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          Jackson taps Koreshkov at PFL World Tournament; Pinedo rolls

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          Jason Jackson claims victory via submission (1:03)

          Jason Jackson locks in the submission on Andrey Koreshkov in the second round and earns the victory in the main event. (1:03)

          • Brett OkamotoApr 4, 2025, 12:26 AM ET
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              Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
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          The PFL debuted a new format Thursday with the opening round of its 2025 World Tournament in Orlando, Florida. Jason Jackson made sure the event was a memorable one.

          Jackson (19-5) submitted Andrey Koreshkov (28-6) via rear-naked choke at 4 minutes, 21 seconds of the second round of their welterweight matchup. It was a dominant performance by Jackson, marred only by an elbow to the back of Koreshkov's head shortly before the finish. Referee Keith Peterson ruled the elbow accidental, and Koreshkov managed to continue. Jackson quickly took him down on the restart and finished the bout.

          "It wasn't intentional," Jackson said of the illegal blow. "I saw the target and when it landed, he kind of shifted his head. I felt bad, but hey, it's a fight. Stuff happens."

          The victory sends Jackson, a former champion with Bellator MMA, to the World Tournament semifinals in June. The tournament concludes with a series of finals matchups across eight weight classes in August. It's the first time the PFL has relied on a tournament as its primary format. The promotion had previously structured its schedule with regular-season matchups, followed by a single-elimination playoffs.

          Jackson was called upon to headline the first event of the year for good reason. The 34-year-old Jamaican won a title in Bellator in 2023 and has taken out notable fighters in Benson Henderson, Paul Daley and Douglas Lima.

          He looked sharp Thursday, attacking Koreshkov's lead leg with kicks and controlling him on the ground for extended periods of time.

          Thad Jean (9-0), an undefeated prospect out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will fight Jackson in the semifinals. Jean punched his ticket through the opening round with a first-round knockout of Mukhamed Berkhamov on Thursday. The other side of the welterweight bracket will feature Logan Storley (17-3) vs. Masayuki Kikuiri (11-2-1).

          Another standout was Peruvian featherweight Jesus Pinedo (24-6-1), who advanced to the semifinals by knocking out Adam Borics (19-3). Pinedo will face Gabriel Braga (16-2) in the semifinals, while former PFL champion Movlid Khaybulaev (22-0-1) will face South Korea's Tae Kyu Kim (11-1). Khaybulaev advanced with a split decision victory, while Kim submitted Ireland's Nathan Kelly.

          The World Tournament's opening round will continue over three more PFL events in the coming weeks, all located at Universal Studios Florida.