Jason Jackson is one step closer to becoming a champion again.
On Thursday night at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, the PFL launched its 2025 tournament campaign with PFL1, featuring opening rounds of welterweight and featherweight tournaments. And in the main event, Jackson ran through Andry Koleschkov and recorded a second round technical submission to win his spot in the welterweight semi-finals.
After a competitive opening round between the two former Bellator Welterweight champions, Jackson began taking over in the second round. But things were almost disappointed when Jackson landed an illegal elbow behind Koleschkov’s head and opened the cut to stop referee Keith Peterson from action. After Koreshkov spent five minutes of recovery time, Peterson refused to take a point from Jackson, and the action resumed. Jackson immediately attacked, shooting a takedown and delivering brutal ground and pounds until Koleshkov gave up on his back. Jackson was quickly trapped in a naked chalk, squeezing it until Koleskov fell asleep.
In the co-main event, Jesus Pinedo succeeded in a smart cage and stopped Adam Bolix in the first round. Pinedo, the winner of the 2023 PFL Featherweight Tournament, has not fought since beating Gabriel Braga to win that title, but showed no signs of the ring last Thursday. Pinedo fired early and came out, stabbing him in his right hand and injured Borik. After he hurt Borik, Pinedo didn’t give up and poured a punch until he dropped Borik and got a stop. Currently, Pinedo will face Braga. Braga defeated Fred Duplas early in the evening in a trilogy match in the semi-finals of the featherweight tournament.
In another main card welterweight match in the evening, former Intermiratu Belaton champion Logan Story cruised towards the semi-finals with a dominant decision against Jose Fruciano. The story was originally to face 2024 PFL runner-up Magoom Umaratov, but Umaratov missed weight and was replaced by Luciano, who had no answer to the story’s wrestling attack.
Storley will face Masayuki Kikuiri, who defeated Giannis Bachar in the evening in the semi-finals.
In the opening main card match, Movlid Khaybulaev narrowly kicked out Jeremy Kennedy and sneaked into the welterweight semi-finals. Kennedy came out strong and repeatedly hurt Kaibrev in the first round, but the 2021 PFL champion bouncing hard in the second round, returning favors, hurting Kennedy and controlling the round. The third was the events before and after that, neither person clearly established himself. In the end, the judges gave Khaybulaev a victory in the division decision.
Khaybulaev fights Ta Hyun Kim. Ta Hyun Kim beat Nathan Kelly in the featherweight semi-finals in the evening opening match.
Thad Jean and Masayuki Kikuiri scored spots in the welterweight semi-finals, while Ta Hyun Kim and Gabriel Braga advanced to the featherweight semi-finals, with the qualifying being filled with exciting finishes. Particularly impressed, Jan will win a nasty KO from Mukhamed Berkamov and face main event winner Jason Jackson in the semi-finals.
Check out the complete PFL 1 results below.
Jason Jackson def. Andrei Koleshkov via technical submission (rear naked chalk) – Round 2, 4:21
Jesus Pinedo Deff. Adam Borics (Punch) via TKO – Round 1, 3:43
Logan Story def. Joseph Luciano via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Movlid Khaybulaev def. Jeremy Kennedy (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Thad Jean Def. Muhammadkammov via TKO (Punch) – Round 1, 4:25
Gabriel Bragadef. Fred Dupras via Submission (rear naked chalk) – Round 1, 4:37
Masayuki Kikuiri def. Giannis Bachar via TKO (retirement) — Round 2, 5:00
Tae Hyun Kim Dae-hoo. Nathan Kelly via technical submission (rear naked chalk) – Round 1, 4:53