For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.
Brendan Loughnane and Timur Khizriev meet Saturday for the featherweight $1 million title at the 2024 PFL Championship. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup.
Brendan Loughnane
Brendan Loughnane (30-5) is no stranger to the PFL final. He got an oversized $1 million cardboard check (plus the actual money, we’d presume) in 2022 when he knocked out Bubba Jenkins. He missed the playoffs in 2023, but was back with a vengeance in the regular season this year with knockouts of Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales. He outworked Kai Kamaka III to reach the final.
PFL 9: Washington DC Playoffs at the The Anthem in Washington D.C., Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Cooper Neill / PFL)
Timur Khizriev (17-0) has yet to taste defeat in his pro career, and largely speaking, opponents know what they’re going to get. The 29-year-old Russian wrestling standout has 75 percent of his wins by decision, including all six of his bouts for Bellator and the PFL. This year, he grinded out Brett Johns, Enrique Barzola and Gabriel Braga to reach the final.
2024 PFL Championships faceoff off between Brendan Loughnane vs Timur Khizriev during the ceremonial weigh-ins at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
Khizriev is a fairly prohibitive favorite around 3-1 – though that’s the lowest betting line for him since he came onto the Bellator scene in 2022.
There is a pocket of support from our staff members for former winner Loughnane with three upset picks.
As the main card opener, Loughnane and Khizriev are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 5 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Championship.