PFL Wichita’s Must-See Semifinals June 20

PFL Wichita Main Event: PFL Lightweight Semifinal #2: Kevin Lee vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov

At the top of the bill on Friday night, you’ll be seeing a restructured lightweight semifinal fight matching Kevin Lee (20-8 MMA) with Gadzhi Rabadanov (25-4-2 MMA). All fights on PFL Wichita will be an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round.

This wasn’t supposed to have been the second lightweight semifinal in the tournament. Original semifinalist Jay Jay Wilson (11-1 MMA), who defeated Mads Burnell with ground and pound shots in the final round of the quarterfinal fight, had to withdraw from this week’s card after sustaining a broken jaw. Kevin Lee stepped into the fray last month, filling the void left by Wilson.

Kevin Lee enters PFL Wichita on the strength of a 2-3 record in his last five appearances going back to 2020 in Brasilia. He hasn’t set foot in a cage in almost nine months, however.

Last September, he stopped Thiago Oliveira (17-14-1 MMA) inside the first round of a scheduled three with a rear-naked choke. A planned bare-knuckle MMA fight vs. Saul Almeida was scrubbed ahead of its November date. Lee was signed by the PFL in May and he now suddenly finds himself in the hunt for a title.

Gadzhi Rabadanov comes into the semifinals having posted a record of 5-0 in his last five fights dating back to the 2024 PFL season. Last season’s PFL Lightweight Champion successfully began his quest to repeat as titleholder in 2025 with a quick first-round knockout of Marc Diakiese (18-8 MMA) in April, finishing him in just 32 seconds.

He’s only had a few weeks to deal with and prepare for the change in opponent for Friday night’s semifinal. What kinds of adjustments has he needed to make for Rabadanov ahead of PFL Wichita?

This fight’s winner advances to the championship to take on either Brent Primus or Alfie Davis in August.

PFL Wichita Co-Main Event: PFL Women’s Flyweight Semifinal #2: Liz Carmouche vs. Elora Dana

Immediately beforehand, the co-main event of the evening sees the second semifinal at women’s flyweight take place between former Bellator MMA and UFC fighter Liz Carmouche (23-8 MMA) and Elora Dana (8-0 MMA.) The victorious fighter here will meet the survivor of the earlier semifinal pitting Jena Bishop (8-2 MMA) against Ekaterina Shakalova (9-2 MMA).

Carmouche will be making the walk on the strength of a 4-1 record in her last five bouts. She returned to the win column the night of April 11, besting Ilara Joanne (12-10 MMA) with a shot to the liver during the opening round. “Girl-Rilla” is a seasoned competitor in the sport of MMA and she knows how to win. Can she make it two in a row in this tournament on Friday?

Meanwhile, Elora Dana has yet to lose in her professional MMA career. During the second quarterfinal card in Orlando back in April, she qualified for this semifinal after submitting Diana Avasaragova (6-2 MMA) with a neck crank in the first round. Both of these contestants don’t mess around in a tournament scenario, as their quarterfinal results indicate. Will their fireworks continue this weekend?

PFL Wichita: PFL Bantamweight Semifinal #2: Marciley Alves vs. Jake Hadley

Also on Friday night, the second entrant to the bantamweight championship fight will be finalized with the contest between Marciley Alves (13-4 MMA), an alumnus of the LFA, and Cage Warriors graduate Jake Hadley (12-4 MMA,) the latter of whom is also an alum of the UFC.

Alves entered the semis by way of split decision on the scorecards against Leandro Higo (23-7 MMA) after three rounds on April 11 at Universal Orlando. Currently, he’s sporting a record of 4-1 in his last five appearances. This is a man who’s already secured the bantamweight championship in the Jungle Fight promotion in December of 2022 and had to gut out a win a few short months ago. Will he take the next step to the bantamweight title in the PFL on Friday?

Meanwhile, Jake Hadley has gone 2-3 in his last five contests. Back on April 11, he returned to victory lane upon defeating Matheus Mattos (14-4-1 MMA) with a submission (Scottish Twister) in the third and final round. Hadley came into this tournament using the emotions of getting cut from the UFC last fall as motivation.

It’s worked well for him so far, as he could be 15 minutes or less away from going to the tournament final later on this summer. Tune in Friday to see what happens.

PFL Wichita: PFL Bantamweight Semifinal #1: Justin Wetzell vs. Mando Gutierrez

The other bantamweight semifinal kicks off the PFL Wichita late card on Friday night. Justin Wetzell (11-2 MMA) meets up with Mando Gutierrez (11-3 MMA.) Wetzell comes into this contest having gone 4-1 in his last five fights.

He’s won four in a row. Last time out, he bested Kasum Kasumov (16-2 MMA) with a unanimous decision victory.

Any time that a fighter can come into a bout on a hot streak, like Wetzell is here, that fighter is at his most dangerous. Should he manage to get past Gutierrez and keep the hot streak going into the final, look out.

Meanwhile, Mando Gutierrez enters PFL Wichita sporting a 4-1 record in his last five professional fights. At the moment, he’s on a three-fight winning streak,

Most recently, he scored a first-round rear-naked choke submission against Francesco Nuzzi (10-2, 1 NC MMA) in the quarterfinal phase. This contest could have Fight of the Night potential written all over it.

PFL Wichita; PFL Lightweight Semifinal #1: Brent Primus vs. Alfie Davis

To top off the early card of PFL Wichita, you’ll watch the first lightweight semifinal matching Brent Primus (16-4, 1 NC MMA) with Alfie Davis (18-5-1 MMA) in the latter’s 25th career appearance. Primus will be making the walk in Kansas on Friday with a mark of 4-1 in his last five fights.

Earlier this year, he submitted Vinicius Cenci (8-3 MMA) with a rear-naked choke in the third round. Primus has been waiting a long time to have a championship belt around his waist, having won the Bellator MMA Lightweight Championship in New York City eight years ago.

Can Brent Primus win his second fight in a row?

Across the way, Alfie Davis has a 4-1 record over the course of his last five bouts, stopping Clay Collard (25-15, 1 NC MMA) with a first-round knockout. Clay Collard is a seasoned veteran of combat sports, and Davis’ April win over him is a resume highlight. What will fight number 25 bring for him?

PFL Wichita: PFL Women’s Flyweight Semifinal #1: Jena Bishop vs. Ekaterina Shakalova

The semifinal fights of the evening begin with the first semi at 125 lbs when Jena Bishop takes on Ekaterina Shakalova. Bishop has gone 3-2 in her last five fights.

She snapped her two-fight losing streak thanks to a unanimous decision win vs. Kana Watanabe. Heading into her 11th fight as a professional fighter, she’s got an 80 percent finish rate. Can she get closer to another hot streak in PFL Wichita?

In the other corner, Ekaterina Shakalova comes into the semifinals with a 4-1 record over her most recent five appearances. On April 11, she returned to the win column with a first-round submission by way of rear-naked choke over Juliana Velasquez (13-4 MMA) in Orlando.

Shakalova will be the younger fighter of the two during this semifinal at PFL Wichita, as she’s 27 years old, 12 years the junior of Jena Williams. Will youth rule the day on Friday?

Final Thoughts

Which semifinals are you looking forward to on PFL Wichita?