40-year-olds on the planet. Primus advanced to the 2024 final after beating Bruno Miranda, Solomon Renfo, and Clay Collard, only to fall short to Gadzhi Rabadanov. Despite Primus’ setback, the Portland, Oregon, native still has the goods to make another deep run in the lightweight bracket.

Middleweight Quarterfinal

Mike Shipman (17-4, 0-0 PFL) vs. Joshua Silveira (13-4, 6-4 PFL): Shipman is a heavy-handed Englishman with 15 wins by stoppage. In his last appearance, he stopped Eslam Abdul Baset Syaha in two rounds to secure his third straight win. Silveira, an American Top Team product, has lost three of his last four fights but is a dangerous threat every time he steps into the SmartCage. He’s a well-rounded talent who should be able to neutralize Shipman’s power and force him to wrestle.

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

Lightweight Quarterfinal

Clay Collard (25-14, 7-6 PFL) vs. Alfie Davis (17-5-1, 0-1 PFL): After losing four of his last five fights, Collard could use a statement-defining win in the quarterfinals. Known for his slick boxing, Collard has some of the sharpest standup in the PFL but has yet to break through to the upper echelon of the division. Davis is a solid lightweight with valuable experience from his time in Bellator. He was riding a three-fight winning streak before his loss to Mansour Barnaoui in November. Both men have had their share of highs and lows in the cage, and they should be confident coming into this fight. They have both faced fighters better than one another, and this fight could be one of the most even of the night.

Middleweight Quarterfinal

Aaron Jeffery (15-5, 0-0 PFL) vs. Murad Ramazanov (12-2, 1-2 PFL): With wins over Andre Petroski, Dalton Rosta and Douglas Lima, Jeffery has proven to be a battle-tested middleweight who can compete with elite opposition. He’s known to crack but must hold off the skilled Russian’s wrestling. Ramazanov was on the rise and considered a favorite last season before falling to eventual champion Shamil Musaev in back-to-back bouts. With some fine tuning, he could again be one of the most formidable competitors in the field.

Middleweights

Khalid Murtazaliev (13-3, 0-0 PFL) vs. Nick Maximov (11-2, 0-0 PFL): A Dagestan slugger, Murtazaliev is known for his highlight reel-worthy knockouts but hasn’t fought in over two years. Maximov enters on a three-fight winning streak and most recently picked up a decision win in February. The Chico, California, native prefers to take the fight to the ground, where he can sink in his rear-naked choke.

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Kasanganay vs. Edwards
Rosta vs. Sy
Rabadanov vs. Diakiese
Wilson vs. Burnell
The Prelims