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| (Image Source: Professional Fighters League) |
The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league in the world, officially announced the finalized fight cards for the second and third PFL Playoff events of 2023 live from The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on August 18 and 23, airing in the US on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ and worldwide on the league's international broadcast and digital streaming and distribution partners.
On August 18, PFL Playoff action will feature the Heavyweight and Women’s Featherweight divisions with Renan Ferreira set to take on Maurice Greene in a Heavyweight main event affair. Greene steps in to replace Marcelo Nunes who was forced to withdraw due to injury. In the co-main event, 2022 PFL Women’s Lightweight Champion Larissa Pacheco will look to advance to her second consecutive PFL Championship when she faces Olena Kolesnyk in a win-or-go-home matchup. PFL Playoff action continues on August 23 featuring the Lightweight and Welterweight divisions with top-seeded Lightweight Clay Collard matching up with Shane Burgos with a trip to the PFL World Championship on the line. In the co-main event, 2022 PFL Lightweight Champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier returns to the PFL SmartCage against Bruno Miranda. “We are thrilled to bring two 2023 PFL Playoff events back to New York City at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on August 18 and 23. Our athletes have worked all season long for this kind of opportunity, and sixteen fighters have the chance to punch their ticket to the 2023 PFL World Championship with a $1 million purse awaiting," said PFL President of Fighter Operations Ray Sefo.
August 18 PFL Playoff Event
ESPN Card
• Heavyweight Playoff Main Event: Renan Ferreira (2) vs. Maurice Greene (5)
• Women’s Featherweight Playoff Co-Main Event: Larissa Pacheco (1) vs. Olena Kolesnyk (4)
• Heavyweight Playoff Bout: Denis Goltsov (1) vs. Jordan Heiderman (4)
• Women’s Featherweight Playoff Bout: Marina Mokhnatkina (2) vs. Amber Leibrock (3)
• Showcase Bout: Nathan Kelly vs. Damion Nelson
ESPN+ Card
• Showcase Bout: Chris Mixan vs. Eddie George
• Showcase Bout: Abraham Bably vs. Anthony Wint
• Showcase Bout: Danilo Marques vs. Satoshi Ishii
• Showcase Bout: Laureano Staropoli vs. Ben Egli
• Showcase Bout: Kaytlin Neil vs. Maira Mazar
• Showcase Bout: Louie Sutherland vs. Daiqwon Buckley
August 23 PFL Playoff Event
ESPN Card
• Lightweight Playoff Main Event: Clay Collard (1) vs. Shane Burgos (4)
• Lightweight Playoff Co-Main Event: Olivier Aubin-Mercier (2) vs. Bruno Miranda (3)
• Welterweight Playoff Bout: Sadibou Sy (3) vs. Carlos Leal (2)
• Welterweight Playoff Bout: Magomed Magomedkerimov (1) vs. Magomed Umalatov (4)
• Amateur Bout: Biaggio Ali-Walsh vs. TBA
ESPN+ Card
• Showcase Bout: Alexei Pergande vs. Shawn Stefanelli
• Showcase Bout: Mostafa Rashed Neda vs. Korey Kuppe
• Showcase Bout: Abigail Montes vs. Michelle Montague
• Showcase Bout: Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. David Zelner
• Showcase Bout: John Caldone vs. Nathaniel Grimard
PFL is the #1 fastest growing company in MMA and the #2 MMA company on a worldwide basis. PFL is the only league in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year, making PFL a “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports. PFL fighter roster hails from over 20 countries and 25% of PFL fighters are independently ranked in the top 25 of their weight-class. The company leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience. The Company has four global live fight franchises: PFL League Season, PFL Challenger Series, PFL PPV Super Fights, and PFL Europe. PFL airs live in the U.S on ESPN and ESPN+ and is broadcast and streamed to 140 countries with 25 international leading media partners including DAZN, Stan Sport, Viacom18, RMC Sport, Globo, Star Times, FPT, CSM, DirectTV, ITV, and MBC. PFL has dozens of major brand sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, GEICO, Bose, US Marine Corps, and Celsius Energy Drink. PFL is backed by blue-chip investors including Ares, Luxor Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Knighthead, Legends, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is the growth sport of this decade with over 600 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demo of any sport, and true global revenue streams.
