Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer April 20, 2024, 12:48am ET
CloseMMA Columnist on ESPN.com, Analyst for “MMA Live,” Covers MMA for the Las Vegas Sun
CHICAGO — Magomed Umalatov hasn’t played in the PFL playoffs yet, but he’s also undefeated in the PFL Smart Cage.
Umalatov (15-0) dominated former Bellator MMA welterweight champion Andrei Koreshkov (27-4) in the main event of PFL 3 on Friday at Wintrust Arena. Umalatov’s welterweight headliner was scored 29-28 by all three judges.
Umalatov currently has a record of 6-0 with 3 finishes under the PFL banner. He has missed the playoffs in recent years due to visa issues rather than grades. This victory over Koreshkov is the most important of his career. Koreshkov had won five in a row.
With the unanimous decision victory, Umalatov earns three points in the PFL 2024 welterweight rankings. South Africa’s Don Mudge (11-4-1) defeated Brennan Ward by six points to take the No. 1 spot in the welterweight rankings. Murad Ramazanov (12-0) also earned six points with a first-round submission.
In the featherweight division, 2022 PFL Champion Brendan Loughnane (28-5) got off to a strong start with a first-round TKO of Pedro Carvalho. Gabriel Braga (13-1) knocked out Justin Gonzalez with a left hook in the final seconds of the opening round, leaving him tied at six points.
The second round of the 2024 PFL welterweight and featherweight regular season will be held June 28 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
