Brandon Jenkins grinded for eight years on the regional scene, so when he appeared in a major promotion for the first time Friday, he made the most of the opportunity.
In the first fight of 2021 PFL Playoffs 3, Jenkins (15-7) competed in a non-tournament showcase bout against UFC alum Jacob Kilburn (8-5) and scored a switch flying knee knockout at 2:56 of Round 1.
The bout served as the first fight of the preliminary card for the event, which took place at Seminole Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Hollywood, Fla., and streamed on ESPN+.
“I hope so,” Jenkins said, when asked by post-fight interviewer Sean O’Connell if he thinks he punched his ticket onto the 2022 season roster. “I think I made a good first impression. … He has a nasty three-two. He likes to do a check-hook. What I did was I threw a naked kick. He checked it and then I looked low and I kneed high. I looked low, I threw the same kick, but I switched in the middle and threw the knee. Because he likes to throw the check hook and kind of put his hook behind his bicep.”
SWITCH KNEE KO TO START THE NIGHT!
Brandon Jenkins takes home the 1st W!2021 #PFLPlayoffs
LIVE NOW ESPN+
🌐 https://t.co/WfOt9XBfzk pic.twitter.com/q6CHOdCUWN— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 27, 2021
With the win, Jenkins, 29, extends his winning streak to three – a stretch of time that also includes a spinning back-elbow knockout in November 2020. Meanwhile, Kilburn falls to 0-3 in his last three including losses to Austin Lingo and Billy Quarantillo in the UFC.
Sean O'Connell checks in with Brandon Jenkins following his INSANE Knee KO!#PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/1rwZxgM46a
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 27, 2021
