Khavalov Survived Stots’s Late Knee to Stay Unbeaten
Renat Khavalov defeated Raufeon Stots by unanimous decision on April 11, 2026, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Three identical 29–28 cards preserved Khavalov’s unbeaten record after a bantamweight contest that remained competitive through the final round.
The matchup and early action
Stots entered as a former Bellator interim champion with a long history of high-level wrestling and championship opposition. Khavalov brought an 11–0 record and an opportunity to establish himself against one of the division’s best-known contenders.
Both fighters weighed 136 pounds at the official weigh-in. Their meeting therefore proceeded within the non-title bantamweight allowance and required three scheduled five-minute rounds.
The decisive developments
The contest included successful grappling phases and damaging moments for both men. Khavalov had to negotiate the veteran’s experience rather than simply imposing an uncontested wrestling advantage from the outset.
Stots produced a major late moment with a knee that dropped Khavalov in the third. The unbeaten fighter survived, and the action continued to the final horn without a stoppage.
What the result meant
All three judges nevertheless preferred Khavalov by two rounds to one. The victory improved him to 12–0, while Stots’s record became 21–4 after the close full-distance assignment.
Mitch McKee also defeated former Bellator champion Sergio Pettis on the same card. Together, the results gave two undefeated bantamweights major wins against established names, with Khavalov’s success particularly notable for surviving a dangerous late exchange before collecting the decision.
Sources
- PFL press release: Chicago results
- PFL: official weigh-in results
- Cageside Press: result and divisional stakes
