The PFL World Tournament in Atlantic City promised fireworks — and it delivered, though not all of them were in the cage. Early on the card, lightweight contender Kyle Driscoll edged Husein Kadimagomaev by split decision, and the reaction from fans was immediate: a wave of “robbery” tweets and heated scorecard debates.
The fight itself started technical. Kadimagomaev used long kicks to control range, but Driscoll found his shot, catching one of those kicks and dragging the Dagestani down. From there, Driscoll stayed heavy on top, even fishing for a front headlock as Kadimagomaev scrambled upright late in the round.
The second frame felt tighter. Driscoll stuck with his wrestling, hitting another takedown and smothering from the top. Kadimagomaev answered back, however, landing clean counters and punctuating the round with a head kick just before the horn — a sign momentum was shifting.
By Round 3, Kadimagomaev was surging. He battered Driscoll with body and low kicks, forcing the American into desperate shots. This time, Kadimagomaev reversed the scramble, finished the fight on top, and rained down strikes in the closing seconds. Many at cageside assumed the comeback sealed it for him.
Then came the scorecards. Two judges turned in dueling 30–27s — one for Driscoll, one for Kadimagomaev — with the deciding card reading 29–28 for Driscoll. The win sparked backlash, with fans calling it one of the night’s worst decisions and fighters chiming in that Kadimagomaev had done enough.
Officially, Driscoll leaves PFL World Tournament 8 with his hand raised, but the controversy won’t fade soon — and the calls for a rematch are already starting.
