While the PFL’s playoff structure has been set since June, the full lineup for the promotion’s upcoming events is now nearly complete.
Promotion officials today announced additional bouts for 2021 PFL Playoffs 1, which takes place Aug. 13 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The night’s playoff bouts air on ESPN2 and stream on ESPN+, while the non-playoff matchups will stream exclusively on ESPN+.
“Not only will 550 million MMA fans around the world witness win-or-go-home playoff action, but they will see some of the best fighters the PFL has to offer showcased,” PFL CEO Peter Murray stated.
Featured additions includes a lightweight contest include two-time PFL champion [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] (21-4-1) taking on 12-time UFC veteran [autotag]Olivier Aubin-Mercier[/autotag] (12-5), as well as Swedish PFL vet [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag] (9-5-2) facing 28-time UFC veteran [autotag]Gleison Tibau[/autotag] (35-15).
2021 PFL Playoffs 1 marks the first of three events for the promotion in a 15-day stretch, where the finalists will be set for the 2021 PFL world championship bouts, which will take place later this year.
“The excitement of the Professional Fighters League’s final four is unmatched in sports,” Murray stated. “The stakes for the fighters could not be higher as they compete for spots in the $1 million world championship bouts.”
The 2021 PFL Playoffs 1 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
- Ray Cooper III vs. Rory MacDonald – welterweight semifinal
- Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Joao Zeferino – welterweight semifinal
- Clay Collard vs. Raush Manfio – lightweight semifinal
- Alex Martinez vs. Loik Radzhabov – lightweight semifinal
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Natan Schulte
- Sadibou Sy vs. Gleison Tibau
- [autotag]Nikolay Aleksakhin[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Brett Cooper[/autotag]
- [autotag]Darrell Horcher[/autotag] vs. opponent TBA
- [autotag]Micah Terrill[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Magomed Umalatov[/autotag]
- [autotag]Kyron Bowen[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Michael Lombardo[/autotag]
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