NEW YORK – The Professional Fighters League today announced the finalized fight cards for the second and third PFL playoff events of 2023 live from The Theater at MSG in New York City, on August 18 and 23, airing on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.
On August 18, PFL playoff action will feature the heavyweight and women’s featherweight divisions, with Renan Ferreira set to take on Maurice Greene in a heavyweight main event affair. Greene steps in to replace Marcelo Nunes who was forced to withdraw due to injury. In the co-main event, 2022 PFL women’s lightweight champion Larissa Pacheco will look to advance to her second consecutive PFL Championship when she faces Olena Kolesnyk in a win-or-go-home matchup.
PFL playoff action continues on August 23 featuring the lightweight and welterweight divisions, with top-seeded lightweight Clay Collard matching up with Shane Burgos with a trip to the PFL World Championship on the line. In the co-main event, 2022 PFL lightweight champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier returns to the PFL SmartCage against Bruno Miranda.
“We are thrilled to bring two 2023 PFL playoff events back to New York City at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on August 18 and 23,” said PFL president of fighter operations Ray Sefo. “Our athletes have worked all season long for this kind of opportunity, and 16 fighters have the chance to punch their ticket to the 2023 PFL World Championship at The Mecca with a $1 million purse awaiting.”
August 18 PFL playoff event
ESPN CARD
- Heavyweight playoffs: Renan Ferreira (2) vs. Maurice Greene (5)
- Women’s featherweight playoffs: Larissa Pacheco (1) vs. Olena Kolesnyk (4)
- Heavyweight playoffs: Denis Goltsov (1) vs. Jordan Heiderman (4)
- Women’s featherweight playoffs: Marina Mokhnatkina (2) vs. Amber Leibrock (3)
- Nathan Kelly vs. Damion Nelson
ESPN+ CARD
- Chris Mixan vs. Eddie George
- Abraham Bably vs. Anthony Wint
- Danilo Marques vs. Satoshi Ishii
- Laureano Staropoli vs. Ben Egli
- Kaytlin Neil vs. Maira Mazar
- Louis Sutherland vs. Daiqwon Buckley
August 23 PFL playoff event
ESPN CARD
- Lightweight playoffs: Clay Collard (1) vs. Shane Burgos (4)
- Lightweight playoffs: Olivier Aubin-Mercier (2) vs. Bruno Miranda (3)
- Welterweight playoffs: Sadibou Sy (3) vs. Carlos Leal (2)
- Welterweight playoffs: Magomed Magomedkerimov (1) vs. Magomed Umalatov (4)
- Biaggio Ali-Walsh vs. TBA
ESPN+ CARD
- Alexei Pergande vs. Shawn Stefanelli
- Mostafa Rashed Neda vs. Korey Kuppe
- Abigail Montes vs. Michelle Montague
- Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. David Zelner
- John Caldone vs. Nathaniel Grimard
PFL is the only league in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year, making PFL a “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports. PFL fighter roster hails from over 20 countries and 25 percent of PFL fighters are independently ranked in the top 25 of their weight-class. The company leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience.
