It’s fight week for PFL, though the card is one fight less than expected.
Spotlighted amateur prospect [autotag]Melissa Balic[/autotag] is out of 2024 PFL 4 due to injury. Two people, including a promotion official, recently informed MMA Junkie of the situation.
Balic (0-0) was expected to fight [autotag]Kristina Katsikis[/autotag] (1-2) in a flyweight showcase bout on the preliminary card Thursday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The fight has been scrapped.
Balic, 26, has a 3-1 amateur record with a handful of amateur kickboxing bouts prior. Balic is a New York native and member of Tiger Schulmann’s Martial Arts, a gym that encourages fighters to begin with kickboxing bouts. Balic was heavily influenced by Lyman Good, Shane Burgos and Julio Arce, among others.
Nicknamed “Statick,” Balic currently holds the Flex Fight Series amateur women’s flyweight title. Of her three amateur wins, two came by unanimous decision and the third by submission.
With the removal, the updated 2024 PFL 4 fight card includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
- Valentin Moldavsky vs. Linton Vassell
- Dakota Ditcheva vs. Chelsea Hackett
- Denis Goltsov vs. Thiago Santos
- Liz Carmouche vs. Kana Watanabe
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)
- Jena Bishop vs. Taila Santos
- Davion Franklin vs. Oleg Popov
- Tyrell Fortune vs. Marcelo Golm
- Ilara Joanne vs. Shanna Young
- Tim Johnson vs. Danilo Marques
- Lisa Mauldin vs. Juliana Velasquez
- Sumiko Inaba vs. Saray Orozco
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2024, Week 4.