Ante Delija understands the value of last-man-standing scenarios.
The Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic protégé put away Matheus Scheffel with punches in the first round of their Professional Fighters League heavyweight final as part of the PFL Season Championships on Nov. 25, 2022 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Delija drew the curtain 2:50 into Round 1 and cashed in a life-altering $1 million payday.
Scheffel found a home for a few left hooks but could not keep the hulking 6-foot-5 Croatian at bay. Delija staggered the CM System product with a left hook of his own, pinned him to the fence with follow-up punches and connected with several straight rights that folded the Brazilian at the base of the cage and left referee Dan Miragliotta no choice but to intervene.