St. Louis Escaped Berkhamov’s Early Control
Kendly St. Louis submitted Mukhamed Berkhamov in the third round at PFL World Tournament 5 on June 12, 2025. The rear-naked choke at 3:21 completed a welterweight showcase at Nashville Municipal Auditorium after several changes of position.
Berkhamov finished the opening round in control
The fighters traded punches and low kicks before Berkhamov began pursuing takedowns. St. Louis returned upright after an early attempt and later threatened a guillotine during another exchange.
Berkhamov escaped, worked through side control and eventually reached mount. Punches, elbows and hammerfists from above gave him a strong conclusion to the opening five minutes.
The second round brought more competitive grappling
St. Louis connected with a right hand early, but Berkhamov answered and secured another takedown. A leg attack helped St. Louis change position, and both men then worked through a prolonged clinch battle.
They traded control against the cage, with knees, elbows and attempted trips punctuating the exchanges. Neither could turn that stretch into a finishing opportunity.
A back take finally produced the decisive opening
St. Louis renewed his pressure in the third and again looked for a guillotine. Berkhamov defended, but a subsequent takedown allowed St. Louis to reach his back.
With a body triangle in place, St. Louis mixed punches with choke attempts before securing the tap. The victory extended his winning streak to eight and gave him a finish over a submission specialist who had previously competed against several established PFL welterweights.
Sources
- PFL: early mount, clinch reversals and final back take
- MMA Fighting: June 12 Nashville bout and official 3:21 submission
- Sports Illustrated: independent confirmation of the rear-naked choke
