PFL 7: 2022 Playoffs - Lightweights and Light-Heavyweights - Main Card Odds, Predictions, Picks

• Anthony Pettis and Stevie Ray headline the card in a much anticipated rematch 
• Rob Wilkinson is currently the biggest betting favourite on the main card
• All main event fighters are competing for a spot in the PFL 2022 season finals

Anthony Pettis vs Stevie Ray 2 – Lightweight Semi Final

The odds for this bout are provided by DraftKings Sportsbook. Click on the odds below to head to DraftKings and place a bet.

In a rematch set to take place just two months after the original fight, Anthony “Showtime” Pettis will once again face Stevie “Braveheart” Ray in the PFL 7 main event.

It was a fairly even first round with neither Pettis nor Ray having a clear advantage on the feet or even in the grappling exchanges, but both fighters picked up the pace in the second round.

A minute into the second round, Pettis diverted to a more defensive approach while Stevie Ray started to really put the pressure on his opponent with constant strikes.

Two minutes into the round, Pettis attempted a takedown in order to change levels, but this was stuffed by Ray, who ended up taking his opponents back in the scramble.

After some ground and pound, Steveie Ray got Pettis into a modified twister submission to win the fight, a move he had used recently to win a grappling bout at Polaris 18.

Overall the former UFC lightweight champion seemed to slow down the longer the fight went and was unable to escape Stevie Ray’s grappling holds.

With not too much time at all between the last fight and this one, it’s unlikely the outcome will be very different.

Our Picks

Stevie Ray to win by submission in round two

Omari Akhmedov vs Josh Silveira – Light Heavyweight Semi Final

Omari Akhmedov had a long and illustrious career at the UFC, going 9-5-1 with the promotion before joining the PFL.

His first PFL bout did not go his way as he was finished via knockout in round three vs Jordan Young.

Since the initial loss, Akhmedov has put together a two fight winning streak over Viktor Pesta with a first round overhand right KO and Teodoras Aukstuolis via second round arm triangle choke submission.

Josh Silveira is an undefeated powerhouse who has finished all but one of his opponents on his thirteen fight winning streak through his amateur and pro MMA careers.

He has two finishes to his name in the PFL and looks set to add another finish to his record in this next fight vs Akhmedov.

Akhmedov is a slow starter who likes to get a feel for things before looking for a finish while Silveira generally throws a heavy barrage of strikes from the opening bell.

Expect Silveira to gameplan for a knockout finish in this fight due to Akhmedov’s elite grappling ability.

Our Picks

Josh Silveira by KO/TKO/DQ in round one

Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs Alex Martinez – Lightweight Semi Final

“The Canadian Gangster” enters this bout as a big betting favourite and with good reason too as he is currently riding a four fight winning streak which he intends to extend to five in a row.

After losing three fights consecutively in the UFC to Alexander Hernandez, Gilbert Burns and Arman Tsarukyan, Aubin-Mercier was cut from the promotion and ended up joining the PFL where he once again found his form.

He defeated Marcin Held, Darrell Horcher, Natan Shulte and Raush Manfio all by judges decision and seems to be unstoppable at this point in his career.

Alex Martinez was undefeated on the regional scene before joining the PFL where he won his debut match to Loik Radzhabov by split decision, before suffering his first defeat via split decision to Natan Schulte in his next fight with the promotion.

Martinez would suffer his next loss in a rematch vs Loik Radzhabov who defeated the Paraguayan fighter by unanimous decision.

Alex Martinez came back for the 2022 season hungry for wins and once again found his form when he defeated PFL: 7 headliner Stevie Ray by unanimous decision before securing a split decision victory in the following match.

Olivier Aubin-Mercier has faced much tougher competition than Alex Martinez has throughout his career and his veteran skill set should lead “The Canadian Gangster” all the way to a fifth consecutive victory.

Our Picks

Olivier Aubin-Mercier to win by unanimous decision

Rob Wilkinson vs Delan Monte – Light Heavyweight Semi Final

We have an absolute barn burner on our hands in the opening fight of the PFL: 7 main card between two notorious fight finishing light heavyweights.

Rob Wilkinson is an Australian former UFC fighter and former kickboxer who joined the PFL for the 2022 season and has put together two consecutive knockout finishes over Bruce Souto in round two and Viktor Pesta in the first round.

Wilkinson was actually Israel Adesanya’s first UFC opponent and went all the way to the second round before being finished with strikes by the current UFC middleweight champion.

Delan Monte also joined the PFL for the 2022 season and while he lost his debut to Antonio Carlos Junior via D’Arce choke in the first round, he went on to defeat Emiliano Sordi with a devastating first round KO.

We are once again going with the favourite in this bout due to “Razor” Rob Wilkinson’s experience level in comparison to his opponent.

Our Picks

Rob Wilkinson to win by KO/TKO/DQ in round two