PFL 2019, Playoffs 2 predictions: Will two defending champs advance to finals?

The 2019 PFL playoffs continue Thursday, with the featherweight and lightweight brackets set to fight until a final is determined.

The eight-man featherweight bracket is led by No. 1 seed and defending champion Lance Palmer taking on No. 8 Gadzhi Rabadanov. The winner of that fight meets the winner of Alex Gilpin vs. Andre Harrison in one semifinal. On the other side of the bracket, the winnerss of No. 2 Movlid Khaybulaev vs. No. 7 Daniel Pineda and No. 3 Luis Rafael Laurentino vs. No. 6 Jeremy Kennedy will meet in the other semifinal.

Over at lightweight, another defending champion begins his quest to repeat as No. 1 Natan Schulte takes on Ramsey Nijem, with the winner meeting No. 4 Akhmed Aliev or No. 5 Rashid Magomedov in the semis. Meanwhile, No. 2 Islam Mamedov fights No. 7 Loik Radzhabov, with the winner facing No. 3 Chris Wade or No. 6 Nate Andrews.

Here’s a look at each bracket.

Featherweight

Lightweight

PFL 2019, Playoffs 2 takes place at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, and the card streams on ESPN+ and airs on ESPN2. You can check out the MMA Junkie staff’s predictions below:

Mike Bohn

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Laurentino def. Kennedy
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Laurentino

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Wade def. Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Magomedov def. Schulte
• Mamedov def. Wade

Dave Doyle

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadonov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Laurentino def. Kennedy
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Laurentino

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Nijem def. Schulte
• Aliev def. Magomedov
• Wade def. Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabob

Semifinals

• Aliev def. Nijem
• Mamedov def. Wade

Matt Erickson

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Rabadanov def. Palmer
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Kennedy def. Laurentino
• Pineda def. Khaybulaev

Semifinals

• Rabadanov def. Harrison
• Pineda def. Kennedy

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Nijem def. Schulte
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Andrews def. Wade
• Radzhabov def. Mamedov

Semifinals

• Nijem def. Magomedov
• Radzhabov def. Andrews

Brian Garcia (“Goze”)

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Kennedy def. Laurentino
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Kennedy

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Wade def. Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Schulte def. Magomeddov
• Wade def. Mamedov

George Garcia (“Gorgeous” George)

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Kennedy def. Laurentino
• Pineda def. Khaybulaev

Semifinals

• Harrison def. Palmer
• Kennedy def. Pineda

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Nijem def. Schulte
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Wade def. Nate Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Magomedov def. Nijem
• Wade def. Mamedov

Farah Hannoun

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Laurentino def. Kennedy
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Laurentino

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Wade def. Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Magomedov def. Schulte
• Mamedov def. Wade

Ken Hathaway

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Kennedy def. Laurentino
• Movlid Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Kennedy

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Wade def. Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Schulte def. Magomedov
• Mamedov def. Wade

Simon Head

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Laurentino def. Kennedy
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Laurentino

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Aliev def. Magomedov
• Wade def. Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Schulte def. Aliev
• Mamedov def. Wade

Nolan King

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Laurentino def. Kennedy
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Laurentino

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Andrews def. Wade
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Schulte def. Magomedov
• Mamedov def. Andrews

John Morgan

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Laurentino def. Kennedy
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Laurentino

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Wade def. Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Magomedov def. Schulte
• Mamedov def. Wade

Simon Samano

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Laurentino def. Kennedy
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Laurentino def. Khaybulaev

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Andrews def. Wade
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Schulte def. Magomedov
• Mamedov def. Andrews

Dan Tom

Featherweight

Quarterfinals

• Palmer def. Rabadanov
• Harrison def. Gilpin
• Laurentino def. Kennedy
• Khaybulaev def. Pineda

Semifinals

• Palmer def. Harrison
• Khaybulaev def. Laurentino

Lightweight

Quarterfinals

• Schulte def. Nijem
• Magomedov def. Aliev
• Wade def. Andrews
• Mamedov def. Radzhabov

Semifinals

• Schulte def. Magomedov
• Mamedov def. Wade