PFL Chicago ‘Pettis vs. McKee’ play-by-play, results & round scoring

Sergio Pettis (134.4) vs. Mitchell McKee (135.6) Raufeon Stots (136) vs. Renat Khavalov (136) Gabriel Braga (145) vs. Cheyden Leialoha (146) Viviane Araujo (125.8) vs. Shanna Young (128.2: Missed Weight) Jena Bishop (125.2) vs. Borena Tsertsvadze (125.8) Omar El Dafrawy (170.2) vs. James Vake (169.8) Kana Watanabe (125) vs. Paulina Wisniewska (126) Rodrigo Nascimento (254.4) vs. Alexander Romanov (259.4) Biaggio Ali Walsh (156) vs. Dashiande Harris-Moore (159: Missed Weight) Valanti Atsas (170.8) vs. Nate Jennerman (170.4) Sherdog's live PFL Chicago coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.

A world class bantamweight clash headlines PFL Chicago: Tune in LIVE, Saturday, April 11 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Valanti Atsas (170.8) vs. Nate Jennerman (170.4)

Round 1

Welterweights kick off festivities in The Windy City, as Atsas (9-1, 0-0 PFL) locks horns with Jennerman (18-6, 1-0 PFL) at 170 pounds. Mike Cimm oversees the action. No glove touch from the welterweight hopefuls. Atsas opens with a series of leg kicks, then follows up with a body kick. Jennerman operates from the center of the cage. Atsas doubles up on his right hand, then gets his jab in gear. Another strong leg kick from Atsas, who clinches and secures a trip takedown. Jennerman reverses briefly with an attempted guillotine, but Atsas scrambles into top position and into side control. Jennerman stuck on bottom for now. Atsas moves to mount. Jennerman recovers half guard after eating a few punches. Atsas moves back to side control. Two minutes left on the clock. Atsas steps into mount. Jennerman recovers half guard again. Atsas works body-head punches, as his counterpart shrimps toward the fence. Jennerman builds a base and gets to a kneeling position. Atsas lands two illegal knees to the side of the head, both of them partially blocked. The fouls result in a pause to the action. Cimm issues the warning and waits for Jennerman to recover. They restart standing with less than a minute to go. They ytrade punches in the center. Atsas lands a body kick. They flurry with punches again, with neither man gaining an advantage. Atsas moves to a body lock but fails to get the takedown as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Atsas
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Atsas
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Atsas

Round 2

Back at it for the second round. They meet in the middle and exchange left hooks. Atsas lands a kick below the belt, leading to another unscheduled respite. Cimm gives Jennerman time to check the jewels before he restarts them. Jennerman steps forward behind his jab and hooks from both hands. Atsas lures him into the clinch and presses him into the fence. They jockey for position while trading knees. Atsas boxes the ears, and Jennerman returns the favor. Atsas lands a left hook on the break, and drops his opponent with an overhand right. He jumps into top position and connects with hammerfists while defending against an armbar. Atsas settles in full guard and stays busy with punches. Midway through the round. Body-head punches from Atsas, who is well on his way to securing a two-rounds-to-none-lead. Sneaky elbow to the body from Atsas, followed by punches. Action slows. Atsas works to side control with a little more than a minute to go, then to north-south. He floats back to side control and delivers a series of elbows. Atsas works from half guard and continues to pile up points with punches. Jennerman gets to all fours and sets off a scramble before closing the round on top.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Atsas
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Atsas
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Atsas

Round 3

Jennerman facing an uphill climb to start the third round. Jennerman lands his jab and follows it with a right cross. Atsas looks tired. Jennerman landing punches from both hands. Atsas clinches along the fence, then breaks and punches. Back to the clinch they go. Atsas whiffs on an elbow and wanders into a standing arm-triangle. Jennerman uses it as part of a takedown. Atsas gets back to his feet and clinches. They trade punches and knees at close range. Atsas stays glued to his adversary. Both men breathing heavily. Midway through the round. Atsas continues to milk the clock. Jennerman lands and elbows and forces a break. Atsas gets right back to the clinch and pins the Roufusport rep to the cage. Ninety seconds to go. This has turned into a grind, with both men visibly fatigued. Jennerman bites down on a late guillotine attempt and transitions to a brabo choke. He readjusts his grip with less than a half minute left on the clock. Atsas escapes and drops in on an unsuccessful double-leg as time winds down.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jennerman (29-28 Atsas)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Jennerman (29-28 Atsas)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Jennerman (29-28 Atsas)

The Official Result

Valanti Atsas def. Nate Jennerman—Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Biaggio Ali Walsh (156) vs. Dashiande Harris-Moore (159: Missed Weight)

Round 1

Lightweights are next to the stage, as Walsh (3-1, 3-1 PFL)—the grandson of the incomparable Muhammad Ali—toes the line against Harris-Moore (2-0, 0-0 PFL) at 155 pounds. John McCarthy administers the law and order. They touch gloves and get going. Harris connects with a body kick. Walsh defense an attempted single-leg. Walsh drops his counterpart with a straight right to the ches. He follows with punches as Harris stands. Sensing the end was near, Walsh unleashes his hands and lets loose with punches until McCarthy has seen enough.

The Official Result

Biaggo Ali-Walsh def. Dashiande Harris-Moore—TKO (Punches) 0:46 R1

Rodrigo Nascimento (254.4) vs. Alexander Romanov (259.4)

Round 1

Attention now shifts to the heavyweight division, where Nascimento (12-4, 1-1 PFL) squares off with Romanov (21-4, 1-1 PFL) in a three-round rematch at 265 pounds. Nick Cimmarusti steps in as the third man in the cage. Nascimento steps to the center in a crouched stance. He attacks the body with punches and resets. Romanov dives on a single-leg and secures a takedown. The Brazilian gets to a kneeling position and gets to his feet. Romanov drags him back to the mat and starts to lean on his opponent. He lands knees to the leg and glute. Nascimento struggling to find an answer for the Moldovan’s approach. He stands and gets dragged back to the canvas again. Romanov lands a series of punches to the side of the head and scores with a slam takedown. More punches follow. He works on a face crank and settles in side control. Romanov mounts, flirts with a keylock and pounds away from the top. Nascimento escapes another crank. Romanov moves to his back and hammers away with punches, then shifts back to mount and lands more hammerfists, with a few elbows mixed in. Thirty seconds to go. Romanov in side control and moves to full mount while landing elbows in the waning seconds.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Romanov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-8 Romanov
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-8 Romanov

Round 2

Nascimento could not have envisioned a poorer start, but he nevertheless comes out for the middle stanza. The Brazilian pumps out a jab. Romanov answers with a left hook, secures a body lock and scores with a trip takedown. Romanov moves behind him, then to side control and full mount—a gooch-to-face mount, no less. He transitions to the back, sets his hooks and threatens the neck. Back to mount, where he drops punches and Donkey Kong hammerfists. Midway through the period. Romanov subtly positions himself for a guillotine, secures his grip and tightens the squeeze for the tap. Game over.

The Official Result

Alexander Romanov def. Rodrigo Nascimento—Submission (Guillotine Choke) 3:10 R2

Kana Watanabe (125) vs. Paulina Wisniewska (126)

Round 1

Next on the PFL Chicago docket: a women’s flyweight tilt pitting Watanabe (13-4-1, 1-2 PFL) against Wisniewska (6-1, 4-1 PFL) at 125 pounds. Cimm officiates. Watanabe takes the center. Wisniewska knocks the judoka off her feet with a hard inside leg kick. She sprawls on an attempted takedown, snatches the neck and works on an anaconda choke. Watanabe bleeding from the nose. The Japanese veteran scrambles to her feet and scores with a beautiful throw. Wisniewska was apparently unimpressed. She escapes to her feet and executes a slam takedown before settling in full guard. Midway through the first round. Wisniewska postures and lands a series of ferocious standing-to-ground punches. Watanabe gets to all fours, with the Pole clamped onto her neck. Wisniewska releases her, lands more punches and gets back on the neck. A minute to go. Watanabe scrambles to top position but eats an elbow for her troubles, then several more. Wisniewska with a violent performance thus far. Watanabe on top trying to regain her composure as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wisniewska
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Wisniewska
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Wisniewska

Round 2

Off the go for the second round. Watanabe shoots for a takedown. Wisniewska blocks it, moves into top position and advances to the back. She traps Watanabe in an inverted triangle. The judoka frees herself, sets off a scramble and forces a standup. Watanabe crashes forward, right into a sprawl. Wisniewska back on top and driving elbows into her opponent’s face. Brutal stuff. Watanabe fishes for an armbar but continues to eat punches, with blood streaming into her eyes. More elbows from Wisniewska, and Cimm elects to stop it.

The Official Result

Paulina Wisniewska def. Kana Watanabe—TKO (Elbows) 3:15 R2

Omar El Dafrawy (170.2) vs. James Vake (169.8)

Round 1

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

The Official Result

Jena Bishop (125.2) vs. Borena Tsertsvadze (125.8)

Round 1

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

The Official Result

Gabriel Braga (145) vs. Cheyden Leialoha (146)

Round 1

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

The Official Result

Viviane Araujo (125.8) vs. Shanna Young (128.2: Missed Weight)

Round 1

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

The Official Result

Raufeon Stots (136) vs. Renat Khavalov (136)

Round 1

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

The Official Result

Sergio Pettis (134.4) vs. Mitchell McKee (135.6)

Round 1

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:
J.L. Kirven scores the round:
Mike Pendleton scores the round:

The Official Result