Mitch McKee Dominates Sergio Pettis in PFL Chicago Showdown

Chicago, IL – April 11, 2026 – The Professional Fighters League (PFL) delivered an electrifying night of fights in Chicago, culminating in a stellar main event at Wintrust Arena.

Mitch McKee (11-0) maintained his undefeated record, securing a unanimous decision win against the top-ranked Sergio Pettis (25-8). McKee, a two-time NCAA Division I All-American, effectively employed his wrestling prowess to counter Pettis' strategy, demonstrating multiple submission threats against the former Bellator champion.

This significant victory over the division's leading bantamweight contender is expected to propel McKee into the Top 10 of the upcoming rankings.

In the co-main event, a compelling grappling battle unfolded between two-time NCAA Division II Champion Raufeon Stots (21-4) and the undefeated No. 6-ranked Renat Khavalov (12-0). The closely contested bout saw both fighters achieve success and inflict damage from dominant positions.

The most impactful moment occurred in the third round when Stots landed a powerful knee that momentarily dropped Khavalov. Despite this, all three judges scored the fight in favor of Khavalov, who continues his undefeated streak.

In a featured bout between seasoned UFC veterans, No. 10-ranked Viviane Araujo (13-7) and Shanna Young (11-8) engaged in a competitive fifteen-minute war. Araujo ultimately seized control, earning a unanimous decision victory (30-27 on all scorecards) in her PFL debut.

The main card commenced with a featherweight matchup between No. 4-ranked Gabriel Braga (17-3) and Cheyden Leialoha (11-3). Leialoha initially utilized strong grappling to stifle Braga's striking offense. However, Braga weathered the early storm and asserted dominance in the second and third rounds, clinching a unanimous decision win.

The scheduled middleweight bout between No. 5-ranked Jordan Newman (8-0) and No. 6-ranked Josh Silveira (15-5) was canceled due to Newman's withdrawal.

PFL Chicago Main Card Results:

• Mitch McKee def. #1-Sergio Pettis via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• #6-Renat Khavalov def. #2-Raufeon Stots via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• #10-Viviane Araujo def. Shanna Young via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• #4-Gabriel Braga def. Cheyden Leialoha via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary Card Results:

• #7-Jena Bishop def. Borena Tsertsvadze via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:21 of round one
• #9-Omar El Dafrawy def. James Vake via KO at 1:12 of round one
• #6-Paulina Wisniewska def. #8-Kana Watanabe via TKO (strikes) at 3:15 of round two
• Alexandr Romanov def. #6-Rodrigo Nascimento via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:10 of round two
• Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Dash Harris via TKO (punches) at :44 of round one
• Valanti Atsas def. Nate Jennerman via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)