Ray Cooper III loses in PFL title fight
COURTESY PFL
Russia’s Magomed Magomedkerimov, right, defeated Pearl City’s Ray Cooper III.
KAT WADE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Ray Cooper III, pictured in his family’s gym, suffered his first loss in five fights with the PFL tonight.
Russia’s Magomed Magomedkerimov pulled off the stunning upset with a second-round submission victory over Pearl City’s Ray Cooper III to end the 2018 PFL Championships tonight at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden.
Magomedkerimov (23-5, 5-0), a 2:1 underdog, handed Cooper III (17-6) his first loss in five fights with the PFL when he tapped out to a guillotine choke at 2 minutes, 18 seconds.
Cooper had knocked out each of his first four opponents but had trouble hitting Magomedkerimov, who was crowned the PFL welterweight champion and earned $1 million for the win.
Magomedkerimov was the No. 3 seed in the 170-pound tournament while Cooper was No. 1.
“I feel very good after the fight,” Magomedkerimov said in the cage when it was over. “Everything went well and I finished it (in the second round).”
