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The welterweight champions from both of the PFL’s past seasons are here. So is a champ from another promotion who was brought in to raise the bar for this season. And then there’s the surprise star who’s found recent success in both boxing and MMA who spoiled the party for a high-profile former UFC titlist.

As the PFL playoffs get underway with semifinals in the lightweight and welterweight divisions (live on ESPN+), there are a lot of stories unfolding Friday evening at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Headlining the event is a clash that many inside and outside the PFL anticipated before the season when the company signed former Bellator welterweight champion and UFC title challenger Rory MacDonald. He takes on 2019 season champion and 2018 finalist Ray Cooper III.

The 2018 welterweight champ is in the co-main event. Magomed Magomedkerimov, fighting for just the second time this year, takes on late replacement Sadibou Sy.

At lightweight, the main attraction is Clay Collard — but he wasn’t supposed to be. Collard, a longtime MMA fighter who became an unlikely sensation in boxing by winning five straights bout in 2020, opened the season by upsetting Anthony Pettis.

Collard takes on Raush Manfio, while the other semifinal features No. 1 seed Loik Radzhabov vs. No. 4 Alexander Martinez in a rematch from the regular season. Martinez, the lower seed, actually won that first fight.

The action from Hollywood, Florida gets underway with six non-tournament bouts in the 155- and 170-pound divisions. Follow along throughout the night for live results and insights.


Current fight

Welterweight: Kyron Bowen vs. Michael Lombardo

Betting odds (via DraftKings): Bowen: +410 | Lombardo -575


Lightweight: Elvin Espinoza def. Hopeton Stewart via first-round technical submission via rear-naked choke

The card opened with a matchup of two Miami-based fighters both making their PFL debuts, and the unbeaten Espinoza was in control from the start. Espinoza got an early takedown and worked for a rear-naked choke, which he was able to lock in. The choke rendered Stewart unconscious, and referee Keith Peterson stepped in to end the fight at 2:45 of Round 1.


Still to come:

ESPN2/ESPN+ (semifinals), 9 p.m. ET

Welterweight: No. 2 Rory MacDonald vs. No. 3 Ray Cooper III

Welterweight: No. 4 Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. No. 5 Sadibou Sy

Lightweight: No. 2 Clay Collard vs. No. 3 Raush Manfio | Lightweight

Lightweight: No. 1 Loik Radzhabov vs. No. 4 Alexander Martinez | Lightweight


ESPN+ (non-playoff)

Welterweight: Gleison Tibau vs. Curtis Millender

Lightweight: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Darrell Horcher

Lightweight: Brett Cooper vs. Tyler Hill

Welterweight: Magomed Umalatov vs. Micah Terrill

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Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

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Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.

Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.

Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.

The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.

Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.

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Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

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Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

Jake Allen, one of the top goaltenders available entering free agency, is not heading to the market after agreeing to a five-year deal with the New Jersey Devils, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Allen’s average annual value on the deal is $1.8 million, sources told ESPN. That AAV allows the Devils to run back the same goaltending tandem for next season.

Jacob Markstrom has one year remaining on his contract for $4.125 million. Nico Daws is also under contract for next season, before becoming a restricted free agent next summer.

Several teams were interested in the 34-year-old veteran, whom sources said could have made more money on the open market. However, the deal with the Devils gives Allen long-term security. Allen has played for the Blues, Canadiens and Devils over his 12-year-career. He has started in 436 career games.

Last season, Allen started 29 games for the Devils, going 13-16-1 with a .906 save percentage, 2.66 GAA and four shutouts.

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Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, $42M extension

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Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, M extension

Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year extension through the 2032-33 season that is worth $6 million annually, the team announced Tuesday.

Fehervary, who had one year of team control remaining, will enter the final season of a three-year bridge deal that will see him make $2.675 million before his new contract begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.

He finished the season with five goals and a career-high 25 points while logging 19 minutes. Fehervary also played a crucial role in the Capitals’ penalty kill by finishing with 245 short-handed minutes for a penalty kill that was fifth in the NHL with an 82% success rate.

Securing the 25-year-old Fehervary to a long-term deal means the Capitals now have seven players who have more than three years remaining on their current contracts.

It also means the Capitals front office has one less decision to make ahead of what is expected to be an active offseason in 2026 that will see the club have what PuckPedia projects to be $39.25 million in cap space.

That’s also the same offseason in which captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin‘s contract will come off their books along with that of defenseman John Carlson.

But until then, the Capitals have their entire top-six defensive unit under contract as they seek to improve upon a 2024-25 season that saw them finish atop the Metropolitan Division with 111 points before they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinal to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

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