The PFL Championship 2019 card is a go, as all fighters made weight at Monday’s weigh-in ahead of the million dollar finale on New Year’s Eve.
For the second year in a row, the Professional Fighter’s League will take over Madison Square Garden on New Year’s Eve. And this year, the ladies will be in the spotlight. Promotional darling Kayla Harrison headlines the PFL Championship 2019 card, following a year in which she dominated the women’s lightweight division. The 8-woman tournament format was always supposed to be a vehicle to push Harrison (6-0), a two-time Olympic gold medal winner in Judo, to stardom.
So far, it has done just that. While Harrison isn’t going up against top rival Sara Kaufman (eliminated in the semi-finals), she does feature in a rematch against Larissa Pacheco, the only woman Harrison hasn’t finished in her young MMA career.
Former UFC heavyweight and wrestling standout Jared Rosholt, meanwhile, will look to claim the heavyweight crown against Ali Isaev. Natan Schulte and Lance Palmer, at lightweight and featherweight, have a chance to repeat, as both won it all in 2018. And Emiliano Sordi will be one to watch against former UFC athlete Jordan Johnson in the light heavyweight finals.
Facing Palmer in the men’s lightweight finals is Alex Gilpin, who replaced Daniel Pineda when the latter failed a drug test. Pineda is currently on suspension by the NSAC until the matter is resolved.
All six PFL finals will be five round bouts, but the card will be opened by rising featherweight star Brendan Loughnane, who has been making the most of a snub on Dana White’s Contender Series that saw him denied a contract despite a solid win.
All fighters made weight for their championship bouts, which go down Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
PFL Championship 2019 Weigh-In Results
Lightweight: Kayla Harrison (154.8) vs Larissa Pacheco (153.6)
Welterweight: David Michaud (169.6) vs Ray Cooper III (168.6)
Heavyweight: Ali Isaev (258.8) vs Jared Rosholt (250.6)
Lightweight: Natan Schulte (153.6) vs Loik Radzhabov (154.8)
Featherweight: Lance Palmer (144.6) vs Alex Gilpin (144.4)
Light heavyweight: Emiliano Sordi (204.4) vs Jordan Johnson (202.2)
Featured featherweight bout: Brendan Loughnane (146.0) vs David Alex Valente (145.8)
