Eight female lightweights will vie for a Professional Fighters
League contract on the third edition of the PFL Challenger Series
on March 4.
The promotion on Tuesday revealed the lineup for the card, which
takes place at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla., at 9 p.m. ET and
airs on Fubo Sports Network. Perhaps the most interest note from
the release states that “the third installment of the Challenger
Series will feature women’s lightweight fighters angling for a
chance to take a shot at one of MMA’s baddest combat sports
athletes, Kayla
Harrison.”
Harrison, of course, completed her most recent PFL deal by winning
the organization’s 2021 championship. She was recently seen in
attendance at UFC 269 and both Harrison and Dana White admitted
that both sides had been in talks. However, this would seem to
indicate that the two-time Olympic gold medalist has re-signed with
PFL.
Some of the most notable women’s lightweights who will compete on
the Challenger Series are as follows: French Olympic wrestler
Cynthia
Vescan; Pan American champion wrestler Jackie
Cataline; German judoka Julia
Dorny; and City Kickboxing representative and former Harrison
and Amanda
Nunes sparring partner Michelle
Montague.
The rest of the lineup for the card includes Czech Republic’s
Martina
Jindrova; Portugal’s Jacqueline
Cavalcanti and Americans Jeslen
Mishelle and Olivia
Parker.
One of those eight fighters will either earn a PFL deal to compete
in the 2022 season or a developmental contract with the
organization.
“On March 4 the women take center stage in the PFL Challenger
Series and we couldn’t be more excited,” said PFL president of
fighter operations Ray Sefo. “We
have seen the women in MMA take the leap into the main event. The
PFL is a meritocracy and we cannot wait to further show the world
what our women can do in the SmartCage.”