The Professional Fighters League has its distribution sorted out for its upcoming inaugural season. Staying in business with NBC Sports Group, and adding Facebook to the mix, it looks like the PFL will be well-covered in 2018. The promotion, which rose from the WSOF, offers a million dollar prize to the winner (and champion) of its initial season. The PFL announced the news in a press release earlier today.

As per Monday’s announcement, PFL events will air on NBC SN, which has been the home for the promotion (and the WSOF before that) since day one. In addition to NBC SN, Facebook will also be airing events free of charge for audiences outside of the U.S. That coverage will consist of six hours for each event, including a live 30-minute pre-show and a live 30-minute post-show.

Events will be hosted Thursday nights, with NBC SN showing seven regular-season live events in prime time, with encore telecasts later in the evening. Events will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

Per Monday’s press release, “We are excited to create a Thursday night destination that will be appointment viewing for MMA fans,” said Jon Miller, President, Programming, NBC Sports Group. “NBCSN, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app will be home to the PFL’s innovative format, which will keep viewers on the edge of their seats from the first fight June 7 through the championship finale December 31.  We look forward to working with Pete and the PFL team on what promises to be a thrilling season.”

Dan Reed, Facebook Head of Global Sports Partnerships, added “The PFL’s comprehensive coverage on Watch, combined with its plans to deliver an innovative viewing experience, will give MMA fans ample opportunity to come together, talk about, and interact with this exciting new league in ways that are unique to our social video platform.”

The PFL season kicks off June 7, with 72 athletes in total, 12 in each of the six different weight-classes. One fighter in each division will earn the championship, and the million dollar prize, come season’s end.

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The PFL finished its 2017 season in Washington, D.C. at the annual charity Fight Night event, with proceeds going to Fight for Children. The four fight card streamed live and free online across a number of outlets, including Cageside Press and on the Professional Fighters League official website.

In the main event, former WSOF heavyweight champ and Bellator fighter Blagoy Ivanov improved his record to 16–1 (1) with a victory over Caio Alencar. An unexpectedly measured affair, the fight went the distance, with Blagoy getting the nod on all three judge’s scorecards.

Also going the distance was the co-main event between featherweights Lance Palmer and Steven Siler. Siler, a former UFC talent, worked from his back for most of the fight, threatening with a gogoplata but never really coming close to finishing the bout. Palmer, meanwhile, relied on his strong wrestling, dictating when and where the fight went to the canvas. Imposing his will through most of the three-round affair, all three judges gave him every round, with one scoring it 30-26.

In early action, Mike Kyle captured a TKO finish of Daniel Gallemore at heavyweight, and Russia’s Timur Valiev choked Brazil’s Josenaldo Silva in a bantamweight contest that opened the card.

Check below for a gallery featuring stills from all four of the evening’s bouts! For a full recap of the evening’s fights, click here.

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The Professional Fighters League touched down in Washington, D.C. for their final event of 2017 on Thursday. The card took place as part of the annual Fight Night charity event, with proceeds going to Fight For Children, a D.C. area children’s charity. Headlining the card was a heavyweight showdown between Blagoy Ivanov and Caio Alencar. Hosted at the Washington Hilton, the four fight PFL event also featured featherweight standout Lance Palmer taking on Steven Siler.

You can catch the live stream of the event below, free, courtesy of the Professional Fighters League!

If you have any difficulties with tonight’s stream, it can also be viewed via http://www.professionalfightersleague.com/

Check back come fight time for a recap and results from the final PFL card of 2017! PFL: Fight Night kicks off at 8:30 PM EST.

Josenaldo Silva vs. Timur Valiev

Opening the action at PFL: Fight Night was a bantamweight scrap between Russia’s Timur Valiev and Brazil’s Josenaldo Silva

Silva held the center of the cage early, but Timur Valiev closed the distance looking for a takedown. He’s keep at it, and finally take it to the ground, only for Silva to jump right back to his feet. Valiev would take the back and drag Silva back down, looking for a choke. When that wasn’t open, the Russian landed some heavy shots that forced Silva to look for a way out. He’d make it up, only to be taken back down via a belly-to-back suplex. Once the aftershock wore off, Valiev went to work inside Silva’s closed guard. Valiev postured up and picked his shots, then managed to open his guard. He’d finish out the round from there, looking to do damage from the top, with Silva unable to escape.

Round two saw Timur Valiev once again impose his will, grinding and wearing down Silva. By the midway point of the round, he’d move into full mount, with Silva trying to hand on. Silva would survive however, and Valiev would wind up with a half nelson, controlling his opponent, who risked giving up his back if he tried to escape. Elbows and forearm smashes did a considerable amount of damage, and later in the round, some big right hands began to land for the Russian. Silva, however, would escape the round.

Bloodied by the ground and pound in round two, Josenaldo Silva looked to battle back in round three, and he was able to connect early with a right hand. Valiev, however, soon had a single leg secured. One there, short shots re-opened the cut on Silva from round two, and Valiev was then able to take the back. Before long, he had the rear-naked choke, and the tap!

Timur Valiev def. Josenaldo Silva by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 3, 2:12

Daniel Gallemore vs. Mike Kyle

Heavyweight action was up next. Off the opening bell, Kyle whiffed with a left hook but touched Gallemore with a jab. Kyle would then land a solid uppercut. Gallimore seemed to suddenly retreat back against the cage, perhaps losing a contact lense after eating the uppercut. Either that, or it did enough damage for him to switch to defensive mode. That allowed Kyle to land a number of follow-up shots. Gallemore survived momentarily, but against the cage just seconds later, Kyle landed a number of big knees and an elbow, leading to a stoppage as the ref came in to wave it off!

Mike Kyle def. Daniel Gallemore by TKO, Round 1, 1:01

Lance Palmer vs. Steven Siler

Lance Palmer opened the action in the co-main event with a teep kick that didn’t connect followed by a leg kick that did. From there, he took Siler to the ground. Siler stayed active on the bottom with a butterfly guard, and looked for a gogoplata. Palmer would continue to stay heavy on top and avoid the submission attempts. A big left knocked down Siler as he recklessly charged in just under the three minute mark, and Palmer added a number of shots to his opponent while he lay on his back. Ref Mario Yamasaki took a good look, but let the fight continue. Palmer, who might have punched himself out a little, moved into Siler’s guard. After a standup in the dying moments of the round, Siler’s jumping knee was caught, and he’d go back down as the round ended.

Siler did a better jump of staying off his back in the opening moments of round two, with Palmer instead relying on inside leg kicks to do damage. The takedown would come eventually for Palmer, however, about ninety seconds in. From there, Palmer would land blows from the top, while Siler would again look for a gogoplata and later an omoplata. Spending so much time off his back, however, Siler would have to secure a finish for a win heading into the third.

No doubt aware of needing the finish, Siler went straight for a guillotine to start the third, but Palmer was able to escape. From there the fight because a mirror image of much of the first two rounds, with Palmer staying heavy on top, and Siler looking for a submission off his back. He’d mix things up a little more this round, trying for an arm bar at one point, but it was Palmer at the end of the round on Siler’s back, looking for a finish. Siler would escape, and it would go to the scorecards, with little question as to the result.

Lance Palmer def. Steven Siler by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Blagoy Ivanov vs. Caio Alencar

In he evening’s heavyweight main event, Caio Alencar connected first with an outside leg kick, but there was little action early as the pair of big men went through a feeling out period. This continued through the first two minutes, as Ivanov worked to figure out the puzzle of the larger, longer Alencar. Soon Ivanov would walk the bigger man down as he circled out of harm’s way. A low blow by Alencar, however, would pause the action. Once back underway, Ivanov would continue to walk down his opponent only to eat a right hand while leaning in. He’d shake it off, and continue to press forward. With ninety seconds to go Alencar would go on the offensive and connected with a right on Ivanov. Ivanov would battle back and continue to move forward, but still couldn’t find away inside.

In round two, the action continued at a trickle, with neither fighter wanting to stray from their gameplan. As Alencar tired a little, Ivanov found more success moving in with his left hand. In the final minute, Ivanov finally opened up, connecting with lefts and rights as Alencar covered up and retreated. He’d then answer back, and it looked like Ivanov could be in danger, as his chin was up just a little. He’d bring the fight once more as the seconds ticked down, doing more damage to a bloodied Alencar.

In the third, the big question was who had more in the tank — and if either fighter was a little wobbled.

An overhand right by Ivanov would just miss early, and Alencar would answer the next barrage with a knee. Alencar, after taking more damage in round three, would try to initiate a takedown about two minutes into the third, but a combination of Ivanov’s defense and Alencar simply being tired saw the attempt fail. A big left by Ivanov with just over a minute remaining may have been the biggest shot of the fight, but Alencar continued to successfully escape by circling out. Alencar would later connect with a left of his own, and Ivanov would return the favor in the dying seconds of the round. Going to the scorecards, how did the judges see it?

Blagoy Ivanov def. Caio Alencar by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)

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Ivanov (15-1) will face Brazilian Caio Alencar (11-1) in the previously announced main event. Joining him at the top of the card, Lance Palmer will take on former UFC fighter Steven Siler (28-15) in the co-main event. Palmer, a former WSOF featherweight champ, and Siler, who appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 14, are both coming off losses to the final WSOF featherweight champ, Andre Harrison, who remains the 145lb champ in the PFL.

Palmer is 2-2 in his last four dating back to June 2015, including splitting a pair of fights with Alexandre Almeida. Siler, meanwhile, had been on a five fight win streak prior to running into Harrison.

Also on the PFL: Fight Night card this November will be Mike Kyle (22-15-1, 2NC), who will face Daniel Gallemore (7-3) at heavyweight with a PFL 2018 roster spot on the line. Gallemore, a veteran of Bellator MMA and Victory FC, comes into the bout having won three straight.

The final bout of the night will see bantamweights Timur Valiev and Josenaldo Silva battle it out.

The event will be aired live via www.ProfessionalFightersLeague.com.

Full Card:

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