Gamid Khizriev gets Michael Boylan at PFL Chicago, 3 months after his twister
Gamid Khizriev has his second PFL assignment. The unbeaten lightweight, 5-0, meets Michael Boylan, 6-1, at PFL Chicago on Friday October 16 at the Wintrust Arena. The promotion announced the bout on Monday September 21, 2 months after Khizriev’s twister against Biaggio Ali Walsh and 6 weeks after Boylan’s first career loss.
Key takeaways
- Gamid Khizriev (5-0) faces Michael Boylan (6-1) at lightweight at PFL Chicago on October 16 at the Wintrust Arena.
- Khizriev submitted Biaggio Ali Walsh with a twister at 2:32 of round 1 in his PFL debut in Austin on July 18.
- Boylan, 25, lost a split decision to Landry Ward at PFL Charlotte on August 7, the only defeat of his career.
Gamid Khizriev after the twister
A debut people still talk about
Khizriev arrived in the PFL on July 18 in Austin and left with a finish almost nobody sees at the top level. He caught Biaggio Ali Walsh in a twister, a spinal lock taken from the back, and the fight was over at 2:32 of the first round. The promotion used that image to sell this booking, and it is easy to see why.
The profile behind the highlight
The Dagestani lightweight fights out of Makhachkala and came up through UAE Warriors before the PFL signed him. His wins lean heavily on the ground: submissions make up most of his record, with a triangle choke and an armbar among the finishes before the twister.
Why the second fight matters more
A spectacular debut buys attention, not a ranking. Against Boylan, Khizriev faces a slightly taller opponent who has already been 3 rounds in the SmartCage, which is exactly the kind of test that shows whether the grappling holds up when the first takedown does not land.
Michael Boylan answers his first loss
A split decision in Charlotte
Boylan came to PFL Charlotte on August 7 unbeaten and left 6-1. Landry Ward took the split decision, 30-27 on 2 cards and 28-29 on the third, so the Iowa lightweight was one judge away from staying perfect.
A finisher, not a points fighter
Before Ward, none of Boylan’s wins had needed the judges. He has 4 wins by knockout or TKO and 2 by submission, and his last fight before the PFL was a first round TKO of Mike Lindquist in November 2025.
A quick turnaround
Boylan, known as The Ninja, will step back into the cage barely 10 weeks after that loss. At 25, he gets a direct route back: beat an unbeaten name that the promotion is clearly pushing, and the Charlotte result becomes a detail.
A Twister inside the cage is always a sight to see especially in your PFL debut. Gamid Khizriev returns on Friday, October 16th as he faces Michael Boylan as the PFL returns to Chicago!
The rest of PFL Chicago
A title at the top
Liz Carmouche and Jena Bishop headline the night for the inaugural PFL women’s flyweight title, in a rematch. The co-main event is another rematch, Timur Khizriev against Gabriel Braga at featherweight. The early card starts at 6 p.m. ET and the main card at 11 p.m. ET.
2 Khizriev on one card
That makes 2 fighters named Khizriev at the Wintrust Arena on the same night, both unbeaten and both from Dagestan, one in the co-main event and one on the lightweight undercard.
Follow the card with real numbers
Records, finish rates and our weekly ratings for every PFL lightweight are kept up to date in the FightHub app. Download it to compare Khizriev and Boylan before October 16.
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