Hometown hero Clay Collard gears up for the opportunity to clinch a third PFL postseason appearance. After making it to the semifinals in 2021, Collard missed out on the playoffs in 2022. The two-sport star, who has boxed and wrestled since youth, defeated Yamato Nishikawa, Stevie Ray and Shane Burgos en route to his first PFL title shot last year, but he ultimately fell short to Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Collard got his 2024 off to a hot start in April, scoring a second-round finish of legendary former Bellator champion Patricky Pitbull.

 

Like Collard, Mads Burnell also took up boxing and wrestling as a youth, and he went on to become a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. The Xtreme Couture product, known for four wins via the rare Japanese necktie submission, won featherweight gold on the European regional scene before heading over to Bellator, where he went 5-2. Burnell made his PFL debut in April, getting submitted by Michael Dufort.

 

Collard wraps up a playoff spot with any kind of victory; meanwhile, Burnell must secure a finish to make the playoffs.

 

 

Round 1

 

Collard starts with a jab to the body and a low kick. Collard working the body with volume. Burnell with a couple of jabs. Collard with a jab. Front kick from Burnell. Collard works the jab and goes to the body. Burnell with a left hand. Burnell lands a right hand. Front kcik from Collard is blocked. Burnell chasing Collard down. Spinning back kick is missed for Collard. Burnell clinches up and grabs a hold of Collard’s leg, scoring a takedown. Collard gets back to his feet, but Burnell lands several knees to the head. Collard gets out of the clinch and rips to the body. Three-punch combination by Collard. Knee by Collard. Burnell with a straight right. One-two from Collard. The two exchanging strikes to the head. Collard working combinations.

 

Collard with a right uppercut. Low kick by Collard. One-two by Collard. Collard with a body shot. Collard continues targeting the body, already having thrown 100 strikes at this point. Burnell lands a right. Burnell shoots in and scores a takedown. Collard gets back to his feet, despite Burnell’s three-quarter nelson attempts. Low kick by Collard. Burnell shoots in and scores another takedown. Burnell gets to Collard’s back, but Collard gets back to his feet again. Collard tries to roll through, and he’s got a kimura grip, but the time expires.

 

 

Round 2

 

Collard opens by going to the low calf kick and working the jab. Burnell lands a front kick. Combination from Collard. Right hand by Burnell. Burnell with another front kick. Burnell lands a combination, and he takes Collard down again. Burnell trying to stack Collard against the fence. Collard gets an arm around Burnell, and Collard gets back to the feet. Burnell lands a knee. Collard goes back to attacking the body. Front kick from Collard. Collard misses the spinning backfist and goes for a knee.

 

Left hand for Collard. Collard misses another spin attack, and Burnell lands a right. Burnell scores another takedown. Burnell chasing after the back. Collard gets to his feet, but not before Burnell gets a body lock around Collard, cradling. The referee calls for action, and Burnell is off the back. Collard lands a couple of stomps as the two clinch against the fence. Burnell has an underhook and looks for another takedown, but he can’t get it before the bell.

 

 

Round 3

 

Collard working the jab to start the round. One-two from Collard. Another one-two from Collard, followed by a low kick. A couple of low kicks from Burnell. Low kick from Collard. Collard focuses on the body, but Burnell lands a right hand to the head. Collard fires off a couple of combinations. Another combination from Collard, but Burnell does sneak in a right hand. The two exchanging in the center of the SmartCage. One-two from Collard. Right hand by Collard. Right hand by Burnell. Burnell shoots in for a takedown. Collard tries to roll through with momentum, but Burnell prevents that.

 

Collard looking to grab a hold of the leg.Burnell in side control. Burnell trying to pass into full mount. Burnell gets to Collard’s back but Collard gets back to his feet. Collard tries to roll through, but it just ends with Burnell on top. Burnell hunting for an arm-triangle choke. Collard’s arms are trapped and he has to re-free them. Burnell with a right hand. Collard on his side, but Burnell works him over with the right hand.

 

 

OFFICIAL RESULT

 

Mads Burnell defeats Clay Collard by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) in the Lightweight Division.

  • Burnell is eliminated from playoff contention
  • Collard clinched the final playoff berth in the Lightweight Division

 

2024 LIGHTWEIGHT SEMIFINALS

#1 Brent Primus vs. #4 Clay Collard

#2 Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. #3 Michael Dufort