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.

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.

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If that pairing feels like an odd choice for a main event of a card this size, it’s key to note that it wasn’t truly a choice. Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards for Eblen’s middleweight title had been planned, but often as is the case in fighting, those plans took a detour, with the bout pushed back.

Instead, it’s McCourt vs. Collins, the night’s co-main event originally, topping the bill at the OVO Arena at Wembley, with the specter of Cris Cyborg looming in the distance. The Bellator women’s featherweight champ is set to face her PFL counterpart, Larissa Pacheco, later this year, but win or lose she will emerge still holding her title.

McCourt, coming off a win over Sara McMann, has been billed as a future title challenger for some time now, though upstart Collins, a perfect 5-0, will look to steal her spot on Saturday.

Where to Watch Bellator Champions Series 5

Bellator London (Bellator Champions Series 5) takes place on Saturday, September 14, 2024 at the OVO Arena at Wembley in London, England. The card airs live on streaming service MAX in the U.S., DAZN in the U.K., and Fight Network in Canada. Full results can be found below.

Bellator London: McCourt vs. Collins Results

Main Card

Sara Collins def. Leah McCourt by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 2:25
Simeon Powell def. Rafael Xavier by split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)
Luke Trainer def. Laurynas Urbonavicius by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 4:15
Marc Diakiese def. Tim Wilde by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary Card

Archie Colgan def. Manoel Sousa by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Mike Shipman def. Eslam Abdul Baset by KO (knee and punches), Round 2, 2:32
Joseph Luciano def. Steven Hill by submission (anaconda choke), Round 2, 1:22
Ciaran Clarke def. Tuomas Grönvall by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Darragh Kelly def. Dmytrii Hrytsenko by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

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With that fight postponed, instead, it’s Leah McCourt and Sara Collins capping off the night at Bellator London, which also includes the likes of Luke Trainer, Archie Coglan, and Marc Diakiese.

Weigh-ins for Bellator London went down Friday; full results can be found below.

Bellator London: McCourt vs. Collins Weigh-In Results

Main Card:

Women’s Featherweight No.1 Contender Bout: Leah McCourt (145.9 lbs) vs Sara Collins (145.8 lbs)
Light Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Simeon Powell (205.9 lbs) vs Rafael Xavier (204.6 lbs)
Light Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Luke Trainer (204.2 lbs) vs Laurynas Urbonavicius (205.0 lbs)
Lightweight Main Card Bout: Tim Wilde (155.3 lbs) vs Marc Diakiese (155.7 lbs)

Preliminary Card:

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Archie Colgan (155.1 lbs) vs Manoel Sousa (155.3 lbs)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Shipman (185.9 lbs) vs Eslam Abdul Baset (184.0 lbs)
Contract Weight (175 lbs) Preliminary Bout: Joseph Luciano (174.1 lbs) vs Steven Hill (173.8 lbs)
Contract Weight (140 lbs) Preliminary Bout: Ciaran Clarke (139.8 lbs) vs Tuomas Grönvall (139.1 lbs)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Darragh Kelly (155.2 lbs) vs Dmytrii Hrytsenko (155.6 lbs)
CANCELLED BOUT: Women’s Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Eman Almudhaf vs Daiane Da Silva

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The fight will be rescheduled with the new date expected to be announced in the coming days. The new main event will be Leah McCourt vs. Sara Collins per Bellator MMA.

Eblen (15-0) is coming off a very close split-decision victory over Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator in February. The Bellator middleweight king has beaten the likes of Gegard Mousasi, Anatoly Tokov, Kasanganay and Edwards.

Edwards (13-3) earned a second shot at Eblen when he took a decision over Aaron Jeffrey in March. He holds wins over Mousasi, Jeffrey, Charlie Ward and Lyoto Machida.

No word as to why the fight was rescheduled as of yet.

The new main event of McCourt and Collins come into Bellator London off wins in late 2023.

McCourt (8-3) finished Sarah McMann at Bellator 300 last October and had been promised a fight with Cris Cyborg, but the bout never came about. Popular thought was that Kayla Harrison would be the one to challenge Cyborg next, but Harrison subsequently signed with the UFC.

Add on top of that the PFL-Bellator merger and the promotion has yet to even acknowledge McCourt as the #1 contender for Cyborg’s title.

Collins (5-0) will ride her undefeated record into Bellator London off a split-decision win over Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 299.

Bellator London is as follows:

• Leah McCourt vs. Sara Collins
• Simeon Powell vs. Rafael Xavier
• Luke Trainer vs. Laurynas Urbonavicius
• Marc Diakiese vs. Tim Wilde
• Archie Colgan vs. Manoel Sousa
• Mike Shipman vs. Eslam Abdul Baset
• Joseph Luciano vs. Steven Hill
• Ciaran Clarke vs. Zebenzui Ruiz
• Darragh Kelly vs. Dmytrii Hrytsenko
• Eman Almudhaf vs. Daiane Silva

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A split decision win for Collins (5-0) didn’t exactly go how she predicted, the 33-year old admitted following the fight.

“No, that wasn’t how I expected it to go. I was planning on taking her down and finishing her on the ground,” Collins said backstage at the 3Arena. “But when we started trading, I felt her out, so I decided to keep it there for a bit.”

Judging being what it is in mixed martial arts, waiting for the scorecards to be read out can often be a anxious moment. Collins, however, was fairly confident she had the win. “I thought I had definitely won the first two rounds. I wasn’t sure about the third, but I thought I did enough in the first two.”

If there was any criticism in Sara Collins maintaining her perfect record on Saturday, it might be that the bout was low-action at times. Collins admitted that the pair were a bit stand-offish, as she put it. “But what can you do? As a fighter, it’s not always about exciting fights. Sometimes you’re just in there to win.”

With her fifth straight win, the Australian is now looking to work her way up the ladder in the women’s featherweight division.

“I want to fight anyone who is ranked above Sinead,” stated Collins. “Even the winner of Leah [McCourt] and Sara [McMann] in two weeks, that would be nice. Or anyone just ranked above Sinead.”

Watch the full Bellator 299 post-fight press conference with Sara Collins above.

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Collins’ Bellator debut came six months ago against Pam Sorenson where she scored a round one submission over the 37-year-old.

With Kavanagh being the hometown fighter and ultimately being a fans favourite on this side of the world, Collins will likely be greeted to a copious amount of boo’s. At the Bellator 299 media day, this is something she admitted she has tried not to think about. “I’ve tried not to think about it but everyone keeps reminding me. I think it’s going to be fun and I’m not too worried,” Collins said.

The Australian comes into this fight, as she does every fight, as a Judo specialist and that is an area she seemingly will have an advantage over Sinead Kavanagh. Having said that, Kavanagh’s striking output is something a lot of fighters crumble over.

Collins joked that she has been practising keeping her hands up to prepare for the matchup. As well as that, Collins acknowledged that if she was able to beat Kavanagh, it’d be the biggest win of her career thus far. “I’ve been practising keeping my hands up so we’ll see. I think from now on every fight I have is going to be the biggest win of my career so this will put me in great contention to climb the Bellator ranks if I win this so yeah I’m super excited,” Collins stated.

Check out the Bellator 299 media day with Sara Collins above.

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SBG Ireland’s Kavanagh (9-5) should have the local crowd behind her when she takes on Sara Collins (4-0) in a women’s featherweight match-up at Bellator 299. The event takes place September 23, 2023, airing on Showtime in the U.S.

Kavanagh, a teammate of Conor McGregor, is 4-1 in her past five fights, with the lone loss coming in a failed bid to capture the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight championship against Cris Cyborg.

Australia’s Collins made her promotional debut in her last fight, beating veteran featherweight Pam “Bam” Sorenson.

Bellator officials announced the fight via press release on Thursday, along with five other newly revealed match-ups for Bellator 299.

Those additional fights see British light heavyweight Luke Trainer (7-1) welcome promotional newcomer Laurynas “Captain Lithuania” Urbonavicius (14-1) to the Bellator cage, while Scottish lightweight Mark Ewen (4-0) makes his promotional debut against fellow newcomer Noah Gugnon (1-1) of France. At featherweight, a pair of undefeated prospects collide as Kenny “Black Diamond” Mokhonoana (5-0) goes up against Welshman Josh O’Connor (4-0).

Rounding out the new additions, Italy’s Chiara “Beasty Barbie” Penco (8-3) takes on Mackenzie “Mack Judo” Stiller (1-0), fresh off a win over Maria Henderson in a women’s strawweight match-up, while another Italian talent, Nicolo “The Monkey King” Solli (5-1) faces France’s Romain Debienne (9-4) at welterweight.

Bellator 299 is set to be headlined by a previously announced middleweight fight as Johnny Eblen defends his title against England’s Fabian Edwards. The card as announced to date consists of the following match-ups:

• Johnny Eblen (c) vs. Fabian Edwards — for the Bellator MMA middleweight championship
• Brian Moore vs. Otto Rodrigues
• Mads Burnell vs. Daniel Weichel
• Sinead Kavanagh vs. Sara Collins
• Luke Trainer vs. Laurynas Urbonavicius
• Mark Ewen vs. Noah Gugnon
• Kenny Mokhonoana vs. Josh O’Connor
• Chiara Penco vs. Mackenzie Stiller
• Nicolo Solli vs. Romain Debienne

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“I do, do that a lot in training, and get in trouble with it because I go in that position and then get stuck there a little bit. Today it worked so I’m not going to complain,” Collins told reporters including Cageside Press at her post-fight scrum on Friday.

Collins (4-0) made her Bellator debut against Sorenson riding a three-fight win streak outside of the organization. The 27-year-old from Australia made the most of the opportunity and added a big name to her resume right off the bat.

With a big win in the bag now and still early in 2023 Collins hopes to get back into the cage sooner than later.

“Hopefully another fight this year. Since starting MMA…we were in a pandemic as well, but I’ve only had one fight a year for my whole career so I’d like to get a year where I have at least two fights. That’d be nice,” she said.

“I just want to keep fighting.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Sara Collins above. She defeated Pam Sorenson with a first-round submission at Bellator 293.

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