Winners and Losers from PFL San Diego: AJ McKee Reclaims Title Contender Status While Cris Cyborg Steals the Show Outside the Cage

The Professional Fighters League returned to Southern California with an action-packed night at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, and by the end of the evening there was no doubt who made the biggest statement.

Former Bellator Featherweight World Champion AJ McKee reminded the MMA world exactly why he remains one of the sport’s elite featherweights, while several veterans strengthened their championship resumes. Outside the cage, however, one of the biggest stars in attendance wasn’t competing at all.

PFL Women’s Featherweight World Champion Cris Cyborg turned a simple appearance into one of the night’s most memorable fan experiences.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from PFL San Diego.

Winner: AJ McKee

If there were any lingering questions about AJ McKee’s place among the world’s best featherweights, they were answered Saturday night.

Facing previously unbeaten Salamat Isbulaev, McKee delivered one of his most complete performances in years. He controlled the fight with superior wrestling, positional dominance and submission threats, earning a clean 30-27 unanimous decision on all three scorecards. The victory extended McKee’s winning streak since returning to featherweight and immediately strengthened his case for a PFL world title opportunity.

More importantly, McKee looked like the explosive, confident fighter who once ruled Bellator’s featherweight division.

If this version of McKee continues to show up, a championship fight appears inevitable.

Winner: Liz Carmouche

Age continues to be nothing more than a number for Liz Carmouche.

The San Diego native gave the hometown crowd plenty to celebrate by submitting former UFC contender Viviane Araújo with a second-round guillotine choke. The victory further established Carmouche as one of the PFL’s premier female athletes and positioned her squarely in the conversation for a showdown with Dakota Ditcheva should the champion successfully defend her title later this summer.

For a fighter who has competed at the highest level for nearly two decades, Carmouche continues proving she belongs among the elite.

Winner: Alexander Shabliy

After nearly two years away from competition, Alexander Shabliy looked like he had never left.

His dominant unanimous decision over former PFL lightweight tournament champion Alfie Davis reinserted him into the title conversation at 155 pounds. Shabliy controlled the action from start to finish and reminded fans why many considered him one of the division’s most dangerous contenders before his layoff.

Winner: Rob Wilkinson

Former PFL champion Rob Wilkinson also bounced back in impressive fashion.

After weathering early resistance, Wilkinson overwhelmed Abraham Bably with relentless clinch work before finishing the fight with second-round ground strikes. It was exactly the type of performance needed to put his name back into the light heavyweight championship picture.

Loser: Salamat Isbulaev

Every undefeated streak eventually faces its toughest test.

Salamat Isbulaev entered San Diego carrying a perfect record and significant momentum after an explosive PFL debut. Against AJ McKee, however, he struggled to establish any rhythm.

McKee’s grappling neutralized nearly every offensive opportunity, handing Isbulaev the first loss of his professional career. While there is certainly no shame in losing to one of the world’s premier featherweights, Isbulaev leaves San Diego knowing he still has work to do before challenging for PFL gold.

Loser: Ariane Lipski

Ariane Lipski’s night ended with more than a loss.

Following her first-round submission defeat to Jena Bishop, the former UFC fighter announced her retirement from mixed martial arts, bringing an end to a 13-year professional career. The announcement marked one of the most emotional moments to come out of the event and closed the chapter on a respected veteran who competed against many of the sport’s best.

Biggest Winner Outside the Cage: Cris Cyborg

Although she wasn’t scheduled to fight, one athlete may have generated more fan interaction than anyone on the card.

PFL Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg attended the event ahead of her August 22 title defense against former UFC title contender Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa.

While many fighters spent much of the evening inside the VIP hospitality area, Cyborg did something different.

After participating in an official meet-and-greet, she spent much of the night standing alongside the arena seating sections, taking photos, signing autographs, and talking with fans throughout the event.

For many in attendance, meeting one of the greatest female fighters in MMA history became one of the night’s lasting memories.

It was a reminder that fan engagement doesn’t end when the fights begin. Cyborg has built her career not only through championship performances inside the cage, but also through making herself accessible to the people who have supported her throughout more than two decades in professional combat sports.

With her possible retirement fight against Ketlen Vieira now less than two months away, San Diego may have offered fans one final opportunity to interact with the 18-time world champion before another historic chapter unfolds.

Final Thoughts

PFL San Diego accomplished exactly what the promotion hoped it would.

AJ McKee re-established himself as a legitimate featherweight title contender.

Liz Carmouche continued her remarkable late-career resurgence.

Alexander Shabliy and Rob Wilkinson reminded everyone they remain championship-caliber fighters.

And outside the cage, Cris Cyborg demonstrated why some athletes leave an impression that extends far beyond their performances on fight night.

Sometimes the biggest win of the evening isn’t recorded on the official scorecard, it’s measured by the memories fans take home.