The PFL has announced its first three regular season shows for 2024, and what stands out immediately is the amount of incoming Bellator MMA talent.
While Bellator will run eight shows this year under the ownership of the PFL, the league itself continues with its season format, launching on on April 4 in San Antonio. That will be followed by shows on April 12 in Las Vegas, and April 19 in Chicago.
Headlining the San Antonio card will be heavyweights Ante Delija and former Bellator interim champ Valentin Moldavsky, a pupil of Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko. Linton Vassell also appears on the card, which very much leaves the question of who Ryan Bader faces next up in the air (hint: Nemkov). Vassell takes on Denis Denis Goltsov. Then, in a couple of all-Bellator match-ups, Tyrell Fortune faces Daniel James, while Liz Carmouche, the Bellator flyweight champ, faces Julianna Velasquez in a rematch. Not a title fight, that has been billed as a PFL regular season bout. Heavyweights and women’s flyweights make up the bulk of the event.
The full April 4 card at the Boeing Center breaks down as follows:
- Ante Delija vs. Valentin Moldavsky
- Denis Goltsov vs. Linton Vassell
- Liz Carmouche vs. Juliana Velasquez
- Tyrell Fortune vs. Daniel James
- Dakota Ditcheva vs. Lisa Mauldin
- Bruno Cappelozza vs. Sergei Bilostenniy
- Taila Santos vs. Denise Kielholtz
- Steve Mowry vs. Oleg Popov
- Kana Watanabe vs. Shanna Young
- Chelsea Hackett vs. Jena Bishop
- Lucas Brennan vs. Dimitre Ivy
On April 12, the Las Vegas stop The Theater at Virgin Hotels is topped by Phil Davis vs. Robert Wilkinson, a bout which sees a former PFL light heavyweight champ face off with a former PFL light heavyweight champ. Clay Collard also faces Patricky Pitbull in a very fan-friendly pairing; the show will feature the 205lb and 155lb weight classes. The full card as announced on Monday is:
- Phil Davis vs. Robert Wilkinson
- Impa Kasanganay vs. Alex Polizzi
- Clay Collard vs. Patricky Pitbull
- Mads Burnell vs. Michael Dufort
- Sadibou Sy vs. Josh Silveira
- Antonio Carlos Jr. vs. Simon Biyong
- Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov vs. Jakob Nedoh
- Bruno Miranda vs. Brent Primus
- Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Solomon Renfro
- Jay Jay Wilson vs. Adam Piccolotti
- Marcelo Nunes vs. Giacomo Lemos
Finally the April 19 stop at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago sees Andrey Koreshkov battle Magomed Umalatov in the main event. The full card featuring 170 and 145lb’ers has the following pairings:
- Andrey Koreshkov vs. Magomed Umalatov
- Brendan Loughnane vs. Pedro Carvalho
- Logan Storley vs. Shamil Musaev
- Gabriel Braga vs. Justin Gonzalez
- Goiti Yamauchi vs. Neiman Gracie
- Bubba Jenkins vs. Kai Kamaka
- Adam Borics vs. Enrique Barzola
- Timur Khizriev vs. Brett Johns
- Laureano Staropoli vs. Murad Ramazanov
- Don Madge vs. Kyle Crutchmer
