PFL has confirmed that Corey Anderson and AJ McKee have been matched for returns to the cage as they look to smooth over relations with their top fighters.
McKee and Anderson are two outspoken major names coming over to PFL from Bellator as a result of last year’s buyout, and both have been keen to return to the cage. Now, they are both getting the chance to compete in South Africa on July 19.
The pair join Dakota Ditcheva and Johnny Eblen on the debut of PFL Africa at the Grand Arena in GrandWest South Africa. Elsewhere on the night the promotion will debut their PFL Africa tournament.
Corey Anderson and AJ McKee book PFL returns
Following a lengthy time on the sidelines, the final Bellator light-heavyweight champion Corey Anderson has landed himself a fight. He moves up to heavyweight to take on the 2024 Global Season champion Denis Goltsov.
Meanwhile, McKee faces the 11-1 Akhmed Magomedov in his return to featherweight after losing to Paul Hughes on the undercard of Francis Ngannou’s comeback last year. Magomedov is on a solid run, last winning against Nathan Kelly back in January.
The two former champions join the returns of Dakota Ditcheva and Johnny Eblen on a massive ‘Champions Series’ event. Ditcheva faces Sumiko Inaba, while Eblen defends against Costello Van Steenis in the co-headliners of the event.
The show will be a double-header, with the Champions Series headlining after an opening card full of opening round matchups for the PFL Africa tournament.
PFL Africa tournament features debut of Juliet Ukah; first African woman signed to PFL Africa
The show features a host of PFL Africa tournament openers, including hard-hitting heavyweights. But one fight that will excite fans will be the debut of undefeated prospect Juliet Ukah from Lagos, Nigeria, who is the first African woman signed to the ‘PFL Africa’ banner.
Ukah is 6-0 as a professional thus far, and takes on South African prospect Ceileigh Niedermayr. The Durban native is 3-2 as a professional, with a barn burner of a fight expected between two women looking to make history.
Ukah is not only a professional fighter, but she is also a member of the Nigerian Police Force since 2018. She balances her job with her fighting career, and is keen to make a big impact on a stacked double-header in South Africa.