Rory MacDonald heads to Wales desperate to win PFL's $1m prize for family's future but must get past Umalatov first

RORY MACDONALD revealed his main goal is now to provide for his family as he eyes the Professional Fighters League's $1million prize.

MacDonald is into the PFL semi-finals and faces the unbeaten Magomed Umalatov on Saturday night in Cardiff.

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A win for the Canadian star will put him into the final fight, where the welterweight title belt and $1m cash prize is on the line.

Having reigned as champion in Bellator, and challenged for the UFC crown, MacDonald has little left to achieve.

But winning the life-changing cheque for his wife Olivia, daughter Maia and son Rocky remains a top priority now.

MacDonald, 33, told the New York Post: "I’d say it’s more about fighting for my family at this point in my career.

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"It’s not so much of an inner, selfish desire. It’s still there, that part of it of achieving goal,; it’s there.

"But the other part of it is providing for my family. And that’s probably the biggest draw for me."

The PFL is MMA's only league format, consisting of a two-bout regular season and then a knockout playoff stage.

Fighters in each division earn points per method of victory in the opening two fights, with the top four qualifying.

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MacDonald beat Brett Cooper, 35, in his opener to earn six points but then lost to Sadibou Sy, 35, in July.

Still, his first-round submission was enough to qualify him into the last four in Wales, where 12-0 Umalatov, 30, awaits.

It is MacDonald's second season, but his first qualifying into the knockout stages.

He said: "I think the longevity of stretching out your training camps and trying to not peak too early, too often and then have a big fall down.

"I felt pretty drained last year. I mean, it’s still hard this year, but I think I’ve kept a better pace throughout the regular season going into the playoffs."

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