2021 PFL Championship Finals: Bruno Cappelozza beats Ante Delija In A Heavyweight War
The heavyweights of the PFL came to play, as Bruno Cappelozza defeated Ante Delija in a back and forth affair to become the 2021 PFL Heavyweight Champion.
In a fight that saw Cappelozza and Delija combine for 189 strikes, the former’s durability was key here. The crowd would end up giving both a standing ovation.
This was a two-part story, as the beginning of the fight was nothing but exciting action. It almost ended early, as Delija was rocked by a crisp right, and Cappelozza pounced. He started pounding away and landed big elbows, but the fight wouldn’t end just like that. Delija got back up and started swinging himself, putting Cappelozza against the cage before the first ended.
LETS GOOOO! A HEAVYWEIGHT WAR!#PFLChampionship LIVE NOW
—- ESPN2 & ESPN
— https://t.co/WfOt9XBfzk pic.twitter.com/512X3OAyxy— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 28, 2021
Round two had even more wild moments, as Cappelozza started off by putting Delija against the cage. He avoided a takedown, and by this point had over 90 strikes compared to Delija’s seven. Delija would land combos and put Cappelozza down to the floor this time. He landed hammer shots and straight punches that excited the crowd inside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Delija would try a choke but Cappelozza countered into one of his own. He ended up on the back of Delija. An old-school face-off ended the round.
This Fight has been INSANE!#PFLChampionship LIVE NOW
—- ESPN2 & ESPN
— https://t.co/WfOt9XBfzk pic.twitter.com/ynBhV9CCrm— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 28, 2021
Cappelozza started the third with a flurry of shots and a flying knee. Delija wasn’t impressed and landed big blows of his own. The two giants were tied up against the cage, recovering while trying to tire the other one out. Round four was more. of the same, but Cappelozza would hold onto his momentum. He would slam Delija down before the end of that round and would do the same in the fifth.
Ante Delija shakes off Bruno!#PFLChampionship LIVE NOW
—- ESPN2 & ESPN
— https://t.co/WfOt9XBfzk pic.twitter.com/cH41itTyF5— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 28, 2021
Both times Delija got up, and each time the fans cheered. By the end of the final bell, fans got to witness two fighters put it all on the line.
Cappelozza is now on a four-fight win streak, beating Delija twice in the same tournament. His win did have a taste of sadness, however, as he was told after the bout that his father passed away last Sunday. He wasn’t told so he could focus on the fight.
Delija is now 2-2 in his last four fights.
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