2021 PFL Playoffs 1 sees four matchups altered, one fight added

Four matchups have been altered for the 2021 PFL Playoffs 1 event on Aug. 13.

The first playoff event for PFL in 2021 has undergone various changes.

Four of the current matchups have been altered, and one fight has been added to the Aug. 13 event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. PFL officials informed MMA Junkie of the changes on Wednesday.

[autotag]Joao Zeferino[/autotag], who was set to take on [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag] in the welterweight co-main event, is out due to injury and has been replaced by No. 5 seed [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag].

With Sy stepping in as an alternate, veteran [autotag]Gleison Tibau[/autotag] now faces replacement [autotag]Curtis Millender[/autotag].

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Former PFL champion [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag] also was forced to withdraw for undisclosed reasons. His opponent, [autotag]Olivier Aubin Mercier[/autotag], will now face fellow former UFC fighter [autotag]Darrell Horcher[/autotag] in a lightweight matchup.

[autotag]Nikolai Aleksakhin[/autotag] is out of his scheduled bout against [autotag]Brett Cooper[/autotag] for undisclosed reasons. Cooper now takes on PFL newcomer [autotag]Tyler Hill[/autotag].

Additionally, a new lightweight matchup has been added to the card, as [autotag]Elvin Espinoza[/autotag] puts his undefeated record up against [autotag]Hopeton Stewart[/autotag].

The main card for 2021 PFL Playoffs 1 airs on ESPN 2 and the prelims on ESPN+.

With the changes, here is the updated lineup:

MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Ray Cooper III vs. Rory MacDonald
  • Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Sadibou Sy
  • Clay Collard vs. Raush Manfio
  • Alex Martinez vs. Loik Radzhabov

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)

  • Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Darrell Horcher
  • Curtis Millender vs. Gleison Tibau
  • Brett Cooper vs. Tyler Hill
  • Micah Terrill vs. Magomed Umalatov
  • Kyron Bowen vs. Michael Lombardo
  • Elvin Espinoza vs. Hopeton Stewart

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2021 PFL Playoffs 1 additions include Oliver Aubin-Mercier vs. Natan Schulte

While the PFL’s playoff structure has been set since June, the full lineup for the promotion’s upcoming events is now nearly complete.

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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