PFL 6 2024 Regular Season: Sanford Pentagon; Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Who said things were supposed to be easy? This time around it’s not an easy path to a title for Brendan Loughnane. The 34-year old Englishman took the PFL featherweight strap back in 2022. Already having clinched a playoff spot, he snagged the number one seed thanks in part to a doctor stoppage.
He came out chasing Justin Gonzales pawing out rights and kicks, and controlling the distance. Respecting the heavy wrestling attack that Gonzales has he slowed his pace, becoming very patient. In close Gonzales managed to cut open Loughnane near his left eye in close.
Gonzales came out aggressively in the second-frame with Loughnane countering. Loughnane then started to switch up stances. With the action starting to be more in tight Gonzales went to duck to set up what would have been a takedown attempt. However, at the same time Loughnane threw up a vicious right knee. Hitting the target perfectly it busted Gonzales wide open on the forehead. Up until that landed it was a pretty uneventful fight overall.
Referee JASON HERZOG called time out when he saw how bad the cut was, asking for the doctor to come check it out. Yes it wasn’t badly placed, and in that sense you can understand the frustration Gonzales had when the fight was called at the 3:34 mark. What it was, was deep and long. The TKO stoppage is the 16th in Loughnane’s career and is the fifth he’s had in the PFL. Which is the company’s 145 record.
Not An Easy Path Moving Forward
Loughnane is an accurate striker, especially at distance. And when using his feints. His wrestling defense isn’t all that bad. But in this playoff battle is Kai Kamaka III. Now the 29-year old Hawaiian may not have one punch power, but he does get dragged into slugfests.
It’s a battle that at The Anthem in Washington DC will no doubt take place center cage. Should Loughnane, who’ll be favored pick up his third win in a row, he will face a tough well rounded fighter in the finals. The other bracket that night is: Gabriel Braga and the undefeated Timur Khizriev. Both can throw hands also, but they are holy terrors on the mat, despite an inordinate amount of fights going to the scorecards.
Loughane from here on out will have a reach advantage. Where he needs to step up is cutting the cage off more rather than chasing. And he’ll need to step up his clinch game as well.
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