An unbeaten Russian fighter scored a wild, last second knockout to win the chance to compete for a $1 million payday on December 31

• Ali Isaev, a Russian wrestler, came-from-behind to win a buzzer-beating knockout on Thursday.
• Isaev is one of 12 fighters competing for a million dollar payday on December 31.
• The PFL Championships take place at the end of the year and will make six champions much richer.
• Watch Isaev's finish below.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ali Isaev, a Russian wrestler, scored a wild, dramatic, buzzer-beating knockout win over his opponent Denis Goltsov at Professional Fighters League 9 (PFL) to become one of 12 athletes competing for a $1 million payday at the end of the year.

Isaev fought twice in one night Thursday to win a place at the PFL 10 event on December 31 at the Hulu Theater, Madison Square Garden, New York. Earlier in the evening he had beaten Kelvin Tiller by decision.

Isaev needed the finish, which he scored with just one second left on the clock, as he may well have been trailing on the cards after an edgy fight with Goltsov.

Watch it here:

He is now in one of the six million dollar bouts on New Year's Eve.

Here are the December 31 fights in full:

1. Women's lightweight - Kayla Harrison vs. Larissa Pacheco
2. Welterweight - David Michaud vs. Ray Cooper III
3. Featherweight - Lance Palmer vs. Daniel Pineda
4. Lightweight - Natan Schulte vs. Loik Radzhabov
5. Light Heavyweight - Emiliano Sordi vs. Jordan Johnson
6. Heavyweight - Ali Isayev vs. Jared Rosholt

The December 31 event caps the second year for fledgling MMA firm PFL

PFL says it operates differently than other mixed martial arts firms like the market-leading UFC, ONE Championship, and Bellator, which has expanded its reach into Europe.

While those three MMA firms operate on a ranking system, PFL runs on a season format which mirrors leagues like the NFL and NBA.

PFL co-founder Donn Davis and company CEO Peter Murray told Business Insider about the difference between their business, and the others.

"They have to have fighting credentials to get into the PFL," Murray said. "This year we had 68 fighters. We had 15 countries represented on the roster. It's a meritocracy. Fighters earn their way.

"They get two guaranteed fights in the regular season from May through August, then come the playoffs in October, fighters have the opportunity to make their way into a Championship where each champion will win $1 million in their respective weight class.

"There haven't been many MMA athletes who have fought for more than $1 million in one night and we have an event where we have six of those."

Davis also told us that while Bellator, as an example, is in the free agent business, attracting big-name athletes like Cris Cyborg when their respective contracts expire, PFL is in the star-building business.

Davis said the rises of Magomed Magomedkerimov and Kayla Harrison in particular are testament to their star-building ability. "We make stars," he said.

While Magomedkerimov did not advance to the million dollar finals on December 31, Harrison, the jewel in PFL's roster did, and will fight Larissa Pacheco for the women's lightweight championship on New Year's Eve.

Read more:

Wladimir Klitschko is plotting a spectacular boxing comeback, and he wants to break an old heavyweight record

Ireland's next top boxer has a rare shot at retribution after losing at the Olympics because of a 'fixed' fight: 'It's personal for my career, my legacy'

An Irish boxer is challenging Conor McGregor to 'stay sober' long enough so they can end their war of words and fight for a world title

The real Tyson Fury is quiet, shy, and introverted, according to an Irish boxer who knows him well

Conor McGregor is linked with comeback bouts against 4 fighters only weeks after being considered an 'irrelevant' has-been

A second successive loss could finish Carl Frampton, but he fights to be called Ireland's greatest boxer: 'It's make or break'