Timur Khizriev put a beating on former PFL featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane to capture this year's 145-pound gold in the main event of the 2024 PFL World Championship.
Khizriev established dominance early with consistent kicks, eventually securing a takedown. On the ground, he pressured and smothered Loughnane, leaving little room for the former champ to do offense.
The Russian continued to outstrike him in the second round, mixing in precise jabs and hard combinations. The British standout found brief success wtih a check hook, but Khizriev's pressure and accuracy left him a bloodied mess by the round's end.
The undefeated grappling specialist continued his offense before scoring another takedown. Loughnane continued to batted back to his feet and went toe-to-toe with Khizriev at times, but the Russian's jab continued to be his key.
This pace continued the championship rounds, with Khizriev's striking wearing Loughnane out and his grappling pressure proving to lock up his control of the fight.
One judge gave Khizriev a sweep, while the other gave him the fight 49-46.
Timur Khizriev Dominates Brendan Loughnane To Become 2024 PFL Featherweight Champion
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Khizriev, the former Wushu Sanda champion, made it to the championship bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with wins over Brett Johns, Enrique Barzola, and Gabriel Braga earlier this year.
Loughnane, meanwhile, became PFL featherweight champion in 2022 but was upset by Jesus Pinedo in 2023. He made it to his second PFL final today with wins over Pedro Carvalho, Justin Gonzales, and Kai Kamaka III during the regular season.