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Check out these photos from the 2023 PFL Challenger Series 1 official weigh-ins in Orlando, Fla.
Check out these photos from the 2023 PFL Challenger Series 1 official weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs in Orlando, Fla. (Photos courtesy of PFL)
The PFL’s Challenger Series will return next month with eight events seeking new fighters for the 2023 regular season.
The PFL’s Challenger Series will return next month with eight events seeking new fighters for the 2023 regular season.
The Challenger Series debuted earlier this year with fights across all eight of the PFL’s divisions. At the end of each event, a PFL contract is awarded to one of the winners by a judging panel. This year, Dilano Taylor won a spot in the regular season and went on to reach the $1 million final.
The opening event of the 2023 Challenger Series will take place Jan. 27 and will feature welterweights. Subsequent events will air on Fridays through March 17 on Fubo Sports Network. A location and venue have not yet been announced; 2022 events took place in Orlando, Fla.
In the welterweight main event to kick off the 2023 Challenger Series schedule, [autotag]Lucas Barbosa[/autotag] (0-0), whose resume includes a grappling win over UFC standout Gilbert Burns, will take on [autotag]Itso Babulaidze[/autotag] (2-0).
“The 2023 PFL Challenger Series provides world-class talent a path to the PFL,” PFL president Ray Sefo said in a news release. “The Challenger Series continues the PFL’s commitment to finding the best talent in MMA around the world.”
Also on the card, unbeaten CFFC champion [autotag]Eric Alequin[/autotag] (7-0) takes on [autotag]Thad Jean[/autotag] (4-0), who has fought for LFA and CFFC. His career highlight is a win over Taylor, the aforementioned 2022 Challenger Series contract winner and eventual finalist.
Jungle Fights champ [autotag]Quemuel Ottoni[/autotag] (12-3), the only fighter with an MMA win over current UFC middleweight titleholder Alex Pereira, is set to take on [autotag]Jozef Wittner[/autotag] (16-2), who has won four straight. And [autotag]Mostafa Rashed Neda[/autotag] (7-3), a judo standout, meets [autotag]Nick Alley[/autotag] (7-5), who has five submissions in his seven wins.
The 2023 PFL Challenger Series welterweight lineup includes:
“The Irish Hand Grenade” isn’t done yet.
“The Irish Hand Grenade” isn’t done yet.
[autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag] will make his return to the cage for the first time since February 2014 when he takes on [autotag]Nick Alley[/autotag] at Premier FC 31.
The fight is scheduled to take place Oct. 3 in Springfield, Mass. and will be contested at welterweight, the promotion recently announced. Davis (22-11) will be 47 years old on fight night.
A former professional boxer, Davis competed on Season 2 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series before losing to Melvin Guillard in his official octagon debut at the finale event. After a few wins on the regional scene, Davis was re-signed to the promotion.
From 2005-2011, Davis competed 15 times in the UFC, accumulating a 9-6 promotional record with wins over the likes of Chris Lytle, Paul Kelly, Paul Taylor, and Shonie Carter.
Davis was released from the UFC in early 2011 after back-to-back losses to Jeremy Stephens and Nate Diaz. From there, Davis had a pair of one-off fights for Bellator, losing to Alexander Sarnavskiy and fighting to a no contest against Waachiim Spiritwolf.
In recent years, Davis has served as a coach and trainer, most notably serving as the lead cornerman for former UFC middleweight Tim Boetsch.
His planned opponent Alley (6-3) is riding a three-fight winning streak. The 29-year-old New Hampshire resident has a 100 percent career finishing rate, with five submissions and one knockout. All three of his pro losses have come by knockout.
