Fabian Edwards delivered a stunning head kick knockout to defeat Dalton Rosta and secure the PFL middleweight tournament title. This remarkable finish echoed a similar victory achieved by his brother, Leon Edwards, in the UFC three years prior. The climactic moment of the PFL 10 main event unfolded dramatically as Edwards unleashed a series of inside leg kicks before striking with a head kick that Rosta never anticipated. Upon impact, Rosta fell to the canvas and remained motionless for a brief period, although he managed to regain his feet shortly after. The official stoppage occurred at 1:28 of the third round, marking a significant knockout victory for Edwards.
In a heartwarming moment, Leon Edwards rushed into the cage to celebrate with his brother, remarking that the knockout came almost exactly three years after his own fifth-round head kick finish against Kamaru Usman to win the UFC welterweight title in 2022. Leon's fight took place on August 20, 2022, while Fabian's knockout occurred on August 21, 2025. “That is team headshot dead,” Edwards exclaimed, highlighting the incredible similarity between his finish and that of his brother. “I’m so grateful. Last year in October, I lost the championship fight to Johnny Eblen. Twelve months later, I am the PFL champ.”
This victory capped off an extraordinary year for Edwards, who entered the PFL tournament with aspirations of reclaiming a championship following two previous losses to Johnny Eblen. Edwards made the most of his opportunity in the tournament, scoring a knockout against former PFL champion Impa Kasanganay in the opening round and then defeating Josh Silveira to secure his place in the finals. Although he faced early adversity from Rosta, who implemented a solid game plan in the initial rounds, Edwards ultimately prevailed with a devastating knockout.
After his impressive victory, Edwards engaged in a stare-down with the new PFL middleweight champion Costello van Steenis, who pulled off an upset against Eblen back in July. The two fighters share history, as van Steenis previously secured a split decision victory over Edwards during their first encounter in 2020. Their impending rematch will now be for the coveted PFL middleweight title.
Oleg Popov emerged as the new PFL heavyweight tournament winner after a split decision victory over Alexander Romanov in a lackluster heavyweight title fight. Popov found success in the earlier rounds by punishing Romanov’s lead leg with precision kicks and showcasing his boxing skills during critical striking exchanges. When the final bell rang, two judges awarded Popov the win with scores of 49-46 and 49-48, while the third judge scored the fight 48-47 in favor of Romanov. Despite the lack of excitement, Popov's strategic approach earned him the $500,000 prize that accompanies the 2025 heavyweight title.
The heavyweight bout failed to deliver an exhilarating performance, instead morphing into a somewhat sloppy stand-up fight. Popov primarily inflicted damage with leg kicks, while Romanov focused on boxing and clinch work to land punches and knees to the body. In the fourth round, Romanov capitalized on an opening, landing a powerful uppercut that rocked Popov. However, he could not secure a finish, leading to a clinch as both fighters sought to regain their composure. Ultimately, Popov's efforts were sufficient to secure the judges' nod and claim the heavyweight title.
Antonio Carlos Jr. found himself in a thrilling battle against Sullivan Cauley, ultimately winning the PFL light heavyweight tournament title via a second-round rear-naked choke submission. The fight was marked by multiple knockdowns, upkicks, and blood, creating an intense atmosphere within the cage. Carlos set the pace early by delivering a powerful right hand that sent Cauley crashing to the canvas. Rather than pursuing a submission, Carlos continued his offensive onslaught, but Cauley managed to survive and return to his feet.
As the fight progressed, Carlos landed a jab that caused blood to trickle down from Cauley’s nose, who was already dealing with a cut over his eye from the initial knockdown. Just when it seemed Carlos might secure a finish, Cauley caught him off guard with a punch, sending the Brazilian to the ground. However, Carlos retaliated with an upkick that sent Cauley backward, shifting the momentum once again. The action slowed temporarily, but Carlos maintained his aggression, landing further strikes that inflicted significant damage on Cauley.
In the second round, an accidental clash of heads and an eye poke paused the action, with Cauley’s face showing signs of wear from the relentless assault. If the round had concluded at that moment, doctors might have halted the fight. However, Carlos had no intention of winning due to a stoppage. Instead, he secured a takedown and swiftly transitioned to lock in a rear-naked choke, ultimately claiming the light heavyweight championship.
Here are the full results for PFL 10:
Fabian Edwards def. Dalton Rosta via knockout (head kick) at 1:28, R3 Oleg Popov def. Alexander Romanov via split decision (47-48, 49-46, 48-47) Antonio Carlos Jr. def. Sullivan Cauley via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:44, R2 Alexei Pergande def. Ethan Goss via submission (D’arce choke) at 3:52, R1 Lazaro Dayron def. Bryce Meredith via TKO (punches) at 4:06, R3 Impa Kasanganay def. Andrew Sanchez via TKO (punches) at 4:31, R3 Rasul Magomedov def. Guilherme Viana via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Sergey Bilostenniy def. Karl Williams via TKO (punches) at 4:11, R2 Josh Silveira def. Murad Ramazanov (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)