STAR-ADVERTISER / 2018
Ray Cooper III, 28, improved to 23-7 in his MMA career.
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Pearl City’s Ray Cooper III will get a shot at a second $1 million prize in the Professional Fighters League.
Cooper, who took the big prize in the promotion’s 2019 season, beat former Bellator champion Rory MacDonald by unanimous decision in the welterweight division semifinals on Friday in Hollywood, Fla.
Cooper won 30-27 on all three scorecards.
Magomed Magomedkerimov beat Sadibou Sy in the other semifinal on Friday.
Cooper will get a shot at more than the money in his bout with Magomedkerimov on Oct. 27 on ESPN.
Magomedkerimov beat Cooper in the 2018 final and the former HHSAA wrestling champion has been looking for revenge ever since.
“This was my plan,” Cooper told ESPN. “I was gonna run through everybody and I get him next. He’s not gonna be able to get away this time.”
Cooper, 28, improved to 23-7 in his MMA career. MacDonald dropped to 22-8.