2022 PFL Playoffs 2 predictions: Will Rory MacDonald roll into the $1 million welterweight final?

Matt Erickson
·2 min read

MacDonald
vs.
Taylor

Delija
vs.
Ferreira

Adams
vs.
Scheffel

Sy
vs.
Leal

MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
131-79

macdonald2022


MacDonald
(76%)

ferreira2022


Ferreira
(52%)

adams2022


Adams
(51%)

leal2022


Leal
(67%)

Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
143-72

trophy copy

2018 Champion

macdonald2022


MacDonald

delija2022


Delija

scheffel2022


Scheffel

leal2022


Leal

Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
139-76

macdonald2022


MacDonald

delija2022


Delija

scheffel2022


Scheffel

leal2022


Leal

Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
137-78

trophy copy

2014 Champion

macdonald2022


MacDonald

delija2022


Delija

scheffel2022


Scheffel

leal2022


Leal

Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
135-80

macdonald2022


MacDonald

ferreira2022


Ferreira

adams2022


Adams

sy2022


Sy

Simon Samano
@SJSamano
132-83

macdonald2022


MacDonald

ferreira2022


Ferreira

adams2022


Adams

sy2022


Sy

Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
131-84

macdonald2022


MacDonald

ferreira2022


Ferreira

adams2022


Adams

leal2022


Leal

Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
130-85

macdonald2022


MacDonald

delija2022


Delija

scheffel2022


Scheffel

leal2022


Leal

Nolan King
@mma_kings
127-88

taylor2022


Taylor

delija2022


Delija

scheffel2022


Scheffel

leal2022


Leal

Brian Garcia
@thegoze
126-89

trophy copy

2017 Champion

macdonald2022


MacDonald

delija2022


Delija

scheffel2022


Scheffel

leal2022


Leal

George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
117-98

macdonald2022


MacDonald

ferreira2022


Ferreira

adams2022


Adams

leal2022


Leal

Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
104-111

macdonald2022


MacDonald

ferreira2022


Ferreira

adams2022


Adams

leal2022


Leal

The PFL is back for the second of three sets of playoff semifinals. This week, welterweights and heavyweights are on the docket.

The 2022 PFL Playoffs 2 event takes place Saturday at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+ and ahead of post-lim qualifiers on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, No. 1 welterweight seed and former Bellator champion Rory MacDonald (23-9-1) meets late replacement Dilano Taylor (9-2). Taylor stepped in for Magomed Umalatov on Thursday after Umalatov had visa issues. MacDonald is -205 at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Taylor is +155. All but one of our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are siding with MacDonald to move on to the final.

At heavyweight, No. 2 Ante Delija (21-5) takes on No. 3 Renan Ferreira (9-3). It’s a pick’em fight at the betting window, and it’s close with our staff members, as well. Delija has the slimmest possible 6-5 lead in the picks.

In the other heavyweight semifinal, Juan Adams (10-4) stepped in Thursday as a late replacement for No. 1 seed Denis Goltsov. He’ll take on Matheus Scheffel (16-8), who himself was an alternate. Adams is a big -250 favorite, despite his late notice, but it’s Scheffel with a 6-5 narrow edge from our staff members.

And in the second welterweight semifinal on the main card, No. 2 seed Sadibou Sy (11-6-2) takes on Carlos Leal (17-3). Sy is a slim favorite at -120, but Leal has a major lead in the picks at 9-2.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, MacDonald (76 percent), Ferreira (52 percent), Adams (51 percent) and Leal (67 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2022 PFL Playoffs 2.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie

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