Powell reaches PFL semi-final but heartbreak for Moore

Moore suffered his second straight defeat

Ireland's Karl Moore is out of the PFL's light-heavyweight tournament after a split decision defeat by Antonio Carlos Jr at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Abraham Bably also exited the tournament in the heavyweight bracket, but there was joy for fellow Englishman Simeon Powell who reached the light-heavyweight semi-final.

Powell, 26, knocked out Karl Albrektsson and will face Carlos Jr for a spot in the final.

Moore was out-grappled by Brazil's Carlos Jr and despite a strong final round, was unable to convince the judges he had done enough to claim victory.

Two of the judges went 29-28 in favour of Carlos Jr with the third giving it to Moore by the same score.

Moore, 33, was fighting for the first time since defeat by American Corey Anderson for the Bellator light-heavyweight title last year.

Moore, who lives in Belfast, said he had moved into his gym in Dublin to prepare for the fight to save money on travelling between the two cities.

He was facing a former PFL champion in Carlos Jr and a slow start to the fight ended up proving costly.

Moore was taken down twice by Carlos Jr in the first round, who landed a number of ground shots before continuing to dominate the grappling in the second round.

Moore fought back in the third, with a clean right hand and takedown towards the end of the contest, but couldn't secure the finish he needed.

Powell reaches semi-finals with knockout performance

Powell landed a succession of elbows to secure his 11th professional win

Britain's Powell put in an impressive performance to stop Sweden's Albrektsson in the second round.

After a quiet first round where Albrektsson controlled the majority of the action against the cage, Powell unleashed in the second.

Powell broke free from Albrektsson's grappling attempt and landed three elbows to knock down his opponent before the referee stopped the contest.

Carlos Jr and Powell will fight on 27 June at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

The knockout format of the PFL tournament is unlike previous years where the first round contributed to a division league table.

The eventual champions will receive £395,000 ($500,000) in prize money.

Other Britons in the semi-finals include Fabian Edwards, who stopped American Impa Kasanganay in the second round of their middleweight contest last month.

Edwards will face American Josh Silveira next, also on 27 June.

On the same card, fellow Briton Alfie Davis faces American Brent Primus in the lightweight semi-finals after he knocked out American Clay Collard in April.

In the bantamweight semi-finals, Briton Jake Hadley faces Brazil's Marcirley Alves on 20 June in Kansas.

Hadley reached the last four by submitting Brazil's Matheus Mattos in the third round of their contest in April.

PFL 2025 tournament semi-finals

20 June - Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas

• Jake Hadley (England) v Marcirley Alves - bantamweight

27 June - Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois

• Fabian Edwards (England) v Josh Silveira - middleweight

• Brent Primus v Alfie Davis (England) - lightweight

• Antonio Carlos Jr v Simeon Powell (England) - light-heavyweight