An MMA bout can go in unexpected ways. And the bout between Alexei Pergande and Mike Bardsley at the 2025 PFL World Tournament showcased just that. The bout was proof that even after landing significant and powerful strikes, winning via knockout might not be possible. And despite surviving tremendous hits that would’ve sent many to the dream realm, one can still lose the bout. Nevertheless, a victory or a defeat didn’t really matter as long as the fighters managed to keep the fans entertained throughout their bout, don’t you agree? 

As the fight between Pergande and Bardsley proceeded, the fighter from Tennessee landed a massive right overhead on his opponent’s face. It was expected, but watching Bardsley wobble around was something that worried the fans. But it was he jumping back into action that won the fans’ hearts. He showcased commendable fighting spirit while going against the visibly faster, stronger, and younger opponent. But the overhead right wasn’t the only blow that the 31-year-old survived. 

Later in the second round, the 24-year-old featherweight contender sent a flying knee towards Bardsley. But instead of wobbling back or dropping down, he bounced back into action with a mighty right swing. Unfortunately, the punch missed its target, creating an opening for Pergande. And in the end, Alexei Pergande defeated Mike Bardsley via a unanimous decision. Pergande remained undefeated with 6 wins under his belt. Meanwhile, Bardsley’s record now read 5-2. No doubt, Dana White might probably hire them both if he had a chance. After all, he has already brought in a handful of ex-PFL fighters into the UFC’s roster. 

Soon, the visuals of the punch that wobbled Bardsley went viral on the internet after PFL shared the same on X. The caption of the post read, “Pergande gives him the wobbles with a lethal right hand!” And as soon as the post crossed the threshold of the social media platform, the fans swooped in and revealed their thoughts. Let’s see what they had to say.

PFL leaves the MMA community flabbergasted as Alexei Pergande sends Mike Bardsley wobbling

Almost every single fight fan was left baffled at the visuals shared by PFL. One fan weighed in on the recovery time that the referee gave Bardsley after he wobbled back. The comment read, “I’ve never seen a fouler get severely rocked right when the ref pauses the fight. Always something crazy in MMA.” Meanwhile, many claimed that it was nothing short of a crazy sequence. One fan wrote, “Absolutely bananaland sequence here. WTF.” 

Some of the fans questioned the timeout, believing that it was seemingly unnecessary. A fan added, “Why did they just give him a 20 second break to chicken dance??? Lmaooo.” One more fan commented, “LOL he got lucky AF landing that n–shot and forcing the time out.” But the fans united on one thing. Pergande was a force to be reckoned with. One fan wrote, “If AP put half the energy into actually sitting down and being vicious he’d be exciting. I’m not a fan of this running away shit when you’re hurting your opponent off the back foot. That looks like you’re carrying your opponent imo..that’s corny.” Another fan commented, “alexei is sick.”

For a few fans, it was like watching Pergande go through a sparring session. While it’s a tough fight to watch, Pergande was the one who always dominated. A fan reflected on this and wrote, “Another Pergande sparring session against a bum. Always a tough watch.” However, there were a few fans who were oblivious to the PFL event. One of them commented, “hold on there was an event tonight?” 

What do you think of the massive blows from Pergande? Do you think Bardsley can withstand the blows from the UFC featherweights after his performance at the 2025 PFL World Tournament? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.