MMA: Stevie Ray upsets Anthony Pettis to secure place in PFL semi-finals
- Published
Stevie Ray is now one win away from competing for a $1m prize
Stevie Ray shocked Anthony Pettis to secure a place in the semi-finals of Professional Fighters League's lightweight tournament.
Scotland's Ray rebounded from a tough first round against the former UFC champion to secure an eye-catching twister submission in the second.
Ray needed a stoppage win at PFL 5 to progress and is now one win away from competing for a $1m (£800,000) prize.
Ray, 32, will immediately rematch Pettis for a spot in the final.
Pettis was in clear pain after Ray's submission, which the broadcast labelled a 'modified body lock', and is yet to confirm whether he will be fit for their 5 August rematch.
The American remains the top seed despite his shock loss, with Paraguay's Alexander Martinez and Canada's Olivier Aubin-Mercier in the other semi-final.
Brendan Loughnane secured his place in the featherweight semi-finals and a homecoming in the UK with a win over Abo Huskic.
Loughnane suffered a bad eye injury mid-way through the contest but was able to fight through the pain and secure a points decision and the 23rd win of his career.
"I need to be better but I will be better, it's just not good enough. I'm a perfectionist and I should be stopping guys like that. I just wasn't pulling the trigger," Loughnane said.
The Manchester fighter's next fight will take place in Cardiff, in his first appearance on British soil since 2018.