A lightweight showdown between Anthony
Pettis and Clay
Collard will headline the first card of the 2021 Professional
Fighters League season.
The promotion announced the full lineup for the April 23 event,
which features lightweights and featherweights and will air on
ESPN2 and ESPN+. The four-bout main card airs on ESPN2 and also
includes: Natan
Schulte vs. Marcin Held
at lightweight; Movlid
Khaybulaev vs. Jason
Soares at featherweight and Lance
Palmer vs. Bubba
Jenkins at featherweight.
A five-bout undercard will air on ESPN+: Loik
Radzhabov vs. Johnny Case
at lightweight; Joilton
Lutterbach vs. Olivier
Aubin-Mercier at lightweight; Akhmed
Aliev vs. Mikhail
Odintsov at lightweight; Sung Bin Jo
vs. Tyler
Diamond at featherweight and Brendan
Loughnane vs. Sheymon
Moraes at featherweight.
“The PFL’s season kickoff on April 23 is one that is sure to be a
showstopper and full of nonstop action,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray.
“The talent that exists within these matchups is unparalleled and
we can’t wait to see the outcome of each fight. The PFL is proud to
kick off its season on ESPN and ESPN+ and we are excited for our
fans, old and new, around the world to experience premium MMA
content.”
Pettis signed with the PFL last year following a 20-bout stint with
the UFC. The former UFC and WEC lightweight champion is coming off
back-to-back decision victories against Donald
Cerrone and Alex Morono
in his final two Octagon appearances.
A four-time UFC veteran, Collard has been quite active in the
boxing ring of late, compiling a 9-4-3 record since 2017. The
27-year-old has won four of his last five MMA bouts, most recently
outpointing Randall
Wallace at a regional event in April 2019. His owns an 18-8
career mark in MMA.