HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Marthin Hamlet envisioned himself being in the 2021 PFL light heavyweight final, but perhaps not in the way he got it done.
The Norwegian fighter earned a shot at winning $1 million and the 2021 PFL light heavyweight belt by stopping Brazil’s Cezar Ferreira in the main card of Friday’s 2021 PFL Playoffs 3. Hamlet (8-2) stopped Ferreira 13 seconds into their bout, winning via TKO.
The 2021 PFL Playoffs 3 took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The main card aired on ESPN2 and ESPN+ with the prelims exclusively on ESPN+.
Hamlet’s victory was odd, as Ferreira collapsed in pain seconds into the fight, prior to Hamlet ground-and-pounding his way into the final. After throwing a kick, Ferreira grabbed his plant leg and fell to the canvas screaming.
Hamlet was confused, almost to the point of disbelief.
“I gave him the kick, he gave me a kick back, and then I saw he was lying down screaming and it doesn’t feel real, it doesn’t feel real,” Hamlet told MMA Junkie. “So I followed up with punches, and he screamed, ‘Just stop, just stop.’ I was like, ‘Is this real? I’m in the final?’ So yeah, it is what it is.”
Watch Hamlet in the video above talk about his win over Ferreira, his final bout against Antonio Carlos Junior on Oct. 27, and more.