PFL San Diego delivered a night that clarified the championship picture in two divisions. Former Bellator champion AJ McKee reminded everyone why he remains one of the world’s elite featherweights by handing previously unbeaten Salamat Isbulaev his first professional loss, while former PFL champion Liz Carmouche stamped her claim for another world title opportunity with an impressive submission victory in the co-main event.

McKee Outclasses Isbulaev in Main Event

AJ McKee put together one of his most complete performances in recent memory, using his experience and well-rounded skill set to earn a unanimous decision over the previously undefeated Salamat Isbulaev.

McKee established his kicking game early to keep the dangerous prospect from finding his rhythm. He secured the first takedown of the fight and briefly threatened from Isbulaev’s back before the Russian reversed position. McKee responded immediately, escaping and landing a sharp left hook during the ensuing scramble.

The second round showcased McKee’s composure. Isbulaev capitalized on an attempted wheel kick to score a takedown, but McKee calmly reversed the position and punished his opponent with elbows that opened a cut outside Isbulaev’s left eye.

Facing the first defeat of his career, Isbulaev mounted his best offense in the final round, opening a cut on McKee with a clean punch. McKee answered by securing another takedown, advancing to mount, and finishing the fight in dominant fashion with a barrage of elbows.

All three judges scored the contest 30-27, improving McKee to (25-2) while handing Isbulaev (10-1) his first professional loss.

Carmouche Secures Her Place in the Title Picture

Liz Carmouche continued proving that age is no obstacle in the women’s flyweight division, submitting Viviane Araújo with a guillotine choke at 2:07 of the second round.

The 2025 PFL Women’s Flyweight Champion and former Bellator titleholder controlled the striking exchanges with damaging calf kicks that repeatedly forced Araújo to wrestle. Carmouche showcased her veteran grappling throughout the contest, even sweeping Araújo after one of the Brazilian’s early takedown attempts.

As the striking battle continued to favor Carmouche, Araújo once again shot for a takedown in the second round. Carmouche immediately recognized the opening, wrapped up a tight guillotine choke, and forced the tap for the seventh submission victory of her career.

The victory firmly establishes Carmouche as one of the leading contenders for the PFL Women’s Flyweight World Championship.

Shabliy Wins High-Level Chess Match

Former Bellator lightweight contender Alexander Shabliy earned a clean sweep on the scorecards against  Alfie Davis in one of the evening’s most technical contests.

Shabliy’s forward pressure and timely takedowns consistently kept him one step ahead throughout the three rounds. The defining moment came late in the second frame when a crushing left hook left Davis badly hurt and saved only by the horn.

The judges unanimously awarded the bout 30-27 across the board, moving Shabliy to (26-4).

Wilkinson Rallies to Stop Bably

Former PFL Light Heavyweight champion Rob Wilkinson survived an early scare before stopping PFL Africa Heavyweight champion Abraham Bably in the second round of his divisional debut.

Bably enjoyed success in the opening round with heavy hooks that had Wilkinson on the defensive. The momentum shifted dramatically in round two as Wilkinson connected with a powerful combination before stuffing another wrestling attempt with multiple elbows.

A body-lock takedown put Wilkinson in top position, where he trapped Bably on his hands and knees and unleashed unanswered punches until the referee intervened at 3:22 of the second round.

Preliminary Card Highlights

Khasan Magomedshairpov remained undefeated by submitting Josh Weems with an arm-triangle choke in the opening round. After dropping Weems with a right hand while his opponent was off balance attempting a kick, Magomedshairpov avoided a guillotine setup before locking up the fight-ending submission.

San Diego’s Jena Bishop gave the hometown crowd plenty to celebrate, quickly dragging Ariane Lipski to the mat before methodically advancing position and finishing the fight with a first-round armbar.

Sarvarjon Khamidov continued his rise with a dominant performance against Justin Wetzell. After scoring a first-round knockdown with a right cross, Khamidov controlled the action on the ground before taking Wetzell’s back in the second round and securing a rear-naked choke that rendered his opponent unconscious.

Shannon Clark showcased impressive resilience in her matchup with Ilara Joanne. Despite spending much of the opening two rounds on her back, Clark maintained the more effective striking attack before overwhelming a fatigued Joanne with knees to the body and follow-up punches for a third-round TKO.

Opening the card, unbeaten bantamweight Cobey Fehr needed just two minutes to secure his fourth professional victory, taking Daniel Bzdigian to the ground before quickly locking in an anaconda choke for the first-round submission.

PFL San Diego showcased established veterans protecting their place atop the promotion while several rising contenders continued to build momentum. McKee’s masterful performance reaffirmed his championship credentials, while Carmouche’s submission victory made it clear that another shot at PFL gold should be next.

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Caged Minds

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