Loughran's PFL debut ends in disappointment against late replacement opponent

CAOLAN Loughran's much-anticipated PFL debut ended in disappointment on Friday night, as the Kildress man suffered a narrow decision loss to Jack Cartwright at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

The 27-year-old bantamweight entered the Smart Cage riding the momentum of a high-profile win at UFC London, where he defeated Nathan Fletcher in March..

Despite that victory, Loughran opted not to renew his UFC contract, instead making the move to join the Professional Fighters League just weeks later.

Originally set to face European champion Lewis McGrillen, Loughran accepted a late change in opponent, squaring off instead with fellow former Cage Warriors titleholder Cartwright. That decision proved costly, as Cartwright edged the contest with a 29-28 unanimous decision across the judges’ scorecards.

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