PFL Playoffs Recap: Stevie Ray With Career-Defining Victory

Just as he promised, Stevie Ray got his hand raised Friday night at PFL Playoffs.

Ray scored a decision victory over former world champion Anthony Pettis in the main event. And with the win, moved into the $1 million lightweight final.

He will face another fellow former UFC fighter for that title and prize money, as Olivier Aubin-Mercier punched his own ticket to PFL Championships.

For Ray, this is a fight that will make his career moving forward. All he can do now is add to it.

The 32-year-old from Scotland not only improved to 25-10 overall, he improved to 2-0 all-time against Pettis, who previously held both the WEC and UFC titles.

Using his sound skills and overall grappling abilities, Ray was able to neutralize Pettis and keep “Showtime” from adding him to the highlight reel in front of the fans inside the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

And Ray also did so live on ESPN. Just like he did to close out the regular season when he locked up a modified twister on Pettis for the win.

Following a loss inside the Octagon in 2019, Ray stepped away from mixed martial arts. He announced his retirement after having issues with the UFC involving his contract.

That retirement would hold until 2022 when he debuted in the PFL. Ray came up short that night vs. Alexander Martinez, but he has been one of the hottest fighters in the world since.

With a win over Aubin-Mercier, Ray would add the PFL title to a resume that includes the BAMMA British lightweight championship, the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship lightweight title twice and both the Total Combat European welterweight and Scottish Fight Challenge welterweight titles.