PFL Austin ‘Eblen vs. Kasanganay 2’ play-by-play, results & round scoring

[ASFN Admin]

Johnny Eblen (184.2) vs. Impa Kasanganay (183)Rafael do Nascimento (135.4) vs. Lewis McGrillen-Evans (135.6)Caolan Loughran (144.8) vs. Julio Arce (145.4)Jesus Pinedo (146.8: Missed Weight) vs. Joey Ruquet (144.6)Biaggio Ali Walsh (155.8) vs. Gamid Khizriev (155.6)Andrea Vazquez (125.2) vs. Aleksandra Savicheva (124.8)Ashley Thiner (125.8) vs. Mia Grawe (125.8)Jackson Glass (148.8) vs. Zak Flessas (149.4)Victoria Alba (125.2) vs. Borena Tsertsvadze (125.6) Sherdog's live PFL Austin coverage will begin Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

A middleweight title fight headlines PFL Austin: Tune on Saturday, July 18 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Victoria Alba (125.2) vs. Borena Tsertsvadze (125.6)​

Round 1​

A women’s flyweight affair kicks off PFL Austin festivities at the Moody Center, where Alba (6-2, 0-0 PFL) confronts Tsertsvadze (6-1, 0-1 PFL) at 125 pounds. Jeff Rexroad adjudicates matters. A customary glove touch gets them started. Tsertsvadze closes the distance on an attempted takedown, which goes nowhere. Leg kick from Alba. Tsertsvadze again crashes forward and clinches briefly along the fence. They separate. Back in open space, Alba presses forward behind punches from both hands and an inside leg kick. Tsertsvadze answers with a right hand over the top. Alba the busier of the two women on the feet thus far. More leg kicks from the Mexican. Alba now targets the outside of the lead leg with kicks and fires straight punches at the head. She greets Tsertsvadze with a knee to the body and turns her into the fence. They separate once more. Midway through the round. Another leg kick from Alba. Nice one-two from Tsertsvadze, but she fails to follow up. Alba responds with a low kick, resets and circles. They paw with their jabs. Tsertsvadze hunts an overhand right, only to eat another leg kick. Damage building on the Georgian’s lower extremities. Alba flurries to cut off an attempted clinch, then turns up the heat further with a knee up the middle. Not going well for Tsertsvadze here. Twenty seconds left. More leg kicks from Alba, as the round concludes. 10-9 Alba.

Round 2​

They tend to a cut on the bridge of Tsertsvadze’s nose during the intermission. Off they go for the middle stanza. Alba picks up where she left off. She circles on the outside, targets the lead leg with kicks and fires straight punches upstairs, along with a front kick to the body. Alba presses forward with more offense and denies the Georgian’s bid for a takedown. Tsertsvadze not having much success. They separate. Fatigue starting to set in on both sides. Alba connects with a series of front kicks to the body, then follows with an overhand right. Tsertsvadze absorbs more punishment. She lands an overhand right after a failed takedown attempt and then clinches along the fence. Two minutes to go in the round. Alba’s breathing has grown labored. Tsertsvadze scores with an overhand right but eats a front kick to the body for her troubles. She shoots on a single-leg but makes no progress. Alba steps forward and lands another leg kick, then another. Tsertsvadze drives into the clinch and lands a few knees to the body. Alba separates and dodges an attempted clinch. 10-9 Tsertsvadze

Round 3​

Could be anyone’s fight with five minutes to go. They probe with jabs. Tsertsvadze forces a clinch, only to get turned into the fence. Alba separates and lands an inside leg kick. Front kick to the body from the Mexican. Lack of output becoming more of an issue for Tsertsvadze. Alba sprawls on a takedown attempt and continues to target the lead leg with kicks. Tsertsvadze shoots on a single-leg and trips Alba to the floor but fails to consolidate those efforts with positional control. Alba gets back to her feet, sprawls on a takedown attempt and lands a head kick on the break. Halfway home in the third round. Tsertsvadze plows forward but cannot corral her counterpart. Alba circles away from danger and connects with a front kick to the body. More leg kicks from Alba. Tsertsvadze’s thigh has turned a deep shade of purple. Nevertheless, she presses forward behind punches. Front kick to the body forces Tsertsvadze to retreat. Alba again attacks the leg. She shuts down a weak takedown attempt and slams the lead leg with another kick. Tsertsvadze almost stationary at this point. Nice one-two from the Georgia. Front kick doubles over Tsertsvadze. Alba follows with a vicious punching combination and a head kick to force the late finish.

The Official Result​

Victoria Alba def. Borena Tsertsvadze—TKO (Front Kick to the Body and Punches)

Jackson Glass (148.8) vs. Zak Flessas (149.4)​

Round 1​

Matchmakers keep the line PFL Austin line moving with a catchweight tilt pitting the undefeated 18-year-old Glass (3-0, 0-0 PFL) against Flessas (3-1, 0-0 PFL) at 150 pounds. Jacob Montalvo serves as the third man in the cage. Sharp leg kick from Flessas. Glass closes the distance, clinches and eats an elbow for his troubles. He answers with an elbow of his own at close range and cuts Flessas. Flessas rolls for a kneebar attempt, which proves to be ill advised. Glass escapes the maneuver, blasts his turtled counterpart with standing-to-ground punches and connects with several soccer kicks to the back to prompt the stoppage.

The Official Result​

Jackson Glass def. Zak Flessas—TKO (Punches and Kicks to the Body) 0:47 R1

Ashley Thiner (125.8) vs. Mia Grawe (125.8)​

Round 1​

Women’s flyweights are next to the PFL Austin stage, as Thiner (2-0, 0-0 PFL) toes the line against Grawe (3-0, 0-0 PFL) at 125 pounds. Rexroad officiates. They circle at the start. Thiner steps into an inside leg kick. Sharp one-two from Grawe. Thiner settles in the center of the cage, switches stances and fires punches from both hands. Grawe powers into a body lock but eats a knee to the body while engaged along the fence. Thiner separates and lands a right hook. They trade elbows at close range. Front kick to the body from Thiner. Grawe answers with a leg kick. Three minutes to go. Grawe steps into a right hook, resets and counters with a right cross. She secures a takedown and settles in half guard. Promising start for the underdog. Action stalls. Thiner stands and braces herself against the cage. Grawe clings to a rear waistlock and drags her opponent to the floor. Thiner stands immediately, separates and turns up the heat. She follows a barrage of punches with a volley of knees. They clinch along the fence. Thirty seconds to go. Thiner scores with knees to the body and an elbow on the break. 10-9 Thiner

Round 2​

Back at it for Round 2. Grawe crashes forward. Thiner sidesteps the charge and counters. Grawe clinches and scores with foot stomps. Thiner connects with a right hook on the break. Grawe struggling the manage distance. Check hook from Thiner, who seems to be picking her spots here. Grawe sneaks in an overhand right. She follows with a straight right and a left over the top. Trip takedown from Grawe with a little more than a minute to go. Thiner stands and misses on a spinning elbow. Grawe lands on the break. Front kick to the body from Thiner, who sweeps Grawe off her feet with an inside leg kick. Slapping head kick from Grawe, who has worked her way back into the fight. 10-9 Grawe

Round 3​

Still up for grabs at the start of the third round. They probe for openings in the center of the cage. Strong leg kick from Thiner, who now targets the inside of the lead leg. Another stout inside leg kick from Thiner. Grawe switches stances to shield her lower extremities. Pace has slowed from both women. Overhand right from Grawe. Thiner answers on the counter. Stabbing front kick from Thiner connects to the body. Grawe steps forward but walks into an elbow. Powerful front kick to the body from Thiner sits down her opponent but only briefly. Two minutes to go. Thiner doubles up on her jab and follows with a leg kick. Grawe not having much success on the feet. Thiner lands with hooks from both hands and punctuates those efforts with a low kick. Grawe running out of time here. Another front kick to the body from Thiner, who invites Grawe into the clinch and connects with an elbow. Head-and-arm throw goes nowhere for Grawe. 10-9 Thiner (29-28 Thiner)

The Official Result​

Ashley Thiner def. Mia Grawe—Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Andrea Vazquez (125.2) vs. Aleksandra Savicheva (124.8)​

Round 1​

Attention at PFL Austin stays on the women’s flyweight division, where Vazquez (8-3, 0-1 PFL) squares off with Savicheva (7-2, 0-0 PFL) at 125 pounds. Don Turnage administers the law and order. They forego touching gloves and get down to the business at hand. They test the waters with jabs and leg kicks. Strong jab from Savicheva. Vazquez works from both stances and lands a low kick. Savicheva answers with a rapid-fire volley of punches. The Russian steps into a one-two and follows with an inside leg kick. Vazquez biting on feints and running into counters as she crashes forward. Nice straight right from Savicheva, who resets and fires off a one-two. She circles, pumps out a jab and mixes in a front kick. Vazquez responds with a body kick. Hard leg kick from Savicheva, who unleashes another one-two. Vazquez targeting the lead leg with kicks. Savicheva sits down the Mexican with a one-two. Vazquez smiles, acknowledges the shot and gets to her feet. They trade hooks at close range. Savicheva circles out of a takedown attempt. Vazquez rips power punches and crashes forward in the closing seconds. 10-9 Savicheva

Round 2​

Vazquez facing an uphill climb at the start of the middle stanza. Savicheva opens with an inside leg kick. Vazquez answers with a side kick just above the knee. Savicheva pumps out the jab and kicks at the legs. Vazquez ducks into a multi-punch volley but fails to land anything of consequence. More feints from Savicheva. She follows a straight right with a front kick to the body. Savicheva jabs to the body, then the head. Thudding body kick from Vazquez. Savicheva looks undeterred and returns fire with an overhand right. Two minutes to go. They trade again in the center of the cage. Savicheva gets the best of it. Vazquez plods forward with a body kick, only to run into a three-punch combo from her opponent. Savicheva very much in control of this one. She punctuates another combination with a low kick. Vazquez crashes forward behind punches and clinches. Thirty seconds on the clock. Vazquez works hard for a takedown but cannot get the Russian to the ground and stalls along the fence. 10-9 Savicheva

Round 3​

Vazquez likely needs a finish as the third round gets underway. Savicheva paws with her jab and forces the Mexican onto her back foot. Vazquez lands a low kick. Savicheva follows a jab to the body with two punches upstairs and a body kick. Vazquez connects with an overhand left. She lands a counter right over the top. Savicheva still the aggressor. She sticks the jab and a body kick, then another. Vazquez comes up short on a volley. Savicheva catches a kick, dumps her opponent to the mat and scores with some ground-and-pound before backing out and getting to her feet. Another takedown from Savicheva surprises Vazquez. Vazquez powers into a takedown, works behind the Russian and gets to the backpack position while working on a rear-naked choke. She alternates between punches and the choke. Vazquez drags Savicheva to the mat and nearly finishes the choke. The Russian turns into the guard and avoids catastrophe. She works from top position. Vazquez threatens with an armbar as the horn sounds. Savicheva survives. 10-9 Vazquez (29-28 Savicheva)

The Official Result​

Aleksandra Savicheva def. Andrea Vazquez—Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Biaggio Ali Walsh (155.8) vs. Gamid Khizriev (155.6)​

Round 1​

Lightweights close out the PFL Austin prelims, as Ali Walsh (4-1, 4-1 PFL)—the 27-year-old grandson of the late great Muhammad Ali—locks horns with the unbeaten Khizriev (6-0, 0-0 PFL) at 155 pounds. Turnage steps into the cage to referee. They circle in the center of the cage. Ali Walsh whips out his jab. Khizriev answers with kicks and a few jabs of his own. Stout leg kick from Ali Walsh. Khizriev ducks into a takedown and secures a second after Ali Walsh gets back to his feet. Ali Walsh again scrambles to a standing position. Khizriev climbs onto the American’s back, lands some elbows and consolidates his position with a body triangle. Ali Walsh tries to turn into his opponent, only to wander into a modified twister. In considerable pain, Ali Walsh taps.

The Official Result​

Gamid Khizriev def. Biaggio Ali Walsh—Submission (Twister) 2:32 R1

Jesus Pinedo (146.8: Missed Weight) vs. Joey Ruquet (144.6)​

Round 1​

Round 2​

Round 3​

The Official Result​

Caolan Loughran (144.8) vs. Julio Arce (145.4)​

Round 1​

Round 2​

Round 3​

The Official Result​

Rafael do Nascimento (135.4) vs. Lewis McGrillen-Evans (135.6)​

Round 1​

Round 2​

Round 3​

The Official Result​

Interim PFL Middleweight Title Fight:
Johnny Eblen (184.2) vs. Impa Kasanganay (183)​

Round 1​

Round 2​

Round 3​

Round 4​

Round 5​

The Official Result​

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