Latest news with #Khaybulaev
USA Today
02-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 PFL World Tournament 8 results: Movlid Khaybulaev dominates Jesus Pinedo, wins tournament
Movlid Khaybulaev is the 2025 PFL featherweight tournament winner – and the final wasn't really competitive. Over the course of four – almost five – full rounds, Khaybulaev (24-0-1) dominated Jesus Pinedo (25-7-1). At 1:17 of Round 5, Khaybulaev locked in an arm-triangle submission and took the judges out of the equation. The fight served as the 2025 PFL World Tournament 8 co-main event at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.. Khaybulaev looked strong from the opening round, but nearly finished Pinedo with a vicious onslaught of attack in Round 2. Somehow, someway, Pinedo did just enough to survive and keep referee Vitor Ribeiro at bay. Pinedo was bloody and swollen as he went back to the stool, but Khaybulaev looked a bit gassed. In the opening seconds of Round 3, Pinedo dropped Khaybulaev with a punch but was promptly taken down thereafter. Khaybulaev's wrestling became his most-effective weapon from that point in the fight. He relentlessly smothered Pinedo as he sought submissions. Eventually, he found one – and a $500,000 tournament winner check with it. Khaybulaev, 34, adds the 2025 tournament win to a trophy case that already includes a 2021 PFL championship. Khabib Nurmagomedov was on hand in the corner, as he coached his longtime teammate. Pinedo, 29, loses for the first time since April 2023 and only the second time since March 2019. The Peruvian fighter was on a five-fight winning streak when he entered Saturday's fight. Up-to-the-minute 2025 PFL 8 results include:
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jesus Pinedo motivated to take Movlid Khaybulaev's undefeated record in PFL final
A championship belt and $500,000 should be more than enough for Jesus Pinedo to want to get his hand raised on Friday night. However, there is another factor that has the Peruvian psyched for his return to the PFL smart cage. Pinedo (25-6-1) takes on Movlid Khaybulaev in the co-main event of the 2025 PFL World Tournament 8: Finals, which goes down at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This bout serves as the final of the 2025 PFL featherweight tournament. Both Pinedo and Khaybulaev have won the tournament in previous years, but one thing separates Khaybulaev from Pinedo – an undefeated record. Pinedo is eager to level that statistic and become the first to beat Khaybulaev in MMA. "Of course, that's what motivates me," Pinedo told MMA Junkie Radio in Spanish when asked about Khaybulaev's undefeated status. "I'm excited to fight with a rival of his caliber. We knew that he was the guy to beat at the beginning of the tournament, so I've been preparing very hard to fight him. I'm completely ready, and I will be the first guy to give him that first defeat." Pinedo, who logged first-round finishes over Adam Borics and Gabriel Braga to get to the final, hopes his fight against Khaybulaev draws out a little longer than his recent bouts. He wants his fight with Khaybulaev to go long, so he can prove to the world that he's superior to Khaybulaev and leave no doubt who's the better fighter. "I would love for the fight to go long, and that is not a fight that ends quick like the ones I've been having," Pinedo explained. "Normally, I go to finish the fight in the first round, since the very first second, but if the fight goes long, that's good for me. That way I can show my work even more both technically and physically. I want to be abke to show people what I'm made of." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Jesus Pinedo motivated to take Movlid Khaybulaev's undefeated record
USA Today
29-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jesus Pinedo motivated to take Movlid Khaybulaev's undefeated record in PFL final
Jesus Pinedo promises to be the first to hand Movlid Khaybulaev a loss in MMA. A championship belt and $500,000 should be more than enough for Jesus Pinedo to want to get his hand raised on Friday night. However, there is another factor that has the Peruvian psyched for his return to the PFL smart cage. Pinedo (25-6-1) takes on Movlid Khaybulaev in the co-main event of the 2025 PFL World Tournament 8: Finals, which goes down at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This bout serves as the final of the 2025 PFL featherweight tournament. Both Pinedo and Khaybulaev have won the tournament in previous years, but one thing separates Khaybulaev from Pinedo – an undefeated record. Pinedo is eager to level that statistic and become the first to beat Khaybulaev in MMA. "Of course, that's what motivates me," Pinedo told MMA Junkie Radio in Spanish when asked about Khaybulaev's undefeated status. "I'm excited to fight with a rival of his caliber. We knew that he was the guy to beat at the beginning of the tournament, so I've been preparing very hard to fight him. I'm completely ready, and I will be the first guy to give him that first defeat." Pinedo, who logged first-round finishes over Adam Borics and Gabriel Braga to get to the final, hopes his fight against Khaybulaev draws out a little longer than his recent bouts. He wants his fight with Khaybulaev to go long, so he can prove to the world that he's superior to Khaybulaev and leave no doubt who's the better fighter. "I would love for the fight to go long, and that is not a fight that ends quick like the ones I've been having," Pinedo explained. "Normally, I go to finish the fight in the first round, since the very first second, but if the fight goes long, that's good for me. That way I can show my work even more both technically and physically. I want to be abke to show people what I'm made of."
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jesus Pinedo questions Movlid Khaybulaev's cardio ahead of PFL final, predicts stoppage
Jesus Pinedo previews his 2025 PFL featherweight final against Movlid Khaybulaev. Jesus Pinedo finds himself in another PFL tournament final, and just like the one before, he sees himself getting the job done without the judges' help. Pinedo (25-6-1), the 2023 PFL featherweight champion, punched his ticket to this year's final by stopping Gabriel Braga in vicious fashion last week in their co-main event, semifinal bout at 2025 PFL World Tournament 5. This sets him up to fight against fellow PFL standout and champion Movlid Khaybulaev later this year for the $500,000 prize and the 2025 title. Pinedo saw this coming from the moment the tournament got started. "Of course, when I started the tournament, I knew that the final was going to be against him," Pinedo told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "You never know what can happen, obviously, but I was almost certain it would happen, and I imagine he did too. "Every time that we crossed paths, with respect, we would always say hi and shake hands and there's always that energy, that look in the eyes between us. That was since the first day of the tournament. We knew this was going to happen. I think this is a final that should've gone down in 2023, I expected us to fight that year, but it's now happening in 2025." Pinedo and Khaybulaev could've met in PFL's 2023 tournament, which Pinedo won, but Khaybulaev had to withdraw from the tournament due to injury. Khaybulaev has been on Pinedo's radar for many years, and has him well analyzed at this point in time. The Peruvian star sees Khaybulaev, as a strong, well-rounded fighter. However, he does question his gas tank and believes he'll be able to finish the Dagestani fighter due to that specific reason. "I think his style works well for me," Pinedo explained. "I'm used to wrestling in my academy with my coach Ivan, our foundation is basically wrestling. I'm ready, and I have the cardio to wrestle. I think his weakness is his form, he starts falling behind. I've seen in his last few fights that he starts losing steam, he starts slowing down as the fight goes on. It's going to be a tough fight for him. I'm going to come out like I always do, pressuring. If I connect early and put him away, great, but if not, I think i can still get him out of there in the third or fourth round with good pressure."
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
PFL welterweight, featherweight semifinal predictions: Our most unanimous picks to date
PFL welterweight, featherweight semifinal predictions: Our most unanimous picks to date The PFL semifinals start this week with welterweights and featherweights looking for a trip to the finals. 2025 PFL World Tournament 5 (ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Thursday at Nashville Municipal Auditorium Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below. Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Tae Kyun Kim Records: Khaybulaev (22-0-1) , Kim (11-1) Khaybulaev (22-0-1) , Kim (11-1) Division: Featherweight Featherweight Rankings: None None Odds (as of 06.12.25): Khaybulaev -225, Kim +185 Khaybulaev -225, Kim +185 Junkie pick results: Khaybulaev 11, Kim 0 Masayuki Kikuiri vs. Logan Storley Records: Kikuiri (11-2-1), Storley (17-3) Kikuiri (11-2-1), Storley (17-3) Division: Welterweight Welterweight Rankings: None None Odds (as of 06.12.25): Kikuiri +575, Storley -850 Kikuiri +575, Storley -850 Junkie pick results: Storley 11, Kikuiri 0 Gabriel Braga vs. Jesus Pinedo Records: Braga (16-2), Pinedo (24-6-1) Braga (16-2), Pinedo (24-6-1) Division: Featherweight Featherweight Rankings: Pinedo honorable mention Pinedo honorable mention Odds (as of 06.12.25): Braga +215, Pinedo -265 Braga +215, Pinedo -265 Junkie pick results: Pinedo 10, Braga 1 Jason Jackson vs. Thad Jean
