Brendan Loughnane’s dream of becoming the 2022 PFL featherweight champion came true, but he quickly had to refocus his attention on the 2023 season. Despite winning the $1 million grand prize along with the title, Loughnane only had a month before he had to start preparing for the next season. Loughnane had to contend with injuries throughout the 2022 season, but despite feeling healthier heading into 2023, the physical and mental strain was weighing heavily on him.

The PFL’s plans to expand onto pay-per-view this year presented new challenges, including the creation of a “super fight” division. When Loughnane expressed concerns about not participating in the tournament, the PFL told him that he had to do it if he wanted to fight. Loughnane remarked that to be a PFL champion, he had to win four fights in seven months rather than the one or two fights per year in the UFC. Although Loughnane hasn’t decided if 2023 will be his final season, he wants to continue facing newer and better competition. After all, he’s now established himself as one of the best featherweights in the world.

If you’re curious about the undercard results, look no further than our Joshua vs. Franklin results page. Both Joshua and Franklin will be looking for redemption as they come back from losses in their most recent matches. With a record of 24-3, Joshua lost to heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk twice, with his most recent defeat being a split-decision loss this past August. Franklin, on the other hand, suffered his first career loss to Dillian Whyte in November via majority decision.