Jason Jackson is one step closer to becoming champion again.
On Thursday night at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, PFL kicked off its 2025 tournament campaign with PFL1, featuring the opening round of the welterweight and featherweight tournaments. In the main event, Jackson defeated Andrey Koreshkov with a second-round technical submission to secure his place in the welterweight semifinals.
After a competitive first round between the two former Bellator welterweight champions, Jackson began to dominate in the second round. Despite an illegal elbow strike by Jackson that led to a brief pause for Koreshkov`s recovery, the fight resumed, and Jackson quickly took control. He secured a takedown and delivered ground-and-pound until Koreshkov gave up his back, allowing Jackson to apply a rear-naked choke for the submission victory.
In the co-main event, Jesus Pinedo made a successful return, stopping Adam Borics in the first round. Pinedo, the 2023 PFL featherweight tournament winner, showed no signs of ring rust, quickly hurting Borics and finishing the fight with punches. Pinedo will now face Gabriel Braga in the semifinals, a trilogy bout.
In another main card welterweight fight, Logan Storley secured a dominant decision victory over Joseph Luciano, advancing to the semifinals. Storley was originally scheduled to fight Magomed Umalatov, but Luciano stepped in as a replacement.
Storley will face Masayuki Kikuiri in the semifinals.
In the opening main card fight, Movlid Khaybulaev narrowly defeated Jeremy Kennedy by split decision to advance to the featherweight semifinals.
Khaybulaev will fight Ta Hyun Kim in his featherweight semifinal.
The prelims featured exciting finishes with Thad Jean and Masayuki Kikuiri earning welterweight semifinal spots, and Ta Hyun Kim and Gabriel Braga advancing in the featherweight tournament. Jean particularly impressed with a knockout victory and will now face Jason Jackson in the semifinals.
Here are the full PFL 1 results:
Jason Jackson def. Andrey Koreshkov via technical submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 2, 4:21
Jesus Pinedo def. Adam Borics via TKO (punches) — Round 1, 3:43
Logan Storley def. Joseph Luciano via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Movlid Khaybulaev def. Jeremy Kennedy via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Thad Jean def. Mukhamed Berkhamov via TKO (punches) — Round 1, 4:25
Gabriel Braga def. Fred Dupras via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 4:37
Masayuki Kikuiri def. Giannis Bachar via TKO (retirement) — Round 2, 5:00
Tae Hyun Kim def. Nathan Kelly via technical submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 4:53
