We’ve signed welterweights Gleison Tibau,
Alexei Kunchenko and Jason Ponet; featherweights Chris Wade and
Anthony Dizy, women’s lightweights Kaitlin Young and Taylor
Guardado; and light heavyweight Nick Roehrick to complete the 2021
PFL Roster!— PFL MMA (@ProFightLeague)
February 25, 2021
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the PFL live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. The Professional Fighters League has finalized its
divisions for its upcoming 2021 season. In a press release sent out by the tournament-based league on
Thursday, the PFL has set its 60-fighter lineup for its latest
season. Much of its roster had already been disclosed in sections
for its weight classes of
featherweight and lightweight,
welterweight and light heavyweight, and finally,
heavyweight and women’s lightweight. Like the past season, each
category will initially hold just 10 fighters, and the ranks are
now set.
At featherweight, 2018 and 2019 semifinalist Chris Wade
(17-6) will return to try to reach the finals for the first time.
Coming up short against Natan
Schulte and Loik
Radzhabov by decision in the previous seasons, “The Long Island
Killer” won his first playoff matches only to drop the second later
those nights. The seven-fight Ultimate Fighting Championship vet left the
promotion in search of the million-dollar prize. Along with Wade,
France’s Anthony
Dizy (13-3) will take a two-fight win streak from in M-1 Global into a crack at the million at 145
pounds.
Joining the welterweight lineup will include two former UFC
fighters and a well-traveled Frenchman. Both Gleison
Tibau (35-14) and Alexey
Kunchenko (20-2) fought in the UFC in the past, with Tibau
competing a whopping 28 times from 2006 to 2016, while four matches
for Kunchenko spelled his eventual release in 2020. Jason Ponet
(20-12-1, 1 NC) will seal the 170-pound division, as a 12-year
veteran with multiple appearances in M-1, Cage Warriors Fighting Championship and Full
Metal Dojo.
In the light heavyweight division, Nick
Roehrick (9-1) will be the lone 205-pounder that will fill out
that weight class. A one-time UFC vet, Roehrick was dispatched by
Jared
Cannonier and took some time off. Coming back nearly two years
later to make 0-6 Linc Battee
verbally submit, the Florida native competed in one of the last
regional events before the pandemic halted the sport for several
months, beating Waylon
Quotskuyva by decision.
Finally, two lightweights will try to dethrone Kayla
Harrison in the lone women’s division. Former Invicta Fighting Championships featherweight
title challenger Kaitlin
Young (11-10-1) and Invicta Phoenix Series 3 bantamweight
finalist Taylor
Guardado (0-1) will both vie for $1 million. The two will join
a grouping that includes 2019 champ Harrison, finalist Larissa
Pacheco and ex-UFC fighter Cindy
Dandois.
The 2021 PFL season will begin on April 23, where it will begin a
three-week stretch of events that include shows on April 29 and May
6 for the first leg of the regular season. The second half of the
season takes place on June 10, 17 and 25, which will determine the
seeding for the fall playoffs.
