While
Professional Fighters League will hold a pair of playoff events
in the United Kingdom this year, it will be going international in
a much bigger fashion in 2023.
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The organization announced on Thursday the launch of PFL Europe,
which will debut next year. According to a release, all events will
be held and broadcast in primetime in Europe, with cards featuring
top emerging fighters from the region. PFL Europe is expected to
provide an avenue for the best fighters from the league to make it
to the “PFL global talent roster.”
“I am pleased to announce the PFL will launch PFL Europe in 2023 to
further advance the sport of MMA and fuel PFL’s next phase of
global expansion starting in Europe, the number one international
MMA growth region,“ said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “Europe is rich with
top fighters who are ready to compete in the PFL’s season format on
a major stage and passionate MMA fans throughout the region will
now have access to premium events staged in Europe.”
Viewers will get a taste of those plans at PFL playoff events on
Aug. 13 and Aug. 20, as fighters such as England’s Dakota
Ditcheva, Ireland’s Will
Fleury, Italy’s Francesco
Nuzzi and Scotland’s Louie
Sutherland will be competing in qualifying bouts in hopes of
earning a contract for PFL Europe.
PFL Europe could be just the beginning. According to the release
from the organization, it is “the first of multiple international
leagues which will be launched to provide the best fighter talent
in the world the opportunity to compete and prove themselves on a
global stage.” Further details regarding future international PFL
leagues were not revealed.
The full lineup of PFL Europe qualifying fights from playoff events
on Aug. 13 and Aug. 20 is listed below.
PFL Europe Qualifier Fights – Cardiff (Aug.
13)
Will
Fleury (Ireland) vs. Kenneth
Bergh (Norway)
Nathan
Kelly (Ireland) vs. TBA
Vojto
Barborik (Slovakia) vs. Radu Maxim
(Italy)
Moktar
Benkaci (France) vs. Francesco
Nuzzi (Italy)
PFL Europe Qualifier Fights – London (Aug.
20)
Dakota
Ditcheva (UK) vs. Hassna
Gaber (Morocco)
Louie
Sutherland (UK) vs. Abraham
Bably (UK)
Tayo
Odunjo (UK) vs. Magnus
Onyeka Iversen (Norway)
Ali
Taleb (Sweden) vs. Kenji
Bortoluzzi (Switzerland)