Fabian Edwards Tops Josh Silveira in PFL 7 Main Event as Pettis, Cauley Also Shine in Chicago

PFL 7 delivered an action-packed night of fights from the Wintrust Center in Chicago, featuring high-stakes matchups and a mix of rising stars and seasoned veterans. Headlined by the middleweight semifinal between Fabian Edwards and Josh Silveira, the event helped shape the playoff picture while offering a glimpse into the future of several PFL divisions.

In the main event, Fabian Edwards emerged victorious with a unanimous decision win over Josh Silveira, scoring 29-28 on all three judges’ scorecards. Edwards, who came into the fight having won three of his last five, showcased superior striking and movement across all three rounds. Silveira had his moments, especially in the grappling exchanges, but couldn’t gain enough momentum to sway the judges. The win advances Edwards further in the middleweight tournament and reinforces his status as a legitimate contender.

The co-main event featured a clash between Sullivan Cauley and former Bellator light heavyweight champion Phil Davis. In what many considered an upset, Cauley defeated Davis via unanimous decision with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28. The 27-year-old Cauley, known for his wrestling background, controlled the pace and stuffed several of Davis’ takedown attempts, signaling a potential passing of the torch in the light heavyweight division.

Also on the main card, former Bellator bantamweight champion Sergio Pettis continued his return to form with a solid performance against Raufeon Stots. Pettis earned a unanimous decision win (29-28 x3), using slick footwork and sharp counters to edge out the explosive Stots.

Dalton Rosta took a narrow split decision win over Aaron Jeffery (29-28 x2, 27-30) in a competitive middleweight fight, while Antonio Carlos Junior edged out Simeon Powell via unanimous decision (29-28 x3), displaying his grappling prowess and endurance in a closely contested bout.

On the preliminary card, a much-anticipated heavyweight bout between Valentin Moldavsky and Alexandr Romanov ended in a no-contest due to a groin strike that forced Moldavsky out of the fight at 4:26 in Round 1. Romanov, however, moves forward in the tournament bracket by default.

One of the most surprising finishes came when Ronnie Gibbs submitted Biaggio Ali Walsh—the grandson of Muhammad Ali—with a slick arm-triangle choke in Round 2 at 2:45. It was a strong showing for Gibbs and a setback for Ali Walsh, who had been gaining momentum on the prelim circuit.

Elsewhere, Oleg Popov delivered a dominant performance against Rodrigo Nascimento, earning a clean 30-27 unanimous decision, while Rafael Xavier made short work of Karl Albrektsson, scoring a first-round TKO just 27 seconds into the fight—one of the night’s fastest finishes.

With a blend of technical excellence, dramatic finishes, and rising prospects making statements, PFL 7 lived up to expectations. As the playoffs near, fighters like Edwards, Cauley, and Pettis have positioned themselves as key names to watch moving forward.