The Professional Fighters League is on track to return in 2021. With that in mind, the promotion continues to lock up talent for its third season, and on Tuesday, the PFL announced their most recent acquisitions. Among them, Ultimate Fighter Brazil winner Cezar Ferreira, and fellow Brazilian UFC alum Sheymon Moraes.
Ferreira’s signing was originally reported by MMA Fighting back in March.
In all, a total of eight fighters were announced as joining the PFL roster on Tuesday. In a press release, the league revealed that in addition to Ferreira and Moraes, Renan Ferreira, Joilton Lutterbach, Hatef Moeil, Marthin Hamlet, Sung Bin Jo, and Brandon Salyes had also inked deals.
Ferreira (13-8) last fought for the UFC in July 2019. “Mutante” won the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil at middleweight, though he would briefly try his hand in the welterweight division. During his stint in the UFC, Ferreira picked up notable wins over Anthony Smith and Jack Hermansson. He ended his octagon run on a two-fight skid with losses to Ian Heinisch and Marvin Vettori.
For Sheymon Moraes, signing with the PFL is a little bit like a homecoming. The featherweight competed for the league’s precursor, the World Series of Fighting, prior to joining the UFC in 2017. At the time, Moraes’ departure was not amicable, and he felt insulted that WSOF head Ray Sefo would not allow him to sign elsewhere while in an exclusive negotiating window with the promotion.
It’s all water under the bridge, apparently.
Among the other fighters signed, Renana Ferreira (6-2) is a representative of Team Nogueira who will bring his 6 foot 8 frame to the heavyweight division. South Korea’s Sung Bin Jo (9-1) will join Moraes in the featherweight division. Two more heavyweights join the fold, in American Brandon Sayles (5-1) and German Hatef Moeil (10-4). Another German, Joilton Lutterback (34-8, 1NC) brings a wealth of experience with him to the lightweight division, currently ruled by Natan Schulte. Finally, Norway’s Marthin Hamlet (6-1), who previously challenged for gold in U.K.-based Cage Warriors, joins the PFL’s light heavyweight division.
The Professional Fighters League’s 2021 schedule is expected to begin next April.
