PFL World Tournament 5 Semifinals: Bracket Preview & Predictions
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The Professional Fighters League (PFL) kicks off its World Tournament Semifinals on Thursday, June 12, from Nashville, Tennessee. Featherweights and welterweights will go to war at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, as eight fighters move one step closer to $500,000 and a shot at the World Championship.
Headlining the first round of semifinal action is a bout being billed as the “Clash of the Caribbeans,” featuring dangerous welterweights Jason Jackson and Thad Jean.
In addition to the main event, the welterweight bracket includes a pivotal matchup between Logan Storley and Masayuki Kikuiri. The winner will advance to face whoever emerges from the headliner. Over in the featherweight division, the bracket opens with a bout between Movlid Khaybulaev and Tae Kyun Kim. The winner of that fight will move on to face either Jesus Pinedo or Gabriel Braga, who meet in a co-main event trilogy fight with the series currently tied 1-1.
Before the tournament bouts begin, the card is stacked with showcase and alternate matchups featuring both veterans and rising prospects. At 145 pounds, veterans Jeremy Kennedy and Adam Borics will meet in a backup fight as both look to rebound from opening round losses. At welterweight, Joseph Luciano will try to bounce back from a first-round defeat, taking on promotional newcomer Sarek Shields in another alternate bout. Also featured is Thad Jean’s teammate and training partner, Kendly St. Louis, who looks to extend his unbeaten PFL run after starting 2-0 in the promotion.
PFL matchmakers delivered a lineup full of high-stakes fights and must-watch talent. With playoff implications and fighters eager to seize the spotlight, the first round of the semifinals promises excitement. Here’s your go-to guide for fight night, including a preview of the tournament matchups and full card predictions:
Full Fight Card
Main Card – Tournament Bouts (ESPN)
- Welterweight Tournament Bout: Jason Jackson (19-5) vs. Thad Jean (9-0)
- Featherweight Tournament Bout: Jesus Pinedo (24-6-1) vs. Gabriel Braga (16-2)
- Welterweight Tournament Bout: Logan Storley (17-3) vs. Masayuki Kikuiri (11-2-1)
- Featherweight Tournament Bout: Movlid Khaybulaev (22-0-1) vs. Tae Kyun Kim (11-1)
Prelims (ESPN)
- Featherweight Bout: Jeremy Kennedy (19-6) vs. Adam Borics (19-3)
- Welterweight Bout: Magomed Umalatov (17-1) vs. Anthony Ivy (15-7)
- Welterweight Bout: Joseph Luciano (10-3) vs. Sarek Shields (6-2)
- Welterweight Bout: Mukhamed Berkhamov (17-3) vs. Kendly St. Louis (10-4)
- Featherweight Bout: Alexei Pergande (5-0) vs. Mike Bardsley (5-1)
- Bantamweight Bout: Jason Danner (2-0) vs. Nathan Gilmore (4-5)
PFL Semifinals Preview & Predictions
Welterweight Tournament Bout: Jason Jackson vs. Thad Jean
The Clash of the Caribbean: This is Haiti vs. Jamaica. But, this is also a battle of Florida, where both fighters call home. These are two of the best welterweights in PFL and the world. The hype has been building for this fight as the PFL has taken these two men together on a press tour since the opening round of the tournament, and justifiably so.
This fight is an interesting clash of styles between two large 170-pound men. Jackson is the more experienced fighter and goes by “The Ass Kicking Machine”. In 19 wins, he has 10 finishes and fought the who’s who from Colby Covington to Douglas Lima, to when he won the Bellator title against Yaroslav Amosov. He is 6’1 and has a long reach, which he utilizes well. In this 3 round bout, he will be Thad Jean’s toughest test to date.
For Thad Jean, aka “The Silverback”, he brings an undefeated record into this bout. When he stepped in on short notice in the first round of the tournament, he took advantage of the opportunity with an impressive knockout over Mukhamed Berkhamov. Now Jean faces his toughest test to date, but sports a one-inch height advantage. Jean is technically sound and well-rounded across all areas of MMA. This could be his breakout.
The difference in this fight will be the use of the jab and the body kick. Whoever can control the range will win the fight. Jean has options everywhere, and that may be the difference in what will be a war. Also, don’t be surprised if the crowd is skewed toward the Silverback, as his fans travel very well.
Prediction: Jean via KO/TKO in Round 2
Featherweight Tournament Bout: Jesus Pinedo VS. Gabriel Braga
A rematch that could only wait one season has brought together a reunion of Jesus Pinedo and Gabriel Braga. In the 2023 season, they met twice, first in the opening round of the Regular Season of the previous PFL format. Their first match was a fight of the year contender and a tight split decision; Gabriel Braga won. Pinedo went on to win 2 fights in a row by finish to make it back to the title fight. In that, Pinedo found a third-round finish in another amazing fight. Now, two years later, we’re running it back.
Pinedo is a former UFC fighter with a record of 24-6-1 and is a certified brawler. He comes in with 15 KOs and is always in fun fights. In the first round of the tournament, Pinedo had a quick fight with Adam Borics, where he found the KO in the first round. His prior fight was his title-winning KO over Braga. It only makes sense that this is the fight to bring “El Mudo” back to the title race.
Standing opposite the Peruvian is a Brazilian prospect, Gabriel Braga. He enters this fight at 16-2. At the age of 27, he has shown improvement in just about every fight. He is a strong striker who has grappling in his back pocket. Having come extremely close to winning the PFL title both of the last two seasons, it may be time for him to break through.
The key in this fight will be for Braga to stay ahead of Pinedo in the striking by throwing first. Additionally, if Braga mixes in some takedowns, that could help edge out rounds. Pinedo is always dangerous in the striking and is hard to take and keep down. This is an action-packed fight that is probably going to be just as fun as the last two.
Prediction: Gabriel Braga via Unanimous Decision
Welterweight Tournament Bout: Logan Storley vs. Masayuki Kikuiri
Back to Welterweight, Logan Storley continues his “Storm” as he has 2 consecutive wins since joining the PFL from Bellator, where he was a one-time champion. He enters this fight on the “A-Side” but faces tough opposition in Masayuki Kikuiri. Coming from Japan, Kikuiri is a knockout artist with 2 Bellator wins under his belt.
Storley is a 4-time NCAA Division I All-American from the University of Minnesota. This wrestling base is the crux of his game plan. Once he gets you to the ground, he attacks with vicious ground and pound. At 32, he has a lot of fight experience, and that has recently started to show. Despite this, he has managed to power through and impose his will. With a very high level of competition, he is a tough task for any Welterweight.
This Thursday’s competition for Storley is Japan’s Kikuiri, a vicious striker with 8 knockouts. He enters this fight with two massive KO victories in Bellator and then made a statement versus Giannis Bachar this past April. This will be his stiffest opposition yet, and he knows the game plan. The question is, can he stop it? The takedown has been his weakness historically, which makes this fight even more intriguing.
For this matchup, it is simply a striker versus a grappler. In this one, it’s whether the D-1 wrestler can avoid the hands of the big Japanese fighter. The longer this fight goes, the more it likely this goes in the favor of the American.
Prediction: Logan Storley via Unanimous Decision
Featherweight Tournament Bout: Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Tae Kyun Kim
In the opening fight of the main card, the Featherweight division is graced with Movlid Khaybulaev and Tae Kyun Kim. Both are accomplished grapplers and can strike as well. Between the two of them, this fight will be extremely tightly contested wherever it goes. With each fighter stepping into their primes, this will be a fun fight to determine one half of the Featherweight title fight.
For Khaybulaev, he recently had a close decision win over Jeremy Kennedy, but it was another strong performance for a man who is undefeated in the PFL thus far at 8-0-1. Despite the strong record in the PFL, he has only won the PFL tournament once in 2021. For him to win this fight, he’ll have to continue to blend his game to get the fight to the ground.
The South Korean fighter who goes by the nickname “Ares” will be facing his toughest opposition to date. After a successful run in Brave FC, he will look to continue his hot start in PFL after a first-round submission to open the tournament. With back-to-back first-round finishes, Kim will look to continue the hot run on his way to a title shot.
In this matchup, expect the Russian’s experience to pay off. Having fought across multiple PFL seasons and having more than 10 professional fights than his Korean opponent. Expect him to stay one step ahead. Despite that, Kim is a very worthy adversary and will not go down easily.
Prediction: Movlid Khaybulaev via Unanimous Decision
Quick Pick Predictions:
- Thad Jean via KO/TKO
- Gabriel Braga via Unanimous Decision
- Logan Storley via KO/TKO
- Movlid Khaybulaev via Unanimous Decision
- Jeremy Kennedy via Unanimous Decision
- Magomed Umalatov via KO/TKO
- Joseph Luciano via Submission
- Kendly St. Louis via Unanimous Decision
- Alexei Pergande via Unanimous Decision
- Jason Danner via KO/TKO
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