2022 PFL lightweight champ Olivier Aubin-Mercier shut out high-profile acquisition Shane Burgos, earning unanimous 30-37 scorecards with striking and grappling dominance in their Season 5 opener.

Fighting up from his usual featherweight class, Burgos was outworked on the feet in early rounds and then gave up position when Aubin-Mercier got to his back and hung out. Burgos got just 30 seconds for one last dash, and his flurry of punches wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit in the main card headliner Friday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.

Aubin-Mercier picked up three points toward his regular season totals while Burgos suffered a disappointing setback in a fight that was supposed to announce his presence as a title threat. Burgos has time to right the ship, but Aubin-Mercier made sure he started in the wrong direction.

Collard grinds out Nishikawa

Clay Collard was in typical form in his Season 5 opener, but he may not have bargained for Yamato Nishikawa’s toughness. The Japanese fighter took dozens of his body shots and leg kicks and returned with the latter to leave him hobbled by Round 3. Collard’s win was never in question as his work upstairs made the biggest impact over 15 minutes. He still earned every dollar he made in the cage, delivering another gutsy win to earn three points for his regular season total.

Leal can’t miss against Zawada

Welterweight Carlos Leal picked up an easy six points with a blistering flurry of punches to stop David Zawada in the first. An overhand right had Zawada badly dazed, and four subsequent punches all found their mark, leaving him on the canvas at the 2:25 mark of the opening frame.

Goltsov big brothers Ferreira

Career light heavyweight Cezar Ferreira stepped up on short notice to take on heavyweight vet Denis Goltsov, and it backfired massively. Goltsov deposited the Brazilian TUF winner on the canvas and unleashed on ground and pound for the knockout at the 2:07 mark of the first round.

Umalatov extends unbeaten streak against Taylor

Magomed Umalatov is now 13-0 after stopping Dilano Taylor with a vicious combination for the knockout just 91 seconds into PFL 3’s curtain-jerker.

Full PFL 3 results:

Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Shane Burgos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Clay Collard def. Yamato Nishikawa via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Denis Goltsov def. Cezar Ferreira via KO (ground and pound) – Round 1, 2:07

Carlos Leal def. David Zawada via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:25

Magomed Umalatov def. Dilano Taylor via KO (punches) – Round 1, 1:31

Sadibou Sy def. Jarrah Al Silawi via TKO (body kick, punches) – Round 2, 1:14

Magomed Magomedkerimov def. Ben Egli via TKO (head kick) – Round 1, 1:30

Raush Manfio def. Alexander Martinez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Nayib Lopez def. Shane Mitchell via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

Bruno Miranda def. Ahmed Amir via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Zach Juusola def. Brandon Jenkins via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)

Natan Schulte def. Stevie Ray via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)