Headlining the card, Vadim Nemkov, former Bellator light heavyweight champ, looking to claim a new title in a second weight class against Renan Ferreira. For those not keeping score, the belt Ferreira had fought for against Francis Ngannou over a year ago had been a “Super-Fights” title; the title on the line when Ferreira, a former PFL Global tournament champ, faced Bellator heavyweight champ Ryan Bader in February 2024 had similarly been of the “Super-Fights” vein.

Which is why Cris Cyborg was facing Sara Collins for the inaugural PFL women’s featherweight championship at PFL Lyon, despite having defeated Larissa Pacheco a year ago.

Where to Watch PFL Lyon

Saturday’s PFL Lyon card takes place at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France on Saturday, December 13, 2025. The card will be broadcast live on the ESPN App in the U.S., and DAZN elsewhere. Full results from the event, which gets underway at 11AM ET, 8AM PT, can be found below.

PFL Lyon: Nemkov vs. Ferreira Results

Main Card

Vadim Nemkov def. Renan Ferreira via R1 SUB (Arm Triangle), 4:00 – for the inaugural PFL heavyweight championship
Cris Cyborg def. Sara Collins via R3 SUB (RNC), 2:55 – for the inaugural PFL women’s featherweight championship
Patrick Habirora def. Kevin Jousset via R1 KO, 2:42
Taylor Lapilus def. Liam Gittins via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary Card

Baris Adiguzel def. Dean Garnett via R1 TKO, 0:44 – PFL Europe Bantamweight Final
Boris Mbarga Atangana def. Guilherme Soares R2 SUB (RNC), 2:35
Aleksandr Chizov def. Connor Hughes by knockout, Round 3, 0:50 – PFL Europe Lightweight Final
Gustavo Oliveira def. Movsar Ibragimov by knockout, Round 2, 0:34
Sabrinna de Sousa def. Paulina Wiśniewska by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Rayan Balbali def. Levi Batchelor by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

The post PFL Lyon: Nemkov vs. Ferreira Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

For those keeping track, two new titles are being debuted on the PFL Lyon card, with the promotion’s inaugural heavyweight and women’s featherweight titles up for grabs. While that might seem confusing to some, it was “Super-Fights” titles that were on the line when Cris Cyborg defeated Larissa Pacheco last October (and when Renan Ferreira fell to Francis Ngannou).

With the old PFL Global titles and current World Tournament titles being separate, Saturday will see the promotion’s top champions crowned, with the tournament acting as a path to title shots for contenders. Similar to the old Bellator season format.

Weigh-ins for PFL Lyon, headlined by Ferreira versus ex-Bellator light heavyweight champ and current heavyweight Vadim Nemkov, took place on Friday. Results can be found below.

PFL Lyon: Nemkov vs. Ferreira Weigh-In Results

Heavyweight: Vadim Nemkov (241.9 lbs) vs. Renan Ferreira (258.8 lbs) – for the inaugural PFL heavyweight championship
Featherweight: Cris Cyborg (144.6 lbs) (c) vs. Sara Collins (144.6 lbs) – for the inaugural PFL Women’s Featherweight Championship
Welterweight: Patrick Habirora (171.0 lbs) vs. Kevin Jousset (170.5 lbs)
Bantamweight: Taylor Lapilus (135.9 lbs) vs. Liam Gittins (136.0 lbs)
Bantamweight: Baris Adiguzel (134.9 lbs) vs. Dean Garnett (134.8 lbs) – PFL Europe Bantamweight Final
Light Heavyweight: Boris Mbarga Atangana (205.5 lbs) vs. Guilherme Soares (204.9 lbs)
Lightweight: Connor Hughes (154.7 lbs) vs. Aleksandr Chizov (154.6 lbs) – PFL Europe Lightweight Final
Bantamweight: Gustavo Oliveira (136.0 lbs) vs. Movsar Ibragimov (135.6 lbs)
Women’s Flyweight: Paulina Wiśniewska (125.9 lbs) vs. Sabrinna de Sousa (125.4 lbs)
Bantamweight: Rayan Balbali (135.2 lbs) vs. Levi Batchelor (135.9 lbs)

The post PFL Lyon: Nemkov vs. Ferreira Weigh-In Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Following nearly a year of inaction, Vadim Nemkov returns at PFL Lyon with a new deal with the promotion, and it has many speculating about the plans the promotion has for the future. The most obvious: was he re-signed with the intention of creating a bout with the now enigmatic Francis Ngannou? The former Bellator light heavyweight champion rides a 13-fight win streak and his highlights go back even further to his days as part of RIZIN in Japan.  If “The Predator” is going to be enticed to return by anyone on the PFL roster, it feels like Nemkov would be the top choice.

“I want to become the Heavyweight champion and defend it for a LONG TIME”

December 13th is about 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗖𝗬 for Vadim Nemkov as the PFL Heavyweight World Title is on the line against Renan Ferreira! #PFLLyon | Sat Dec 13th | LDLC Arena, Lyon | 📺LIVE on the ESPN app | 🎟️ ON… pic.twitter.com/TonLhnOH8W

— PFL (@PFLMMA) December 1, 2025

Of course, that is a big assumption.  Opposing Nemkov is the 2023 heavyweight champion who has wreaked havoc in the promotion over the past several year: Renan Ferreira.  “El Problema” hasn’t been seen since last year and the time away has undoubtedly fueled a desire to return to form when he returns to the cage.  Despite Nemkov’s abilities on the feet, one expects a striker vs grappler matchup between two of the most destructive forces the promotion has to offer.

In the co-headliner, a living legend in Cris “Cyborg” Justino returns to mixed martial arts following speculation on whether or not she would step into the cage again.  In her last MMA bout, she outlasted 2023 season champion Larissa Pacheco.  In the eyes of many, the victory felt like the final feather to add to the cap of the Brazilian legend as far as mixed martial arts is concerned.  To add to the speculation, Justino stopped three opponents in boxing earlier this year which had many wondering if she was angling for a big fight in the squared circle.

Instead, Justino returns to show she is still in top form as she grants undefeated underdog Sara Collins a chance to record a seminal victory in her career.  A fellow Bellator veteran, Collins had two fights in the promotion including one that saw her defeat former title challenger Sinead Kavanagh.  Collins has had one appearance since the acquisition and she made the most of it, stopping the more highly regarded Leah McCourt with a first round submission.  That victory now sets up the Australian contender for her biggest career opportunity by a mile.

With not one but two titles on the line, the PFL closes out the year by setting up more potential matchups going into 2026 where it has already been announced that the promotion will have top talent back in action in the first quarter of the year.

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In the PFL Lyon main event, heavyweights Renan Ferreira and Vadim Nemkov will collide, looking to claim the PFL heavyweight title that currently sits vacant (Francis Ngannou, who defeated Ferreira last year, won the promotion’s Super-Fights title, separate from the league’s regular champions).

In the night’s co-main event, meanwhile, legendary women’s featherweight star Cris Cyborg returns to collect yet another title, taking on undefeated Australian Sara Collins.

Like Ngannou, Cyborg previously captured one of the PFL’s super-fights titles when she defeated Larissa Pacheco at PFL’s Battle of the Giants card last October. The Brazilian star was won gold in Strikeforce, Bellator MMA, the UFC, and Invicta FC, and with a record of 28-2, 1NC, will have a massive experience advantage over Collins, who sits at 6-0.

Fellow ex-Bellator MMA champ Nemkov (18-2, 1NC) is looking to conquer a second weight class. After capturing gold at light heavyweight under the Bellator banner, Nemkov shifted north to heavyweight in 2024 and has won his first two fights there, defeating ex-PFL Global champ Bruno Cappelozza and UFC vet Tim Johnson. Both bouts saw Nemkov secure submissions.

Ferreira (13-4, 3NC), prior to the loss to Ngannou, had been sitting on a four-fight win streak including a victory over ex-Bellator double champ Ryan Bader.

PFL Lyon is set to take place at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France on December 13, 2025. No other bouts have been announced for the card thus far.

The post Ferreira vs. Nemkov, Cyborg vs. Collins Title Fights Announced for PFL Lyon appeared first on Cageside Press.

A dominant win in his debut, and the PFL’s occasional PR flub, which had seen it overly focused on their UFC rivals, would quickly be forgotten. Should Ngannou be upset, Donn Davis and co. would be left with considerable egg on their face.

Ngannou opened Saturday’s affair with a leg kick, his first strike inside the cage in over a year and a half. “Problema” answered in kind, as if to say “no problem.” When Ngannou opened up a big, Ferriera threw a haymaker that fanned; Ngannou did not fan on a takedown, landing it about 90s seconds in. Ferreira appeared content to just stall Ngannou, then briefly caught him in a triange. Past the midway mark, Ngannou found some space and opened up, landing lefts and rights as Ferreira covered up then moved to his knees. Ngannou pounded away as Ferreira flattened out then appeared to go limp, with the ref continuing to give him an opportunity to recover even as the broadcast booth yelled “he’s out!” Ferreira could be seen sporting a considerable hematoma following the beatdown.

Francis Ngannou, meanwhile, had proven that the PFL had made the right choice in signing him and putting him at the forefront of the promotion.

Official Result: Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira by TKO, Round 1, 3:32

The post Francis Ngannou Pounds Out Renan Ferreira in Return to MMA, PFL Debut appeared first on Cageside Press.

#OnThisDay in 2017, @Francis_Ngannou landed this iconic KO at UFC 218 💥

[ via @UFCOnThisDay @UFCFightPass ] pic.twitter.com/WU6KZjJTqh

— UFC (@ufc) December 2, 2021

Francis Ngannou is the UFC heavyweight champion who never lost the title.  He knocked out former champions and contenders like Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, and others en route to being regarded as one of the knockout artists of the generation.  That’s just inside the cage.  In the ring, though he came up short, the financial windfall he made from fights with superstars Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have changed the literal fortunes of himself and his family likely for generations to come.  From a competitive and business standpoint, the 38 year-old has achieved the kind of career that few could dream of.

He is technically speaking still “the man” in MMA.  But the world of MMA is a business as well and the fan base has had nearly two years to move on from the idea of Ngannou as a UFC heavyweight.  The conversation today now revolves around Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall at the top of the land of giants.  Ngannou’s next chapter is a multitude of subplots, some beyond his full control.  A dominant victory would stoke flames to the fiery conversation that the UFC champion is not quite the world’s best heavyweight in MMA.  From a competitive standpoint, it could also be his finale (or close to it) simply for his age and for the now vast business opportunities in front of him in the offices of the PFL.  Finally, there is the personal motivation to honor the memory of his late son and the admirable strength to shoulder on going forward.

The moment the world knew Renan Ferreira was a 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐌

▶️Watch the full Renan Ferreira vs Ryan Bader #PFLvsBellator bout on the PFL MMA YouTube Channel

🔗 https://t.co/HcBOtWVXQ2 pic.twitter.com/3aWfBISns3

— PFL (@PFLMMA) March 15, 2024

Renan Ferreira’s journey to the fight is more straightforward, but it is nevertheless a seminal moment.  The Brazilian powerhouse has been building toward an opportunity like this for years.  A veteran of the PFL since making his promotional debut in 2021, the 6’8 contender has been one of the marquee signees of the promotion’s short history as he’s wrecked havoc across three seasons.  But while he’s been must-see television for the PFL, it is these past two years that have seen him turn the corner as he made his way to the playoffs before stopping longtime contender Denis Goltzov to finally win his first tournament.  His encore this past February went about as perfectly as a fighter could dream up as he stopped longtime Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in 21 seconds to give the PFL their only victory at the PFL vs Bellator event.

Despite his success, a victory over Ngannou would be on another level altogether.  His stock would go through the roof and he would likely be able to command top dollar were he to hit free agency in the near future.  Should he stay in the PFL, he would undoubtedly also be in immediate talks for a lucrative rematch.  At 34 years-old as a heavyweight, he is in the perfect position to add more to his already notable career.  A new saga beginning with a victory over Ngannou would be amazing to say the least.

Francis Ngannou, former UFC Heavyweight Champion. takes on 2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan Ferreira for the PFL Heavyweight Super Fights World Title!

[ #PFLSuperFights | #BraceForImpact | Sat, Oct 19th | 4PM ET | BUY NOW | https://t.co/2BtPH3wso4 | https://t.co/kWyJTEGRvW ] pic.twitter.com/0JXvNKEFZa

— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 18, 2024

A victory for Ngannou would complete quite the circuit.  After putting his MMA career on hold to entertain fights in boxing, a triumph in the PFL cage would complete the promise made nearly two years ago when he signed with the company.  There will always be fights found for him, whether it be the winner between Goltzov and Oleg Popov or someone else.  But one could argue the time to call it a career couldn’t be better if he chose to focus on his endeavors in the front office for PFL Africa or in other business ventures.  For Ferreira, finding new opponents to continue boosting his profile would be a challenge.  He would likely need to grant Ngannou a rematch, especially considering he already holds victories over the Bellator champion and one of the two 2024 tournament finalists in Goltzov.

The post Can Ngannou Reassert Status in Titanic Clash with Ferreira? appeared first on Cageside Press.

On Friday, both Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira successfully made weight for PFL’s Battle of the Giants, with Ngannou coming in just shy of 257 pounds, while Ferreira was a half pound over 261. The fight marks both Ngannou’s return to MMA after a stint in boxing, and his PFL debut, after signing with the promotion as a free agent following another battle – that one with the UFC.

Having waited out his contract, which expired due to a sunset clause, Ngannou was able to secure the sort of money most fighters never see. He’ll make millions for his PFL debut, but as a show that he’s serious about helping fellow fighters, he also secured a $2 million dollar purse for his opponent.

Not too shabby. Also on the card is the return of Cris Cyborg, the Bellator women’s featherweight champ, facing off with two-time, two-division PFL champion Larissa Pacheco. And after being postponed weeks ago, the Bellator middleweight title fight between Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards also lands on PFL Battle of the Giants, which seems to be made up of more Bellator stars than it is PFL fighters.

Results from Friday’s weigh-in can be found below; the ceremonial weigh-in video gets underway at 11:30AM ET, 8:30AM PT.

PFL Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact Weigh-In Results

Main Card

Heavyweight: Francis Ngannou (256.8) vs. Renan Ferreira (261.5) – for the PFL heavyweight superfights championship
Women’s featherweight: Cris Cyborg (144.5) vs. Larissa Pacheco (144.1) – for the PFL women’s featherweight superfights championship
Middleweight: Champ Johnny Eblen (184.7) vs. Fabian Edwards (184.9) – for the Bellator MMA middleweight championship
Featherweight: Husein Kadimagomaev (146) vs. Zafar Mohsen (145.8)
Lightweight: A.J. McKee (155.8) vs. Paul Hughes (155.8)

Preliminary Card

Bantamweight: Marcos Breno (136) vs. Raufeon Stots (135.8)
Lightweight: Dedrek Sanders (154.9) vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov (153.6)
Featherweight: Nacho Campos (145.9) vs. Ibragim Ibragimov (145.5)
Featherweight: Taha Bendaoud (145.5) vs. Tariq Ismail (145.1)

The post No Misses, Full Card Makes Weight for PFL Battle of the Giants appeared first on Cageside Press.

Now almost a year into the acquisition of Bellator by the PFL, you could argue that the fighter with the most to gain has been lightweight contender AJ “The Mercenary” McKee.  Following a standout performance last year against Sidney Outlaw on the last show of the old regime, McKee was given the chance to showcase his talents on the PFL vs Bellator event earlier this year.  He made the most of the opportunity, stopping 2023 PFL finalist (and now 2024 semifinalist) Clay Collard in the first round that announced him as a threat to both rosters.

Get your popcorn ready 🍿

🚨𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧 🚨

🇺🇸 @ajmckee101 🆚 @paulhughesmma 🇮🇪

[ #PFLSuperFights | #BraceForImpact | Sat, Oct 19th | 4PM ET | BUY NOW https://t.co/rokbhScJA7] pic.twitter.com/R6HpVg37kU

— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 8, 2024

For his second fight of 2024, McKee now has the assignment of spoiling the run of top Irish prospect Paul Hughes.  Hughes made significant noise earlier this year when the former Cage Warriors featherweight champion signed with the PFL after receiving interest from the UFC.  Hughes made his promotional debut in his home country earlier this year to great fanfare and the fight with McKee marks a significant moment for two of the top talents in the world under 30 years old.

While Hughes’ title victory is no small feat, the vast experience behind McKee makes him the one to watch going into the event.  Besides his Grand Prix victory (including the stoppage of featherweight legend Patricio “Pitbull” Freire) under his belt, he also has the experience of having traveled to the Kingdom of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia earlier this year and the process it will take to get dialed in for fight night.

“As far as getting acclimated it didn’t take much.  About halfway through I realized our training time here in California is their nighttime there so there was kind of no need to get acclimated there to their time schedule, I just stayed on my time schedule.  Everything worked out perfect.  My hardest training is in the morning which is their nighttime which is the same time that I’ll be fighting so everything just worked out perfect.”

The bout with Hughes is another big showcase bout for McKee and is a great example of the opportunities that have been seen in 2024.  It is also an important one given McKee’s status as a lightweight contender as his division has seen fights in not only the PFL regular season tournament but also in the Bellator Champions Series under the same umbrella.  One could argue that the separation of talent under the different brands could lead to logistical headaches to get the fights that would propel you forward, but McKee says it’s all a favorable situation for himself.

“I don’t really see it as them splitting the rosters up.  There’s a lot of things still that are in play on Bellator’s end. I just think it’s a great opportunity because guys have the opportunity to go back-and-forth between two companies that are kind of independently doing their own thing but at the same time they’re still one in unity. For me, I think it’s the best of both worlds to go showcase my skills on PFL’s platform but then again at the same time I’m able to potentially fight for Bellator’s world title. I wouldn’t say there’s really a split. I’d say it’s just a matter of doing what makes sense. That’s what Bellator is into and what PFL is into.”

While the PFL regular season has a fight coming up next month between Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov to determine a new lightweight champion for the year, McKee has his sights set on the Bellator title holder for his next bout.

“I think the fight to make is Usman [Nurmagomedov]. That’s the fight that everyone wants to see so that’s the fight that I obviously want. He’s the world champ so that the fight that I want to get into…obviously following through with the Bellator tournament that fell through. He was able to fight (Alexander) Shabliy, they were both in the finals. I caught staph before the first round so I wasn’t even able to fight in the tournament but I think leading into it that was the fight everyone wanted to see. He’s been the man since I called Patricky out and he beat Patricky for the world title. He’s been the man, he’s held the world title, so I think that’s the fight to make.”

For now, “The Mercenary” seemingly has the chance to control his piece on the ever-evolving chessboard of the PFL with a victory over Paul Hughes.  With marquee bouts against Nurmagomedov and the 2024 tournament winner, McKee’s already considerable profile could grow exponentially in 2025.

AJ McKee fights Paul Hughes this Saturday on the Battle of the Giants PPV, live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The post AJ McKee Eyes Champ Nurmagomedov After Paul Hughes appeared first on Cageside Press.

The PFL has unveiled a new championship belt ahead of their upcoming pay-per-view event this Saturday.  The new belt is expected to go to the winner of the heavyweight bout between lineal UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and 2023 PFL tournament champion Renan Ferreira as well as the winner of the featherweight title fight between long time Bellator champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino and two-time PFL tournament winner Larissa Pacheco.

What it's all about on October 1️⃣9️⃣th

Everything you need to know about the PFL Super Fights Belt 🏆

[ #PFLSuperFights | #BraceForImpact | Sat, Oct 19th | 4PM ET | BUY NOW https://t.co/kWyJTEGRvW] pic.twitter.com/q0QVTefMDs

— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 14, 2024

Earlier this year, the PFL showcased a special belt that was awarded to the marquee winners of the PFL vs Bellator fights in February.  That belt, which also featured a removable championship ring built into it, was awarded to Renan Ferreira, Johnny Eblen, and Vadim Nemkov following their victories.

While the previous belt was more of a one-off recognizing the PFL vs Bellator winners, the new belt will recognize the winners as a “Super Fights” world champion for the PFL.  There are also special side plates recognizing different weight divisions which will correspond with the weight class of the winner to whom the belt is awarded.  Per the PFL, the belt is made with 12.5 pounds of gold.

In an interview with MMAJunkie, PFL CEO Peter Murray said that the plan is for winners of the new Super Fight belts to defend their titles at future events. The PFL superfights belt, first time we as a company and organization have a belt where it must be won, but it also must be defended on an ongoing basis.  Typically, our global season belts, they recognize those champions for the year, and they’re forever that year’s champion. But this is a different belt, a different format for us.

The new belt will be on line at the Battle of Giants pay-per-view event this Saturday, airing live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

The post PFL Unveils New Gold Belt Ahead of Super Fights Event on Saturday appeared first on Cageside Press.

The October card will see the long-awaited promotional debut of Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champ and massive free agent signing. Ngannou is set to take on 2023 PFL heavyweight champ Renan Ferreira, over two years on from his last action inside the cage.

In the interim, Ngannou made the jump to boxing, coming close to defeating Tyson Fury, then being knocked out at the hands of Anthony Joshua earlier this year. That signaled a return to MMA for “The Predator,” who sits on a six-fight win streak inside the cage.

Ferreira, the lesser-known of the two heavyweights set to collide in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 19, rides a four-fight win streak, most recently having finished Bellator MMA heavyweight champ Ryan Bader by TKO this past February. Regardless of outcome, Ferreira will reportedly earn a two million dollar payday for going up against Ngannou, something Francis Ngannou himself saw to during his negotiations with the promotion.

Also featured on the Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact card is the debut of Cris Cyborg, the dominant Bellator MMA women’s featherweight champion who has held gold in Invicta FC, Strikeforce, and the UFC as well. She’ll be taking on Larissa Pacheco, the PFL double-champ (women’s lightweight and featherweight). Cyborg, however, is nowhere to be found in the newly released trailer.

While traditional MMA trailers in modern times have focused on fighters and their accomplishments inside the cage, the Battle for the Giants trailer feels more like a boxing promo, going the “Godzilla vs. Kong” route in this case (or, insert any Kaiju you prefer).

The post PFL Releases Boxing-Style Trailer for Battle of the Giants appeared first on Cageside Press.