In his fourth season of PFL action, Brendan Loughnane looks to become one of a handful of fighters who have gone on to become two-time PFL world champions. After coming up short in the 2021 semifinals, Loughnane went on to go through Ryoji Kudo, Ago Huskic, Chris Wade and Bubba Jenkins to capture the PFL Featherweight Championship in 2022. Loughnane started his 2023 off strong with a finish of Marlon Moraes, but he missed the playoffs after suffering a knockout loss to eventual champion Jesus Pinedo in one of MMA’s greatest upsets.

 

Fighting out of the renowned SBG Ireland gym, Pedro Carvalho started his MMA career 6-3 on the regional scene, winning a regional featherweight title, before signing with Bellator in 2018. Carvalho won four straight to kick off his Bellator run before challenging Patricio Pitbull for the Bellator Featherweight Championship, losing via first-round knockout at Bellator 252. Since then, it’s been a bit of a rough patch for Carvalho, a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, winning just two of his last seven.

 

Which known name at 145 pounds will get the all important initial points on the board in the co-main event here in Chicago?

 

 

Round 1

 

Low kick from Carvalho. Loughnane with a low kick. Carvalho shows the kicks, mixing a low kick and a high one. Carvalho with a low kick. Loughnane catches a kick and lands a strong right hand that briefly stumbles Carvalho. Carvalho with some dirty boxing. Loughnane lands another right hand that drops Carvalho! Carvalho tries to throw up his guard, but Loughnane avoids it. Loughnane fires off some more shots. Loughnane nearly throws a knee to the grounded Carvalho but thinks better of it. Loughnane lands another punch and the referee steps in! Carvalho immediately protests, but that result is going to stand.

 

 

Brendan Loughnane with a big first-round finish!

 

 

OFFICIAL RESULT

 

Brendan Loughnane defeats Pedro Carvalho by 1st Round TKO (1:26) in a featherweight regular season bout