Tyson Pedro returned to MMA after over two years, making his debut on April 16 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His comeback follows a brief stint in boxing and a retirement from the UFC.
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Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images for PFL
Tyson Pedro stepped back into the MMA spotlight last night, making his first appearance in more than two years.
Pedro’s return to the cage was confirmed in December, following a short period spent pursuing boxing.
He made his debut on 16 April in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he was featured in one of three main card bouts.
There were several impressive finishes throughout the night, including one from Jay-Jay Wilson. Pedro nearly added to that list with a strong showing of his own.
Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images
Tyson Pedro came close to a dramatic finish in his MMA return on Thursday night in Belfast, though he ultimately fell short on the judges’ scorecards.
He took on Dovlet Yagshimuradov, who had previously stopped Impa Kasanganay inside a minute to claim the 2024 PFL light heavyweight title.
The Australian dropped his opponent multiple times in the third round, but Yagshimuradov managed to make it to the final bell and was awarded a unanimous decision victory.
Pedro’s last MMA appearance before this came against Vitor Petrino at UFC Apex in March 2024, after which he announced his retirement from the sport.
He then transitioned to boxing, where he stopped unbeaten prospect Taimoor Khan (15-0) to win the inaugural WBC Silver International bridgerweight title.
However, Pedro later admitted that he wasn’t sure boxing suited him, saying he didn’t fully grasp the nuances of the sport.
Read more:
Tyson Pedro's return to MMA was confirmed after he spent time pursuing boxing, leading to his debut on April 16.
Tyson Pedro made his MMA comeback on April 16 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Tyson Pedro was away from MMA for more than two years before his return.
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