UFC 290, 3 other best fight cards of 2023

PFL 4: Brendan Loughnane vs. Jesus Pinedo

The PFL completed their fifth season this year and their fourth event delivered the biggest. A champion from the previous year lost to a heavy underdog and an eventual champion continued his rise in the organization. Featherweights and light heavyweights took the spotlight as the first half of the season started to wrap up.

Brendan Loughnane, who won the featherweight championship the previous season, was stunned by big underdog Jesus Pinedo in the first round. Pinedo starched Loughnane in under two minutes and would eventually go on to win the featherweight championship against Braga.

Josh Silveira, Marthin Hamlet, and undefeated Movlid Khaybulaev scored wins to advance to the semi-finals. Silveira, Hamlet, and Khaybulaev had all been heavy hitters for the organization, but Silveira and Hamlet would fall short in the playoffs. Khaybulaev, who is undefeated through 23 fights in his career and is a former featherweight champion, would have to pull out of his scheduled fight in the playoffs later in the season.

The main card featured Bubba Jenkins, looking to redeem himself after losing in the finals last season. He put Jo Sungbin to sleep in the first round.

The featured prelim was between Gabriel Braga, who would later compete for the featherweight championship, and former UFC fighter and World Series of Fighting champion Marlon Moraes. Braga would finish Moraes in the first round and Moraes would retire for the second time in his career. Braga would keep his undefeated record intact until the finals.

PFL veteran Chris Wade finished Ryoji Kudo. Wade had been in the playoffs every season but still hasn't been able to finish in the finals.

The preliminary card featured another win from light heavyweight Impa Kasanganay after a successful showing on PFL's Challenger Series. Kasangany would finish Tim Caron and Marthin Hamlet on his way to winning the championship against Josh Silveira.