AJ McKee defeated Salamat Isbulayev by unanimous decision at PFL San Diego. Liz Carmouche submitted Viviane Araujo with a guillotine choke in Round 2, while Alexander Shabliy returned from a lengthy absence to beat Alfie Davis by unanimous decision. Hassan Magomeddsharipov, Rob Wilkinson, Jena Bishop, Sarvarjon Khamidov, Shannon Clark, and Koby Fehr also picked up victories on the card.
PFL San Diego delivered several notable performances on June 28, headlined by AJ McKee, Liz Carmouche, and Alexander Shabliy all leaving the cage with victories.
Carmouche, the 42-year-old American veteran fighting out of The Arena, picked up one of the night's most impressive finishes, submitting Viviane Araujo with a guillotine choke in the second round. Carmouche carries a 13-7 record and brings consistent grappling pressure to every outing, averaging 2.57 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a 54 percent accuracy rate. The finish added another submission to a career built on well-rounded finishing ability.
Araujo, a 39-year-old Brazilian ranked eighth in the women's flyweight division, entered the fight at 13-7 and had shown solid striking output across her career, averaging 3.84 significant strikes per minute. She was unable to avoid Carmouche's clinch work and ultimately surrendered the tap in round two.
McKee picked up a unanimous decision win over Salamat Isbulayev, continuing to build his resume in the PFL. Shabliy also earned a unanimous decision, defeating Alfie Davis in a welcome return from an extended layoff.
Why it matters
- Carmouche's finish over a ranked flyweight at 42 years old reinforces her standing as one of the division's most durable and dangerous competitors
- Shabliy's successful return from a lengthy absence signals he remains a factor in his division going forward
- McKee's decision win over Isbulayev keeps him active and in contention heading into the next stage of the PFL season
- Additional victories for Magomeddsharipov, Wilkinson, Bishop, Khamidov, Clark, and Fehr add depth to what was a full and competitive card in San Diego
