WATCH: Russia’s Ali Isaev smashes his way to $1 MILLION with victory at PFL Championship in New York
Russian MMA heavyweight Ali Isaev is walking into 2020 with an extra $1 million in his bank account after winning the PFL championship at the promotion's end-of-year extravaganza in New York.
Isaev, 36, outgrappled American opponent Jared Rosholt over four rounds before launching a ground-and-pound barrage to finish the contest and take the PFL heavyweight championship.
The bout was one of six championship fights in New York, with the winner of each walking home with a cool $1 million in a bumper end-of-year payday.
With devastating ground-and-pound, Ali Isaev stays undefeated in the 2019 #PFLChampionship season and is a PFL Champion! pic.twitter.com/AufpHiKdoy
— PFL MMA (@ProFightLeague) January 1, 2020
Isaev remains unbeaten in professional MMA, improving his record to 9-0. During the PFL season he had seen off Valdrin Istrefi, Carl Seumanutafa, Kelvin Tiller and fellow Russian Denis Goltsov, before landing the main prize by beating former UFC fighter Jared 'The Big Show' Rosholt.
🇷🇺 Russia has a new PFL Heavyweight Champion in Ali Isaev 💪Cagenomics presented by @GEICOpic.twitter.com/XpqhN7xh9d
— PFL MMA (@ProFightLeague) January 1, 2020
Born in Dagestani capital Makhachkala, Isaev represented Azerbaijan at amateur level before switching to Russia for his professional career.
Elsewhere on the card, American judo double Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison – who has described herself as the “female Khabib Nurmagomedov, only better” – continued her unbeaten start to professional MMA by beating Larissa Pacheco to win the lightweight title.
HISTORY MADE! @KaylaH heads into 2020 a millionaire and the 2019 PFL Women’s Lightweight Champion! #PFLChampionshippic.twitter.com/OllX4dELW1
— PFL MMA (@ProFightLeague) January 1, 2020
An array of fight stars aligned at at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden for the event, with boxing legend Mike Tyson presenting Harrison with her belt.
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