Loughnane ready to defend PFL featherweight championship

Blockasset Athlete Brendan Loughnane is gearing up for another exciting season in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) featherweight division. After winning the 2022 PFL featherweight championship, he is eager to defend his title and face off against new opponents.

Loughnane will kick off his season against Marlon Moraes in the main event of 2023 PFL 1 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Loughnane is excited about the fight because Moraes is a new name on his resume and someone that fans recognize.

In an interview with MMA Junkie Radio, Loughnane spoke about his desire to avoid rematches this season. "I think featherweight’s the most stacked. It was last year," he said. "This year, I think they only signed two guys. … I would have been happy if they got a few more, to be honest. I don’t want to have a season of rematches."

Loughnane had a successful 2022 campaign, winning four straight fights on his path to becoming the featherweight champion. He defeated Ryoji Kudo, Ago Huskic, Chris Wade, and Bubba Jenkins to secure his $1 million payday. However, it was a challenging journey, as he had to push through multiple injuries to keep advancing closer to the championship.

"There’s not many champions that could say they went through what I went through to get the belt, there’s really not," Loughnane said. "Every one of them four fights last year, I was injured – pretty badly as well. I had to push through them, because if you miss a date, you’re out."

Despite his success, there is one opponent that Loughnane wants to face again more than any other - Movlid Khaybulaev. In their last encounter, Khaybulaev defeated Loughnane in a split decision, ending his seven-fight winning streak and costing him a spot in the 2021 final.

"Obviously, we all know it’s no secret: I want to fight Movlid again, and I want to beat him over five rounds for the belt this year, and hopefully do it in Manchester," Loughnane said. "Why not?"

As a Blockasset Athlete, Loughnane represents the values of dedication and perseverance. We look forward to supporting him as he continues to make his mark in the PFL featherweight division and defend his title.