The Professional Fighters League just wrapped up its 2022 season and saw six more fighters join the millionaires club — but the PFL’s 2023 has already begun to take shape.
On Tuesday, league officials announced the signing of three fighters, including Eagle FC heavyweight champion Rizvan Kuniev.
Heavyweight Kuniev (12-2-1), who fights out of Dagestan, Russia, will be joining by lightweight Manoel Sousa (9-0) and welterweight Quemuel Ottoni (12-3) in calling the PFL home.
All three fighters have won regional titles. Kuniev may be best known to fight fans after appearing on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021, earning a TKO win — but returned to Eagle FC without a UFC deal in place. Most recently, he defeated Anthony Hamilton via submission to defend his heavyweight title.
The undefeated Sousa, a 25-year old Brazilian talent, won gold in SFT before heading stateside to compete twice for Cage Fury FC. All nine of his wins as a pro have ended inside the distance, and he appears equally adept on the ground and on the feet.
Ottoni won the Jungle Fight welterweight championship earlier this year, and sits on a five-fight win streak. Also fighting out of Brazil, he has competed for LFA as well.
“We are excited to add these elite fighters to our global roster,” said Ray Sefo, President of Fighter Operations of PFL in a press release distributed on Tuesday. “The PFL will put these athletes on the global stage.”
