Brendan Loughnane Dominates with 1st Round TKO Victory at PFL 3

Manchester’s Brendan Loughnane made a triumphant return to the cage with a decisive victory over Pedro Carvalho at PFL 3 in Chicago on Friday.

This marked Loughnane’s first fight since his surprising loss to Jesus Pinedo in June, and he wasted no time asserting his dominance. A powerful right hand set the tone for Carvalho’s downfall, leading to the referee stopping the contest after just 86 seconds.

This win, Loughnane’s 29th of his career, earned him six points in the opening bout of the Professional Fighters League’s (PFL) 2024 season. The former PFL featherweight champion, Loughnane made history as the PFL’s first English champion in 2022, but his title defense dreams were dashed in 2023 by Pinedo’s knockout. After a 10-month hiatus to recover, Loughnane found renewed confidence in a sparring session with Conor McGregor.

His performance on Friday night showcased his regained prowess, as he engaged Carvalho from the opening seconds, ultimately securing victory despite Carvalho’s resilience. With PFL’s season format requiring fighters to compete twice for points before advancing to the knockout stages, Loughnane will have further opportunities to make his mark in the tournament.