PFL_vs._Bellator
PFL vs. Bellator
Mixed martial arts event in 2024
PFL vs. Bellator: Champs was a mixed martial arts event co-promoted by Professional Fighters League and Bellator MMA that took place on February 24, 2024, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.[1][2] It was the first MMA event held in Saudi Arabia.[3]
| PFL vs. Bellator | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | Bellator MMA Professional Fighters League | ||
| Date | February 24, 2024 (2024-February-24) | ||
| City | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | ||
| Venue | Kingdom Arena | ||
| Bellator MMA events chronology | |||
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| PFL events chronology | |||
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In November 2023, it was announced that the PFL had acquired its competitor Bellator MMA.[4] Speculation was that the company would run a champion against champion event in 2024, bolstered by appearances of Bellator MMA champions at PFL's final event of 2023.
A champion versus champion card was announced on January 16, 2024, and scheduled for the following month. Originally, the event was to see four champions from four divisions (heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, and featherweight) defend their titles from their respective organizations.[5] However, two champion versus champion matches were altered leading up to the card:
- 2018 and 2023 PFL welterweight winner Magomed Magomedkerimov was originally announced to face the Bellator Welterweight Champion (also former LFA Welterweight Champion) Jason Jackson at this event. However, Magomedkerimov withdrew from the bout due to injury in January 2024 and was replaced by 2019 and 2021 PFL welterweight winner Ray Cooper III in a 180 pounds catchweight bout.[6]
- A featherweight bout between reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion Patrício Pitbull and 2023 PFL featherweight winner Jesus Pinedo was scheduled for this event; however, Pinedo pulled out a week before the event with a back injury.[7] Pitbull was instead booked against 2023 PFL featherweight finalist Gabriel Alves Braga who was already on the card, while Braga's opponent, Aaron Pico, was booked in a rematch against Henry Corrales.[8] The days of weigh-ins, Braga was deemed unable to compete and the bout was scrapped.[9]
The undercard also included bouts between fighters from the rival promotions, with the following fights being added as well:[5]
- A heavyweight bout between 2021 PFL heavyweight winner Bruno Cappelozza and former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion (also the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix winner) Vadim Nemkov.
- A light heavyweight bout between Thiago Santos and Yoel Romero.
- A lightweight bout between Clay Collard and former Bellator Featherweight Champion (also the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix winner) A. J. McKee.
- A featherweight bout between Aaron Pico and 2023 PFL featherweight finalist Gabriel Alves Braga.
In addition, the card featured the MMA return of Claressa Shields and the professional MMA debut of Biaggio Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammed Ali who previously competed for PFL in amateur bouts.[5]
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones made an appearance on the broadcast.[10]
| Main Card (ESPN+ PPV / DAZN PPV) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Heavyweight | Renan Ferreira | def. | Ryan Bader | TKO (punches) | 1 | 0:21 | [lower-alpha 1] |
| Middleweight | Johnny Eblen | def. | Impa Kasanganay | Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | [lower-alpha 2] |
| Catchweight (182 lb) | Jason Jackson | def. | Ray Cooper III | TKO (leg kick and punches) | 2 | 0:23 | [lower-alpha 3] |
| Heavyweight | Vadim Nemkov | def. | Bruno Cappelozza | Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke) | 2 | 2:13 | [lower-alpha 4] |
| Light Heavyweight | Yoel Romero | def. | Thiago Santos | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | A. J. McKee | def. | Clay Collard | Submission (armbar) | 1 | 1:10 | |
| Early Card (ESPN/ ESPN+) | |||||||
| Featherweight | Aaron Pico | def. | Henry Corrales | TKO (punches) | 1 | 4:53 | |
| Lightweight | Biaggio Ali Walsh | def. | Emmanuel Palacio | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Women's Super Lightweight | Claressa Shields | def. | Kelsey DeSantis | Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Featherweight | Abdullah Al-Qahtani | def. | Edukondala Rao | TKO (punches and head kick) | 3 | 0:23 | |
| Flyweight | Malik Basahel | def. | Vinicius Pereira | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 30–27) | 3 | 3:00 | [lower-alpha 5] |
- Meshew, Jed (2024-01-16). "PFL vs. Bellator fight card set for Feb. 24 in Saudi Arabia, four champ vs. champ fights scheduled". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
- "PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions to be held in Saudi Arabia in February | DAZN News CA". DAZN. 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
- Reuben Rosso-Powell (2024-02-23). "'Historic' night predicted as Mixed Martial Arts heads for Saudi Arabia". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
- Nolan King (2023-11-20). "PFL officially announces Bellator acquisition, plans revealed for future". MMA Junkie. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- "Bellator MMA vs. PFL supercard: Four champion vs. champion fights set for February in Saudi Arabia". CBSSports.com. 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
- Nolan King (2024-01-22). "Ray Cooper III replaces Magomed Magomedkerimov at PFL vs. Bellator event, faces Jason Jackson". MMA Junkie. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
- Lee, Alexander K. (2024-02-17). "Patricio Pitbull vs. Jesus Pinedo off PFL vs. Bellator card following Pinedo withdrawal". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
- Newswire, MMA Fighting (2024-02-19). "Gabriel Braga vs. Patricio Pitbull set for PFL vs. Bellator, Aaron Pico expected to stay on card". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- Cruz, Guilherme (2024-02-23). "Patricio Pitbull vs. Gabriel Braga off PFL vs. Bellator card". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
- "Bellator MMA | Champs vs. Champs". www.bellator.com. 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2024-02-01.