Announced via press release on Wednesday, Bryan Battle (12-3, 1NC) versus Dalton Rosta (11-3) is set to headline the event, which takes place on August 7, 2026 at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC.

Two additional fights, both at 185lbs as well, were also revealed. One will see former PFL season finalist Josh Silveira (15-5) taking on Canadian standout Aaron Jeffery (16-6). The other features ex-UFC talent Josh Fremd (12-6), who faces off with Brazilian Jhony Gregory (10-5).

Fremd made his PFL debut earlier this year, knocking out Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi back in March. Gregory, who is 1-1 with the promotion, will be making his North American, and U.S. debut in the fight.

Bryan Battle, another former UFC talent and The Ultimate Fighter winner, also made his debut on the PFL Pittsburgh card in March, losing to Johnny Eblen via submission. Battle exited the UFC last year after multiple struggles with his weight, and found success under Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing banner prior to signing on with the Professional Fighters League.

Battle holds victories over Randy Brown, Treasean Gore, and Gilbert Urbina, among others.

Dalton Rosta is a Bellator MMA product who went 9-1 for the company before coming into the PFL when they acquired the rival promotion. He’s now hit back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, dropping fights to Fabian Edwards and Impa Kasanganay.

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Bantamweight action will serve as the night’s main event, with Sergio Pettis (25-7) taking on undefeated prospect Mitch McKee (10-0) at the Wintrust Arena on April 11, 2026.

The co-main event finds American Top Team middleweight Josh Silveira (15-5) facing off against Jordan Newman (8-0).

Promotion officials announced the bouts via press release on Thursday. Pettis is ranked #1 in the organization’s newly unveiled official rankings. McKee is not currently ranked.

Pettis is a former Bellator MMA bantamweight champ and UFC fighter who is the younger brother of former UFC and WEC champ Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. The 32-year old has won back-to-back fights with victories over Raufeon Stots and Magomed Magomedov.

A third consecutive victory would almost certainly set up a showdown with World Tournament winner Marcirley Alves, currently ranked fifth in the division.

McKee has competed mostly for LFA through his ten-fight professional career, and will be making his promotional debut for the PFL. He did have a one-off fight for Bellator MMA in 2022.

Over at middleweight, Silveira sits at the #7 spot in the 185lb rankings, while Newman is ranked #4. A former LFA champion, Silveira went all the way to the finals of the PFL Global season in 2023, losing a shot at a million dollars to Impa Kasanganay.

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Still, seeing her there, wearing ear protection at such a young age, was clearly an inspiration for the American Top Team standout. She was actually at his previous fight, though as a baby, she didn’t know what was going on. “She still doesn’t know what’s going on, but I’m happy,” Silveira (15-5) told media outlets including Cageside Press following his unanimous decision win against Murad Ramazanov.

While the middleweight PFL World Tournament wrapped up as well on Friday, Silveira wasn’t frustrated fighting on the same card, nor stuck worrying about what might have been.

“Not at all man. It’s the opposite, it’s a blessing. I could be like some other guys who lost, and they have to finish the end of the year off with not getting back in the win column,” he noted.

Silveira got the call to fight at PFL Hollywood just three days after being eliminated from the World Tournament. “My face was still swollen up, my heart was still broken,” he recalled, but he told his manager to accept the fight nonetheless. “Tomorrow’s never promised, I guess you could say, or whatever the saying is. I’m a fighter. Some guys can pull off the 29-0, most guys don’t. It’s hard, but you’ve got to come show up.”

“I don’t know what’s for tomorrow, I don’t know what’s going to happen. You’ve got to walk into the unexpected. This is the name of the game, and I love doing it. So I’m super-blessed to get that phone call.”

The middleweight division is red hot at the minute, and in flux at the same time. Costello van Steenis just dethroned Johnny Eblen, for one. Impa Kasanganay got back in the win column later in the night on Thursday. Fabian Edwards, meanwhile, won the World Tournament.

“I’m right there with those guys. I know I have some tough fights, but look at my losses,” stated Silveira, pointing that those losses have come only against champion-caliber fighters. “And I’m right there. I’m just taking a different route. I guess my route’s a little longer, it’s a little bit more of a heart-breaking route, but I’m right there. I will be at the front doorstep every time they call me until the wheels fall off.”

Watch the full PFL Hollywood post-fight press conference appearance by Josh Silveira above.

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Edwards was a former Bellator MMA title challenger, Silveira had gone to the finals of a PFL Global season previously, though neither had managed to claim gold.

Early on, Silveira delivered some nasty low kicks, but Edwards ripped some of his own. Both men stumbled at times, and just under two minutes in, Silveira opted to change up the pace. He drove in on a takedown, though Edwards appeared up to the job of defending it. Both men would find success with their right hands during the round. And when they did go to the ground, Edwards was able to briefly take the back, though it was Silveira who would finish the round there.

Round two saw Silveira in on a single leg, and when Edwards stuffed it, Josh adjusted. Yet again, when they went to the ground, it was Edwards who was briefly able to get control. Only briefly, however, as Silveira adjusted and got back in control. Fabian was able to escape to his feet soon enough, and when they went back down, it was Fabian in control.

Silveira had been hurt by some knees to the body, and that might have allowed Edwards a little more success than he’d otherwise manage. Edwards briefly had the back, then transitioned to top, in half guard, looking for space to land elbows and clubbing punches. As Silveira moved to his feet, another Edwards knee landed. And as Silveira changed levels, Edwards ripped off a few more elbows.

Edwards had looked solid in round two, and in the third, ripped Silveira to the body, forcing him to take a step back. The knees in the second, the body shots in the third, it was all taking a toll, and moments later, Edwards had taken Silveira down. Silveira rolled to a knee, posting up along the fence. Yet there was Edwards, firing another knee; Silveira looked for an ankle pick, but basically gave up his back in the process. Silveira would eventually reverse, but Edwards was back to his feet moments later. And there, a left hand connected, hurting Silveira. He went after the desperation takedown, but barring a miracle, it was going to be Fabian Edwards meeting Dalton Rosta in the PFL World Tournament middleweight final.

That miracle did not come for Silveria, and it was indeed Edwards headed to the final.

Official Result: Fabian Edwards def. Josh Silveira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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Over a year after acquiring their rival, the PFL might have lost some of the biggest Bellator names, but others were alive in the World Tournament, which continued on Friday in Chicago. Middleweights, light heavyweights, and heavyweights saw their semifinal rounds unfold, with a spot in the finals on the line. Fabian Edwards was in the headlining spot, taking on PFL mainstay Josh Silveira.

Where to Watch the PFL World Tournament

The Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL plays host to the Professional Fighters League on Friday, June 27, 2025 as PFL Chicago wraps up the World Tournament semifinal round. The action kicks off at 8:30PM ET, 5:30PM PT, airing live on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S., and DAZN elsewhere. Full results can be found below.

PFL Chicago: Edwards vs. Silveira Full Results

Main card

Fabian Edwards def. Josh Silveira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) – Middleweight World Tournament Semifinal
Sullivan Cauley def. Phil Davis by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) – Light Heavyweight World Tournament Semifinal
Sergio Pettis def. Raufeon Stots by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Dalton Rosta def. Aaron Jeffrey by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28) – Middleweight World Tournament Semifinal
Antônio Carlos Júnior def. Simeon Powell by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) – Light Heavyweight World Tournament Semifinal

Preliminary card

Valentin Moldavsky vs. Alexandr Romanov ends in No Contest (accidental low blow), Round 1, 4:26 – Heavyweight World Tournament Semifinal
Ronnie Gibbs def. Baggio Ali Walsh by technical submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 2, 2:45
Oleg Popov def. Rodrigo Nascimento by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – Heavyweight World Tournament Semifinal
Rafael Xavier def. Karl Albrektsson by TKO (Punches), Round 1, 0:27 – Light Heavyweight World Tournament Alternate Bout

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2023 light heavyweight tournament champ Impa Kasanganay, who went all the way to the 2024 final before losing to Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, is back. So too is Josh Silveira, the 2023 finalist and 2024 semifinalist, who was bounced both seasons by Kasanganay.

Prior to 2025, the PFL did not feature a middleweight division as part of its season/tournament format. As a result, fighters like Kasanganay, who fought at 185lbs in the UFC, moved up.

In addition, Bellator vet Aaron Jeffrey will join the tournament fresh off a win over former Bellator welterweight champ/middleweight challenger Douglas Lima. Dalton Rosta is another Bellator MMA import set to join the tournament, as is Fabian Edwards. Edwards, a two-time Bellator middleweight title challenger, is brother of former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards. After coming up short twice against Johnny Eblen, Edwards now has another crack at winning a major world championship.

The full eight-man PFL middleweight roster breaks down as follows:

• Impa Kasanganay (18-5) of the United States
• Mike Shipman (17-4) of England
• Fabian Edwards (13-4) of England
• Aaron Jeffery (14-5) of Canada
• Josh Silveira (13-4) of the United States
• Sadibou Sy (17-8-2) of Sweden
• Murad Ramazanov (12-2, 1NC) of Russia
• Dalton Rosta (9-1) of the United States

Alternates are expected to be announced shortly.

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In an action-filled first round of the semifinal fight, Silveira opened up, forcing the man who beat him for a million dollars a year prior to cover up, having taken some heavy shots. Kasanganay kept his composure during the first-round onslaught, and by the end of the round appeared to have settled down – but it was American Top Team’s Silveira raising his hand and acknowledging the crowd at round’s end. Key in the round was a thunderous knee landed by Silveira that sent Kasanganay down, though it may have been as much a slip as a knockdown.

That was underscored when ref Keith Petersen called for a towel to mop up water on the canvass between rounds.

To start the second, it was Impa going after his opponent, with Silveira responding with a kick. He again took the fight to Kasanganay, firing left and rights, while Kasanganay landed with more accuracy. About a minute in, Silveira took the fight to the fence, looking for a takedown which Kasanganay was able to fight off. Circling out, Kasanganay landed a number of shots, and demonstrated superior hand speed to Silveira.

As the round wore on, the 2023 champ began to land with more frequency, snapping Silveira’s head back at times. Silveira, undeterred, walked forward, hands down; just past the midway mark, he was forced to block a kick that threatened to sneak up over his guard.

Silveira would answer with a combination that produced several connections, backing Kasanganay up- who then fired a knee in the clinch, and eventually reversed. In the final minute, Kasangany went on the attack again, but Silveira connected with a couple of solid left hands, and suddenly, Impa was under fire. At least until he tied things up at the very end of the frame.

If there was any slowing of the action in round three, it wasn’t much. A bit of grappling up against the fence. Yet later in the round, as Kasanganay punched his way in, he caught Silveira with a right hand on the jaw. Silveira survived, and they’d go the distance. Flipping the script, it was Kasanganay landing a big takedown with just 30 seconds remaining in the fight.

For the second time in less than 12 months, Impa Kasanganay and Josh Silveira went the distance- and once again, it was Kasanganay coming away with the victory. That sets him up for his second straight finale, this time against Bellator vet Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, who defeated Rob Wilkinson on the scorecards earlier in the evening.

Official Result: Impa Kasanganay def. Josh Silveira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

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Lightweights and light heavyweights were in action, with Impa Kasanganay, the 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion, headlining the show in a rematch with Josh Silveira. American Top Team’s Silveira was the man Kasanganay had defeated last year to win the title and million dollars in prize money; the rematch would either reaffirm Kasaganany’s dominance, or give Silveira his revenge.

2022 champ Rob Wilkinson could be found in the other 205lb semifinal, taking on Bellator alum Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov. Wilkinson had failed a drug test in 2023 that cost him the entirety of the season.

At lightweight, former Bellator champ Brent Primus faced PFL mainstay Clay Collard in one semifinal, while Canada’s Michael Dufort was paired up with Gadzhi Rabadanov in the other.

Where to Watch PFL Hollywood

Friday’s 2024 PFL 8 sees the playoffs continue at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. The card airs live on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S., and DAZN in Canada and Europe. Full results can be found below. The preliminary card goes live at 6:30PM ET.

PFL Hollywood: Kasanganay vs. Silveira 2 Results

Main card

Impa Kasanganay def. Josh Silveira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) — light heavyweight semifinal
Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov def. Rob Wilkinson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) — light heavyweight semifinal
Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Michael Dufort by KO, Round 2, 1:51 — lightweight semifinal
Brent Primus def. Clay Collard by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) — lightweight semifinal
Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Brian Stapleton by KO (punch), Round 1, 0:55

Preliminary card

Danny Sabatello vs. Lazaro Dayron ends in a majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)
Mads Burnell def. Elvin Espinoza by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Thad Jean def. Chris Brown by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Jordan Oliver def. Braydon Akeo by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Michelle Montague def. Marilia Morais by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 1:44

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PFL Hollywood sees lightweights and light heavyweights in action this Friday, including 2023 champ Impa Kasanganay facing the man he defeated for the title last fall, Josh Silveira. Seeing these two back in the post-season is not at all surprising, so it’s once again Kill Cliff vs. American Top Team.

The opposite side of the light heavyweight bracket finds 2022 champ Rob Wilkinson, who sat out 2023 due to suspension, taking on Bellator vet Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov. Should both Kasanganay and Wilkinson come out victorious at PFL Hollywood, a very marketable champ vs. champ fight will be the end result.

On the lightweight front, Clay Collard was once again looking to move to the finals against Brent Primus, while Gadzhi Rabadanov was set opposite Canada’s Michael Dufort.

Full results from Thursday’s weigh-ins can be found below.

PFL Hollywood: Kasanganay vs. Silveira 2 Weigh-In Results

Light heavyweight: Impa Kasanganay (203.8) vs. Josh Silveira (205.2) — semifinal bout
Light heavyweight: Rob Wilkinson (206) vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (205.6) — semifinal bout
Lightweight: Gadzhi Rabadanov (155.8) vs. Michael Dufort (155.8) — semifinal bout
Lightweight: Brent Primus (155.2) vs. Clay Collard (155.6) — semifinal bout
Lightweight: Biaggo Ali Walsh (155.4) vs. Brian Stapleton (160.5)*
Bantamweight: Danny Sabatello (135.6) vs. Lazaro Dayron (135.8)
Lightweight: Mads Burnell (155) vs. Elvin Espinoza (156)
Light heavyweight: Thad Jean (170.8) vs. Chris Brown (170.4)
Featherweight: Michelle Montague (145) vs. Marilia Morais (145.8)
Featherweight: Jordan Oliver (145.8) vs. Braydon Akeo (146)

* Brian Stapleton missed weight by 4.5lbs for his lightweight fight with Biaggio Ali Walsh

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That would be Impa Kasanganay, the man who beat him at the 2023 PFL Championship, denying Silveira both a title and a million dollars.

The rematch comes a little earlier this year, in the semifinals rather than finals. Either way, Silveira (13-3) feels blessed to have the chance to avenge one of three career losses.

“Whatever is presented to me is presented to me. I like the fact, I’m super-blessed and I like the fact that I get to fight him again. That doesn’t happen very often, as much as we would like it to happen when we lose to somebody,” Silveira told Cageside Press in a recent interview. “Sometimes you just move on.”

Instead, he continued by saying “Here we are again, in the semis man. I get to rewrite a little bit of that chapter that we thought we closed, but I guess we get to open it up again.”

As much as he is re-writing a chapter, or at least extending it, Josh Silveira is looking at this rematch as a very different animal. “This is a whole new fight. I’m super-excited. Obviously in the perfect world, get a rematch with Impa and then maybe with Rob [Wilkinson], and that would be like a double-banger. But Rob’s fighting my teammate, so I’m not going to wish no bad vibes on that happening.”

Silveira is expecting a very different fight, “150%,” with Kasanganay this time around. “I think it’s going to be killed or be killed in there. I’m not just going to get my ass beat for 25 minutes like I did last time,” he stated. “I can’t tell you the results but I can tell you that, I’m going to fight him with tons of attitude. You’re going to see that same attitude that I fought [with] against Rob, but way more. Way more. Rob helped me find it a little bit, now I have this sh*t in my back pocket.”

There’s never been much trash talk between Silveira and Kasanganay, two respectful fighters who have proven to be true martial artists at their core. There’s a bit of a rivalry between their respective gyms, ATT for Silveira and Kill Cliff for Kasanganay, but even that doesn’t seem to factor in much. For Silveira, it’s all about getting back what was lost last year.

“I don’t give a sh*t if he’s the nicest guy. I’m not going to let that distract me. That man took something from me, and I have the opportunity to take something back from him. I’m going to jump on this opportunity. ATT against Kill Cliff, that just makes it a little bit more spicy, but at the end of the day it’s just me and Impa in there.”

Watch our full interview with PFL Hollywood’s Josh Silveira above.

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