Loughnane and Wilkinson debut with victories

England’s Brendan Loughnane took all five points and the top spot in the featherweight rankings by defeating WSOF and UFC veteran Marlon Moraes with leg kicks in the second round.

Meanwhile, Australian 205-pound champion Rob Wilkinson welcomed Thiago Santos to the PFL with a hard-fought bout that he took by unanimous decision.

Wilkinson is riding a seven-fight win streak since facing former UFC 185-pound champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 221.

On the prelims, Mexico’s Alejandro “Gallito” Flores picked up his third win in the promotion by defeating Daniel Torres via unanimous decision. The Nuevo Leon native opened the tournament with three points for the second time with the result and remains in with a chance of going to the postseason.

Earlier, Peru’s Jesus ‘Mudo’ Pinedo had to adjust to a new last-minute opponent in Brazil’s Gabriel Braga, who took the split decision victory in a bout of constant exchanges.

Pinedo’s original opponent, Korea’s Sung Bin Jo, was unable to compete due to a decision by the Nevada Athletic Commission after undergoing a medical examination, and Braga stepped in as an alternate.

The PFL returns to Las Vegas next Friday, April 7, with the women’s featherweight and heavyweight bouts.