NEW YORK – The Skilled Fighters League (PFL) has formally revealed the 16 world-class fighters set to compete within the Welterweight and Featherweight divisions of the 2025 PFL World Match.
The 2025 PFL World Match kicks off from the backlot of Common Studios Florida in Orlando on April 3, April 11, April 18, and Might 1, with fighters needing to win three consecutive bouts to win the Championship. Followers can safe tickets to those unique occasions starting Wednesday, February 19 at 10 am ET on Eventbrite.com.
The 2025 PFL World Match will air reside on ESPN platforms within the U.S. Internationally, followers can catch the motion reside on DAZN. In whole, the match shall be streamed in 190 international locations via 20 premium media companions.
“The PFL World Match is the hardest take a look at in MMA, the place fighters have one shot to win and advance,” mentioned PFL CEO Peter Murray. “Our Welterweight and Featherweight divisions are stacked with world-class expertise, every athlete going through a high-stakes, single-elimination path to greatness. Followers throughout the globe can expertise the motion reside via our premier distribution companions, together with ESPN within the U.S., internationally on DAZN, and different premium media companions. The First Spherical begins this April.”
One shot at greatness. The annual single-elimination match will characteristic brackets at Heavyweight, Gentle Heavyweight, Middleweight, Welterweight, Light-weight, Featherweight, Bantamweight, and Ladies’s Flyweight. The PFL World Match spans an motion packed 5 months. 64 of the very best fighters from all over the world will compete to win MMA’s hardest take a look at – win three straight instances in 5 months to grow to be PFL Match Champion.
The First Spherical fights and the Semi-Closing fights shall be three, five-minute rounds whereas the Finals are 5, five-minute rounds. All occasions and all fights now enable the usage of elbows. The PFL World Match will payout over $20 million in whole prize cash, together with a $500,000 bonus for each winner.
Further weight lessons shall be revealed shortly, the finished brackets shall be unveiled on March 11 via a particular bracket reveal present, powered by VALR Vitality.
Right here is the total listing of Welterweight and Featherweight rivals.
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170 lbs) – 2025 PFL WORLD TOURNAMENT ATHLETES
Jason Jackson (18-5) – Jamaica
Magomed Umalatov (17-1) – Russia
Andrey Koreshkov (28-5) – Russia
Logan Storley (16-3) – U.S.A.
Mukhamed Berkhamov (17-2, 1 NC) – Russia
Florim Zendeli (10-1) – Albania
Giannis Bachar (9-2) – Greece
Masayuki Kikuiri (10-2-1) – Japan
Alternate – Dmitrii Hrytsenko (9-1) – Ukraine
Alternate – Joseph Luciano (10-2) – Australia
At Welterweight, three former Bellator MMA Champions—Jason Jackson, Andrey Koreshkov, and former Interim Champion Logan Storley—enter the 2025 PFL World Match, bringing elite expertise and championship pedigree to the bracket. In the meantime, Albania’s Florim Zendeli makes the leap to the worldwide stage after capturing the 2024 PFL Europe Welterweight Title. Magomed Umalatov, a dominant pressure at 17-1, appears to be like to bounce again from his first-ever defeat within the 2024 PFL Welterweight Championship, whereas submission specialist Mukhamed Berkhamov goals to construct on his spectacular victory over former 2x PFL Champion Ray Cooper III in his promotional debut. Rounding out the sphere, thrilling Greek striker Giannis Bachar and former Pancrase Interim Champion and Bellator veteran Masayuki Kikuiri enter as darkish horses poised to make a press release. With a mixture of former champions, rising stars, and confirmed contenders, the 170-pound bracket guarantees a number of the most thrilling matchups within the 2025 PFL World Match.
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION (145 lbs) – 2025 PFL WORLD TOURNAMENT ATHLETES
Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) – Peru
Gabriel Braga (15-2) – Brazil
Adam Borics (19-2) – Hungary
Movlid Khaybulaev (21-0-1, 1 NC) – Russia
Jeremy Kennedy (19-5) – Canada
Yves Landu (21-9) – France
Nathan Kelly (11-3) – Eire
Sang Received Kim (13-6-1) – South Korea
Alternate – Frederick Dupras (8-1) – Canada
Alternate – Nathan Ghareeb (10-3) – U.S.A.
Reigning 2023 PFL Champion Jesus Pinedo returns after a yr away, trying to reclaim his Featherweight title. Additionally competing is Pinedo’s 2023 Championship opponent, Gabriel Braga, who carries on his father’s preventing legacy. Former Bellator No. 1 contender Adam Borics, a dynamic striker who was sidelined final season as a consequence of damage, is again and able to make a press release. In the meantime, undefeated 2021 PFL Champion Movlid Khaybulaev appears to be like so as to add one other belt to the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov college of champions. Canada’s Jeremy Kennedy, a former Bellator title challenger, brings a wealth of expertise, whereas France’s Yves Landu is likely one of the division’s most unpredictable fighters, recognized for his flashy putting and post-fight dance strikes. Rising Irish prospect Nathan Kelly, preventing out of SBG Eire, will compete after a powerful run in Bellator. Rounding out the bracket is South Korea’s Sang Received Kim, a former UFC fighter desirous to make his mark on the PFL stage.
Upcoming 2025 PFL World Match Schedule:
April 3, 2025, Common Studios Florida, Stage 19 – Essential Card airs reside on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 pm ET
April 11, 2025, Common Studios Florida, Stage 19 – Essential Card airs reside on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 11:30 pm ET
April 18, 2025, Common Studios Florida, Stage 19 – Essential Card airs reside on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 7 pm ET
Might 1, 2025, Common Studios Florida, Stage 19 – Essential Card airs reside on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 pm ET
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Govt Author, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a ardour for Fight Sports activities and in addition a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s additionally a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
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