Borics Survived Kennedy’s Back Control
Adam Borics defeated Jeremy Kennedy by majority decision at PFL World Tournament 5 on June 12, 2025. The featherweight showcase at Nashville Municipal Auditorium ended with two 29–28 cards for Borics and a third judge scoring the contest 28–28.
A left hand created an early advantage
Borics opened with his jab, body attacks and an uppercut before a strong left hand dropped Kennedy. He followed with short punches and tried to improve his position on the ground.
Kennedy survived the danger and reversed late, escaping an arm-triangle threat before landing offense from above. The reversal ensured the round ended with both fighters having produced meaningful work.
Kennedy’s back control changed the second round
Kennedy immediately pursued a takedown after the restart and worked onto Borics’s back. A body triangle and repeated punches made escaping a difficult task.
Borics concentrated on defending his neck as Kennedy continued threatening the choke. Although the submission did not arrive, the sustained position gave Kennedy a much stronger round than his opening exchanges.
Takedown defense protected Borics’s closing offense
Borics returned to combinations and uppercuts in the third. Kennedy kept seeking clinches and takedowns, but Borics defended lifts, stayed upright and answered with elbows in close.
Late body kicks and punching combinations helped Borics finish actively. The narrow verdict returned him to winning form after his tournament-opening defeat to Jesus Pinedo, while Kennedy left without the rebound he sought after losing to Movlid Khaybulaev. Their showcase provided another competitive featherweight contest outside the semifinal bracket.
Sources
- PFL: knockdown, back control and closing takedown defense
- MMA Fighting: June 12 Nashville card and majority-decision result
- Sports Illustrated: individual decision totals
