Stay up to date with what’s happening today with the second PFL event of their 2023 regular season, which is blasting off from The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada.
PFL’s heavyweight and women’s featherweight tournament tilts will be happening on this card, including an interesting main event between the heavy handed Larissa Pacheco, and Bellator’s former 145-pound champion, Julia Budd.
The last time we saw Pacheco in the cage, she was using her punching power to win PFL’s 155-pound tourney with a decision over the two-time women’s lightweight champion, Kayla Harrison. Larissa also bagged a cool million dollar payday in what was actually considered to be one of the bigger upsets of the 2022 year. Now she is getting the opportunity to defeat a Bellator champ, as well as advance herself in the tournament and closer to another massive payout.
Julia Budd has been around for a hot minute. Her second MMA fight ever was against Amanda Nunes at Strikeforce Challengers 13 in 2011, and then her third professional fight was against Ronda Rousey at Strikeforce Challengers 20 in the same year. On top of once holding a world title, Budd even departed from the Viacom brand of MMA on a win. She came up victorious in her PFL debut in 2021, but then suffered back-to-back defeats to get where she is today.
The preliminary bouts begin at 6:30pm ET, and can be streamed on ESPN+. The main card is slated for 10:00pm ET, and can be seen on ESPN or ESPN+.
PFL 2: Regular Season 2023 Lineup
Main card
Larissa Pacheco def. Julia Budd by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28): (W) Featherweight
Pacheco began stalking Budd right away. The right hands of Pacheco were getting through, and although Budd was moving, she did not look comfortable. Budd found a way to get the fight down to the ground, and had to fight off a few sub attempts, but did end the round on top.
The pressure on the feet continued for Pacheco in the second round, but after a stinging straight from Budd, Larissa started to grapple. Budd used a Thai clinch to get away, and went back to being cautious of the heavy leather of her opponent. Budd then landed a few punches before shooting a takedown, but it was Pacheco who landed on top.
Pacheco clipped Budd with some heavy hands early in the third round, and then elected to clinch up. She worked for a takedown and took the back, but lost position when she rolled for an armbar. Budd landed a couple of hammerfists, but Pacheco hit a sweep to get back on top. The round closed out with some gorgeous ground and pound from Pacheco, while Budd threw some less effective strikes from her back.
Bruno Cappelozza def. Matheus Scheffel by TKO at 2:15 of round 1: Heavyweight
Olena Kolesnyk def. Aspen Ladd by majority decision (29-28 x2, 28-28): (W) Featherweight
Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Isaiah Figueroa by TKO at 1:42 of round 1: Lightweight
Prelims
Rizvan Kuniev def. Renan Ferreira by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2): Heavyweight
Maurice Greene def. Marcelo Nunes by TKO at 1:20 of round 2: Heavyweight
Danilo Marques def. Yorgan De Castro by unanimous(30-27 x2, 29-28): Heavyweight
Amber Leibrock def. Martina Jindrová by KO at 2:19 of round 1: (W) Featherweight
Evelyn Martins def. Karolina Sobek by unanimous decision (29-28 x3): (W) Featherweight
Marina Mokhnatkina def. Yoko Higashi by TKO at 1:29 of round 2: (W) Featherweight