PFL World Tournament 7 – Valentin Moldavsky vs Alexandr Romanov

Valentin Moldavsky vs. Alexandr “King Kong” Romanov – PFL World Tournament 7 – June 27, 2025 – Wintrust Arena, Chicago

What began as a high-stakes semifinal showdown turned into one of the most dramatic and unexpected finishes of the night.

Round 1 featured intense back-and-forth grappling and striking. Romanov demonstrated his signature wrestling prowess early—pressing Moldavsky against the cage, securing body-lock control, and even landing a belly-to-belly suplex. He followed with fierce top pressure, probing for submissions, only to have Moldavsky counter with explosive elbows and a landing that visibly slowed Romanov. Momentum seemed to swing Moldavsky’s way—until the drama hit its peak.

With just over 30 seconds to go in the round, a low knee from Moldavsky struck Romanov in the groin. Romanov immediately went down in pain, prompting an extended agonizing pause. After consulting with the doctor, the bout was ruled a no contest at 4:26 of Round 1 due to the accidental foul (reddit.com, arabnews.com, pflmma.com).

Here’s the twist: even with the no contest ruling, the PFL’s tournament rules dictate that judges select who showed the “most complete body of work” to determine who advances. In a controversial call, all three judges chose Romanov to advance—despite the bout never reaching a standard conclusion (pflmma.com).

* Romanov’s early dominance: He showcased elite wrestling control—body locks, suplexes, and ground pressure—putting Moldavsky on the defensive.
* Moldavsky’s resiliency: The former Bellator champ struck back with elbows and defense, shifting momentum late in the frame.
* Drama with a caveat: A groin strike disrupted what could’ve been a defining heavyweight showdown.
* Romanov advances: Despite the NC, PFL’s scoring gave him the edge to move on to the finals to face Oleg Popov (pflmma.com).

A clash that promised fireworks, only to be halted by misfortune. Romanov’s aggressive control and early domination earned him advancement, but the unresolved ending leaves a “what if” hanging over the matchup. Fans are left buzzing—will the rematch come? And can Romanov keep this momentum heading into the finals?