PARIS – The Professional Fighters League today announced the incredible full fight card for the PFL Europe playoffs, in one of the most stacked MMA cards of the year on September 30 in Paris.
The groundbreaking event will be headlined by Cedric “The Best” Doumbe (4-0), widely regarded as one of the greatest welterweights in the world. The 30-year-old superstar and former GLORY kickboxing champion facing his toughest test yet in professional MMA against fellow unbeaten countryman Jordan Zebo (4-0) in an all French showdown.
Also added to the card, and making his Professional Fighters League debut, will be one of MMA’s most highly regarded prospects, Abdoul “The Lazy King” Abdouraguimov. Currently 16-1 and just 27 years old, the former two weight ARES FC champion will first compete in Paris before entering the PFL Regular Season in 2024. “The Lazy King,” who represents a huge addition to the Professional Fighters League roster and the promotion’s ongoing commitment to the French market, will be up against the experienced Brazilain Quemuel Ottoni (12-3), who is unbeaten in his past five fights.
On top of Doumbe vs. Zebo and Abdouraguimov, who will be taking part in a special showcase bouts, the PFL Europe playoffs will also host the light heavyweight, female flyweight, bantamweight and lightweight semi-finals of the inaugural season, as well as qualifier matchups for PFL Europe’s 2024 season – meaning that it’s incredibly “win or go home” for 20 fighters on the card in what is certain to be an intense and dramatic night in Paris.
Following on from his vicious victory in Newcastle, French light heavyweight Anthony Salamone (8-1) will be facing Slovenian Jakob “The Gorilla” Nedoh (6-1), currently on a monumental six-fight winning streak. In the other light heavyweight playoff, England’s “Smooth” Simeon Powell (8-0) puts his unbeaten record on the line against Spain’s highly rated, Abdellah Er-Ramy (7-1), who won via a spectacular first-round finish in his last bout.
Also on the card after outstanding performances in Berlin on July 8, Ireland’s very own Frans Mlambo, Dylan Tuke and John Mitchell will fight back-to-back-back in Paris in a huge treble of matchups for Irish MMA, as the trio look to book their places in December’s Final at the 3Arena. In the bantamweight division, “Black Mamba” Mlambo (14-5) will be facing Italy’s Francesco Nuzzi (10-1), who produced a devastating KO in Germany and enters Paris unbeaten in seven years. For the lightweight playoffs, fighting out of Poland, Jakub Kaszuba (9-0) is up against fan-favorite “The Nuke” Tuke (6-3), while “Pretty Boy” Alex Chizov (10-2) faces Mitchell (7-1), from Cork.
Rounding off the bantamweight playoffs, Ali Taleb (9-0) from Sweden, who wowed the crowd in Berlin with his sensational win, will aim to continue his unbeaten record as he faces off against striking specialist, Khurshed Kakhorov (10-1).
And in the female flyweight playoffs, named as one of MMA’s next stars, Dakota Ditcheva (8-0) from England, will face her second Swedish opponent in Cornelia Holm (6-5), while Griet Eeckhout (7-4-1) from Belgium, fresh off a brilliant victory in Berlin, will take on Italy’s Valentina Scatizzi (2-1).
“PFL Europe’s first event in Paris will bring the MMA league format to France for the first time. We have eight playoff bouts between the winners of the regular season, all competing for a chance at the European Championship and $100,000 prize, headlined by a kickboxing superstar, Cedric Doumbe, and one of MMA’s hottest prospects, Abdoul Abdouraguimov. If you’re a combat sports fan, there is nowhere better to be on September 30,” said head of fighter operations for PFL Europe, Dan Hardy.
Alongside the playoff matchups, two of the showcase bouts feature promising European prospects looking to join the European season in 2024. These include the recently signed Shanelle Dyer (2-0) from London, with a record of 2-0, who is fixed on conquering Netherlands fighter Lizzy Gevers (2-1). Also, on the card is Marseille’s lightweight Yazid Chouchane (9-3) who steps into the SmartCage against Italy’s Luigi Vendramini (9-3).
Full PFL Europe playoffs Paris card includes:
- Cedric Doumbe vs. Jordan Zebo
- Abdoul Abdouraguimov vs. Quemuel Ottoni
- Anthony Salamone vs. Jakob Nedoh
- Siméon Powell vs. Abdellah Er-Ramy
- Dakota Ditcheva vs. Cornelia Holm
- Yazid Chouchane vs. Luigi Vendramini
- Frans Mlambo vs. Francesco Nuzzi
- Dylan Tuke vs. Jakub Kaszuba
- John Mitchell vs. Alex Chizov
- Ali Taleb vs. Khurshed Kakhorov
- Griet Eeckhout vs. Valentina Scatizzi
- Lizzy Gevers vs. Shanelle Dyer
PFL Europe is the PFL’s first international league and showcases the very best MMA athletes across Europe and holding quarterly events throughout 2023, which began in Newcastle on March 25. The ground-breaking league features 32 of Europe’s top fighters from 14 countries competing across four weight divisions. After four events, four PFL Europe champions will be crowned with each champion taking home $100,000. Champions also have a chance to earn a spot on the PFL global roster and the $1 million global season prize.
The PFL Europe 2023 remaining schedule includes:
- Saturday, September 30: Paris, France – Zenith Paris La Villette (playoffs)
- Friday, December 8: Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena (final)
