Pettis loses to Manfio in 2nd PFL bout, misses playoffs
Anthony Pettis' bid for the PFL lightweight championship ended Friday night.
Raush Manfio defeated the former UFC champion via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) in the PFL 6 co-main event at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Pettis failed to earn a point after two regular-season bouts - he lost to Clay Collard in his PFL debut in April - while Manfio clinched a spot in the four-man postseason with six points after going 2-0.
Manfio will enter the semifinals as the No. 3 seed and is set to face No. 2 seed Collard. Meanwhile, No. 1 seed Loik Radzhabov will meet No. 4 seed Alexander Martinez.
The first two rounds between Pettis and Manfio were competitive. Pettis appeared to stay busier on the feet and connected with his hands, while Manfio landed solid leg kicks.
Pettis used his elite footwork to avoid most of Manfio's power shots through 10 minutes, but Manfio hurt him twice in the third round to secure the decision victory.
The 34-year-old, who was once one of the greatest fighters in the world, fell to 0-2 in the PFL. Pettis signed with the promotion in December after leaving the UFC as a free agent. He spent nearly nine years in the UFC and held the 155-pound belt from 2013-15.
Manfio has won back-to-back split decisions in the 2021 PFL season, as he edged out Joilton Lutterbach in his promotional debut in April. The 29-year-old is now riding a two-fight winning streak and is 5-1 in his past six outings.
The PFL lightweight semifinals are set for August, with the championship taking place on New Year's Eve.