Loughnane 'better than ever' before PFL semi-final

Manchester's Brendan Loughnane says he is "not slowing down for anyone" as he bids to book his place in the 2024 PFL featherweight final on Friday in Washington DC.

Loughnane won the 2022 tournament to become the PFL's first British champion and faces Kai Kamaka III in the semi-finals of this year's series.

The 34-year-old won $1m (then £840,000) alongside the world title in 2022 and competes in his 35th pro fight against 29-year-old Kamaka.

Loughnane admitted in an interview with MMA Junkie, external in fight week he was in the "twilight of his career" but moved to dismiss the idea he was slowing down.

"I'm hearing stuff like twilight and [about] ages, I'm looking better than ever," Loughnane said after making weight for the featherweight bout.

"Twilight [of my career]? I'll show everyone what twilight is. I can't wait."

Loughnane is vastly more experienced than Hawaiian Kamaka, who has a record of 14 wins, five losses and one draw.

The Briton almost has more stoppages (17) than Kamaka has fights (20) and says his last two wins over Justin Gonzales and Pedro Carvalho were "two career best performances".

Should Loughnane beat Kamaka he will join English flyweight Dakota Ditcheva in the PFL finals in November.

Ditcheva, 26, has bulldozed her way into the finals with three successive stoppages in her first season on the PFL's American season.

Ditcheva can become Great Britain's first female MMA world champion with victory, while Loughnane is aiming to become England's first two-time PFL champion.