Just when it looked like Gabriel Braga had scored revenge, Timur Khizriev was determined to have done enough by two of the judges to earn a highly controversial split decision in the PFL Chicago co-main event.
Both men’s striking strategies were on display during the opening round. Khizriev looked to land combinations, while Braga looked to land power shots as both men landed leg kicks. Khizriev flashed his power with one shot to the arm, getting Braga slightly off balance. Khizriev looked for an inside elbow with about a minute left in the round, but Braga answered with a left hand that wobbled Khizriev.
In the first minute of the second round, Braga landed a pair of right hands, both of which rocked and dropped Khizriev. Braga continued to sprawl Khizriev’s takedown attempts, though the Russian landed a noteworthy knee as he battled back in the round.
Braga landed another solid combination early in the third, and he continued to take the fight to Khizriev, despite the Russian’s best efforts to answer anything he took.
All three judges scored the bout 29-28, but two scored the bout in Khizriev’s favor, giving him the win to the boos of the live audience.
This fight was a rematch from the 2024 World Tournament, with Khizriev winning that bout. Khizriev went on to upset Brendan Loughnane to capture the PFL featherweight tournament title that year.
He now improves to 19-0 in this bout, which marks his first since that tournament win.
