Storley rarely deviates from a playbook that continues to serve
him well.
The four-time NCAA All-American wrestler held his place in the
Professional Fighters League welterweight line with a unanimous
decision over Florim
Zendeli in the
PFL Sioux Falls main event on Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon
in South Dakota. All three members of the assigned judiciary scored
it 30-25 for Storley (19-4, 4-2 PFL).
Zendeli (9-2-1, 4-1 PFL) was penalized two points for repeated
fence grabs in the first round, as he dug a hole from which there
was no escape. Storley completed takedowns in all three rounds, and
while he accumulated little to no damage, he racked up plenty of
control time. Zendeli opened small cuts around the South Dakotan’s
right eye late in the second round and built some momentum in the
standup exchanges early in the third, only to see his progress
stymied by yet another takedown.
Meanwhile, former Gorilla Fighting Championships titleholder
Gadzhi
Rabadanov bounced back from an Aug. 15 defeat to Alfie Davis
and captured a unanimous decision against Aleksandr
Chizov in their three-round 160-pound catchweight co-headliner.
Scores were 30-27, 29-28 and 30-27—all for Rabadanov (27-5-1, 7-1
PFL).
Chizov (13-4, 4-3 UFC) was tenacious from start to finish and
leaned heavily on his jab, along with occasional combinations and
counters. However, he could not keep the determined Rabadanov at
bay. The Russian swooped in for multiple takedowns in all three
rounds, utilized positional advances and incorporated
ground-and-pound when the opportunities arose. All of it worked
together to interrupt Chizov’s rhythm on the feet and ultimately
blocked his path to a potential upset.
Rabadanov, 32, has rattled off 13 wins in his past 14 starts.
Further down the main card, Kill Cliff Fight Club and Great Britain
Top Team standout Simeon
Powell rallied to stop Emiliano
Sordi with a knee strike and follow-up punches in the third
round of their light heavyweight showcase.
Sordi (27-14-1, 7-5-1 UFC), who entered the cage on a three-fight
winning streak, clocked out 3:05 into Round 3.
The 27-year-old Powell (12-2, 7-2 UFC) fought through significant
adversity. Sordi’s combination of aggression and experience proved
problematic for the Brit, though he found a way to stay composed
under considerable duress and focused on the task in front of him.
Sordi spent much of the second round attached top his opponent’s
back, where he secured his position with a body triangle and
threatened with rear-naked chokes, cranks and a last-second armbar.
None of it threw Powell of the scent. He emerged for Round 3 as the
visibly fresher fighter, pressed the issue and eventually backed
Sordi to the fence with a vicious left hook to the body. Powell sat
down the Argentinian “He-Man” at the base of the cage with a knee
up the middle, then mopped up what was left with punches.
Powell has nailed down nine of his 12 pro victories by knockout,
technical knockout or submission.
Elsewhere, Raty Team product Sergey
Bilostenniy wiped out Renan
Ferreira with punches in the third round of their heavyweight
attraction.
The toolsy but enigmatic Ferreira (13-6, 7-4 PFL) succumbed to
blows 1:56 into Round 3, as he suffered his third
setback in as many appearances.
Bilostenniy (15-4, 4-1 PFL) wore down the American Top Team-trained
Brazilian with well-timed takedowns, a smothering top game and
consistent ground-and-pound for much of the first two rounds. His
efforts took their intended tool. Bilostenniy coaxed his weary
6-foot-8 counterpart into range early in Round 3 and connected with
a sweeping right hook that folded “Problema” where he stood. He
then hovered above the fallen Ferreira and let fly with a few more
punches until the job was done.
The 30-year-old Bilostenniy has won five of his past six bouts.
Deeper into the main draw, ex-Absolute Championship Akhmat
titleholder Magomed
“Tiger” Magomedov rebounded from an Oct. 3 knockout loss to
Sergio
Pettis and did just enough to eke out a split decision against
Leandro
Higo in a competitive catchweight feature at 137 pounds. Judge
Eric
Colon saw it 29-28 for Higo, while Bryan Miner and Anthony
Maness scored it 30-27 for Magomedov.
Higo (23-8, 0-2 PFL) made a pass at a tight guillotine choke in the
second round but struggled to sustain meaningful offense. Magomedov
(22-5, 2-1 PFL) lured the Brazilian into tie-ups and did his most
effective work across the final five minutes, where he stepped into
a close-range knee strike, snuck behind the Pitbull Brothers rep
and executed a scary slam. Higo tucked his head before he struck
the canvas and managed to avert disaster, but he never again
threatened the Russian.
Magomedov has alternated between wins and losses in each of his
past eight outings.
Finally, undefeated KHK MMA Team export Rasul
Magomedov called upon repeated takedowns, suffocating top
control and steady ground-and-pound ahead of a unanimous decision
over Rafael
Xavier in their featured light heavyweight prelim. All three
cageside judges turned in 30-27 scorecards for Magomedov (9-0, 2-0
PFL).
Xavier (14-9, 1-1 PFL) was ineffective outside of a few powerful
leg kicks. Magomedov secured takedowns in all three-rounds and
operated efficiently from full guard, half guard and side control.
The Bahrain-based Russian opened multiple cuts with slashing
elbows, ignored boos from the crowd and neutralized Xavier’s
three-inch height and five-inch reach advantages with his
rinse-and-reach approach.
Magomedov, 31, has gone the distance in each of his past three
assignments.
In other action, Sabrinna
de Sousa (6-0, 3-0 PFL) outpointed Cheyanne
Bowers (7-3, 0-1 PFL) to a unanimous decision in their
three-round catchweight confrontation at 134 pounds, as she earned
29-28 marks from all three judges; Sang Won
Kim (15-6-1, 1-0 PFL) disposed of Humberto
Bandenay (27-10, 0-1 PFL) with elbows from the mount 2:56 into the second
round of their featherweight scrap; Taila
Santos (23-4, 4-1 PFL) dispatched Qihui Yan
(25-6, 0-1 PFL) with a body kick and follow-up punches 2:02 into
the first round of their women’s flyweight clash; Angel
Alvarez (11-2, 1-0 PFL) laid claim to a unanimous
decision—30-27, 29-28, 29-28—over Bryce Logan
(13-10, 0-1 PFL) in their three-round lightweight tilt; Brett Bye
(1-0, 1-0 PFL) put away Taylor
Michels (1-1, 0-1 PFL) with punches 3:40 into the first round of their
welterweight affair; and Maxwell
Djantou Nana (8-2, 3-1 PFL) took a unanimous decision—29-28,
30-27, 30-27—from Karl
Williams (10-6, 1-4 PFL) in their three-round heavyweight
pairing.