LI's Chris Wade gets first career knockout win to clinch spot in PFL playoffs
Chris Wade celebrates his second round KO over Arman Ospanov during PFL 4 at Ocean Casino Resort on Thursday in Atlantic City, N.J. Credit: PFL MMA/Cooper Neill
Twenty-five fights into his mixed martial arts career, Islip’s Chris Wade finally accomplished what may have felt unachievable after 10 years – a knockout victory.
And with that striking-based stoppage came a guarantee that he’ll get a chance to go for a second knockout this August.
Wade stopped Arman Ospanov in the second round of their featherweight bout at PFL 4 on Thursday night at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City. Those five points in the regular-season finale gaive Wade eight total points for the season and secured him a spot in the PFL playoffs later this summer.
"Oh my god, the monkey that I just got off my back, you don’t even know," Wade said in his post-fight interview. "I’ve been waiting for one of those my whole career. To get it against such a tough striker, it’s just poetic justice."
Wade, the No. 2 seed, is currently set up to face No. 3 Bubba Jenkins (six points), but that could change. Two featherweight bouts scheduled for Thursday were moved to June 25 because of health issues. Brendan Loughnane is in first place with nine points.
In the second round, after getting dropped by Ospanov and outlasting the ensuing flurry of strikes, Wade kept moving forward. Midway through the second round, as both fighters stood in the pocket with each other, Wade (19-6) threw a right leg kick. Ospanov leaned to his left and Wade’s knee drilled him in the side of head. A stunned Ospanov was sent backward a few feet into the cage, and Wade followed up with several left hooks that sent the PFL newcomer from Kazakhstan face first into the canvas as referee Gary Copeland hurried in to end the fight.
"I’m a big boy at this weight," said Wade, who competed at lightweight until the season, his third, in the PFL. "I’m probably the biggest dude in this weight class, so it pays dividends for sure."
Ospanov (11-4) had the better of the striking in the first round as well. Wade landed some strikes, including a nice front kick to the face and two uppercuts, and had an early submission attempt. But, two judges scored the first round in favor of Ospanov.
Wade landed 29 of 53 (54.7%) strikes overall, with Ospanov connecting on 32 of 44 strikes (72.7%).
"Also, 25 fights into my career, no one has been able to put me away," Wade said. "So, I’m always going to be there in front of the guy, and I’m going to be fighting until the end each and every bout."
Mark La Monica is a deputy sports editor at Newsday. He also covers mixed martial arts.
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