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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 ten-fight card for the first Playoff event of 2023 featuring semifinalists in the Featherweight and Light Heavyweight divisions. The event will be hosted at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, USA on August 4, 2023 and air in the US on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ and worldwide via league's various international broadcast and digital partners.
The PFL’s debut in San Antonio will be headlined by top-seeded Featherweight Bubba “Bad Man” Jenkins who will take on Jesus Pinedo. Jenkins is looking to advance to the PFL Featherweight Championship finals and capture his first title and million-dollar purse. Standing across the PFL SmartCage will be Pinedo, who shocked the MMA world after stopping 2022 PFL Featherweight Champion Brendan Loughnane to advance to the win-or-go-home PFL Playoffs. The co-main event will feature top seeded Light Heavyweight Josh Silveira, son of legendary MMA coach Conan Silveira, in a matchup against Ty Flores. Silveira was a 2022 PFL Challenger Series competitor who brings an impressive 11-1 record into his second PFL Playoff appearance. “We are excited to kick off the 2023 PFL Playoffs in San Antonio at the Boeing Center at Tech Port. This is what that the PFL athletes have worked for all season, a Playoff opportunity and the chance to advance to the PFL World Championship,” said PFL President of Fighter Operations Ray Sefo.
In a battle of undefeated Featherweights, Gabriel Braga will face Movlid Khaybulaev. Khaybulaev, 2021 PFL Featherweight Champion, is seeking his 22nd career victory and a return trip to the PFL World Championship, while Braga is looking for his first $1 million opportunity. Rounding out the Playoff matchups will be a Light Heavyweight matchup between Marthin Hamlet and Impa Kasanganay. It’s a win-or-go-home scenario as both athletes will be looking to make their first PFL World Championship appearances.
ESPN Card
• Bubba Jenkins vs. Jesus Pinedo
• Josh Silveira vs. Ty Flores
• Gabriel Braga vs. Movlid Khaybulaev
• Marthin Hamlet vs. Impa Kasanganay
• Elvin Espinoza vs. Keoni Diggs
ESPN+ Card
• Thad Jean vs. Ali Omar
• Desiree Yanez vs. Lisa Mauldin
• Satoshi Ishi vs. Danilo Marques
• Chelsea Hackett vs. Ky Bennett
• Billy Elekana vs. Chuck Campbell
PFL is the #1 fastest growing company in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) 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. 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.
