PFL champion Ray Cooper III's 2020 hit list includes Magomed Magomedkerimov, Rory MacDonald
Ray Cooper III has his eyes on multiple matchups for the upcoming PFL season.
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Ray Cooper III has his eyes on multiple matchups for the upcoming PFL season.
Cooper (20-7-1 MMA, 7-2-1 PFL) won the 2019 welterweight season, capturing the title and $1 million dollars.
Heading into the semifinals, Cooper was matched up with Magomed Magomedkerimov, who beat him in the 2018 finals, but an injury forced Magomedkerimov out, and Cooper never got his shot at redemption.
Instead, he faced Chris Curtis, whom he knocked out, leading to a showdown in the final with David Michaud. Cooper also took out Michaud in Round 2, and was crowned the season’s champion.
Cooper had contemplated a move up to middleweight last season, but is ultimately glad that he stuck around at 170 pounds. Though he missed out on facing Magomedkerimov in the semi-finals, he hopes to get the opportunity to run things back this season.
“It didn’t come through and I still had a bone to pick with Magomed, but obviously I didn’t get to get that matchup,” Cooper told MMA Junkie. “I’m glad I stayed at 170 and finished what I started in 2018.”
Another name Cooper is targeting is the newly signed Rory MacDonald, and he has a specific reason for wanting to fight him.
“That’s my main concern right now with Rory MacDonald entering the season, but whoever they put in front of me, I’m going to go out there in the same way I go out there and take them out. But with Rory, it’s kind of personal. He took out B.J. Penn, and I’m going to get him back for that.”
With the PFL currently on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak, the promotion is yet to determine a date for the next event.