Brendan Loughnane focused on not repeating mistakes in the 2023 PFL season

Brendan Loughnane learned from the mistakes made in the 2023 PFL regular season.

Against all odds, 2022 PFL featherweight champion Loughnane (28-5 MMA, 10-2 PFL) was eliminated from the 2023 playoffs by eventual championship winner Jesus Pinedo, and he wants to make sure not happen again.

Following a controversial knockout of Pedro Carvalho in his first fight of the season that currently has him atop the featherweight rankings with six points, Loughnane is focused on staying locked in. While he’s in a good position now, he doesn’t. He wants to experience a repeat of last season, where he was left out of the PFL playoffs.

“Anything could happen right now,” Loughnane told MMA Junkie. “Only me and (Gabriel) Braga are the only two who finished. I don’t know how this will play out, but like last year, I think there was like a 10 percent chance that I wouldn’t make it (to the playoffs) even if I lost, and it happened. So, again, lessons learned.”

Justin Gonzales will share the cage with Loughnane in the main event of the 2024 PFL 6 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD. All the other featherweights on the card will look to secure their playoff spot, and some, including Gonzales (14-4 MMA, 0-1 PFL) who will enter with zero points, need to finish in the first round.

Loughnane is aware of what could happen, but has vowed not to let lightning affect his playoff hopes twice. He says that he has done everything correctly in training camp and has stayed healthy. Now, he’s all about doing the work inside the cage to make the playoffs and chase another $1 million payday.

“I was in the same position last year and I ended up getting knocked out,” Loughnane said. “I stopped looking at the ball before we were in the semi-finals, so I’ll make sure I don’t make that mistake again. I really learned from that experience, and I definitely haven’t taken my foot off the gas pedal or my eye off the ball, so I was looking forward to getting there.”