After having to cancel their 2020 season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the PFL is back in 2021. Last week they revealed their lightweight and featherweight rosters and now we know what that promotions’ welterweight and light heavyweight tournaments will look like.
For the 170lbers, all of whom will be vying for a one million dollar prize, Rory MacDonald leads the way as far as notoriety. The former UFC title challenger and Bellator welterweight champion joined PFL last year, but had his debut scuppered by the COVID-forced cancellations.
Competing with MacDonald for the prize will be Ray Cooper III (who was a finalist in PFL’s first season and the winner of its second season), Magomed Magomedkerimov (who beat Cooper to win the first season), Nikolay Aleksakhin (former ONE title challenger and Fight Nights Global champion), David Michaud (who lost to Cooper in last season’s final), Sadibou Sy and Joao Zeferino.
The light heavyweight bracket includes last season’s champion Emiliano Sordi and runner-up Jordan Johnson.Joining those two are TUF/UFC veterans Chris Camozzi, Cezar Ferreira and Tom Lawlor. Rounding out that division are Daniel Spohn (ex UFC and Bellator), Jordan Young (ex Bellator), Marthin Nielsen (former Cage Warriors title challenger) and Smealinho Rama (former WSOF heavyweight champion).
PFL’s 2021 season will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+ with events airing on April 23, April 29, May 6, June 10, June 17 and June 25.
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