All you need to know about tonight’s PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions
The first-ever mega MMA event of the year takes place in Riyadh at the Kingdom Arena…
It’s all going down tonight (Saturday February 24). For the first time in history, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) 2024 season kicks off this weekend as PFL Champs face off against Bellator Champs.
Here’s all you need to know about the debut of the first-ever signature PFL PPV Super Fight event, ‘Seize the Throne’, in Riyadh.
The location
The showdown takes place at the Kingdom Arena, where other iconic sports events like the Battle of the Baddest and the Day of Reckoning boxing matches, as well as the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup and the Riyadh Season Cup football tournament, took place.
But what’s interesting is that the fights will be held outdoors inside a PFL SmartCage, which took only a week to build. The SmartCage utilises biometric sensors and proprietary technology that enables the PFL to measure and deliver real-time fighter performance data and analytics, including speed of punches and kicks, power ratings, heart rate tracking, energy exerted and more.
Beyond the fights, the event will offer a complete entertainment experience. Fans can look forward to an electrifying atmosphere with top-notch production.
A star-studded and stacked card
Fight fans can also anticipate a mix of established stars and rising talents, all ready to showcase their skills in what promises to be a night of high-octane MMA action.
In the main event, 2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan “Problema” Ferreira will take on Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan “Darth” Bader. In the other headline event, 2023 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion Impa “Tshilobo” Kasanganay drops to middleweight to take on Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen.
Two of the world’s top welterweights will clash in a catchweight bout, as two-time PFL champion Ray Cooper III goes up against reigning Bellator Welterweight Champion Jason Jackson.
Former PFL Heavyweight Champion Bruno Cappelozza will take on Bellator’s Vadim Nemkov in a heavyweight bout. A pair of heavy-handed former No. 1 contenders square off when PFL’s Thiago “Maretta” Santos goes up against Bellator’s Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero.
A pair of the lightweight division’s elite will also go head-to-head as 2023 PFL runner-up “Cassius” Clay Collard challenges former Bellator Lightweight Champion A.J. “Mercenary” McKee.
In addition to the above fights, there are some compelling storylines on the rest of the card, including Aaron Pico looking to avenge his January 2019 loss to Henry Corrales in a rematch and women’s boxing great Claressa Shields returning to MMA action when she faces Kelsey DeSantis.
PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions will also see Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Biaggio Ali Walsh, making his professional MMA debut and going up against Emmanuel Palacio.
Featherweight Abdullah “The Reaper” Al Qahtani, the first Saudi athlete signed to PFL, also makes his third appearance when he goes up against India’s Edukondala “Badger” Rao. Finally, rising Saudi star Malik Basahel faces Vinicius Pereira in an amateur flyweight fight.
The Champions’ ceremonial weigh-in
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At the weigh-in yesterday (Friday February 23), Ferreira, who is coming off his first championship campaign in the PFL, was 263.2 pounds. Bader, who has held the Bellator title since 2019, was 231.1 pounds. Kasanganay, who captured PFL gold in his first season, weighed in at 185.8 pounds, while Eblen, who aims to maintain his undefeated career record, was 185.5 pounds.
Cooper III weighed in at 182.4 pounds, and Jackson at 182 pounds. Cappelozza weighed in at 236.2 pounds, and Nemkov at 238.1 pounds. Santos weighed in at 205.2 pounds, and Romero at 205 pounds, while Collard weighed in at 155.5 pounds, and McKee at 154.8 pounds. And now that the fighters have hit their marks on the scale, the PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions era in MMA can get underway.
There was also a special guest appearance by boxing legend Mike Tyson. PFL Chairman Donn Davis has revealed that the former boxing heavyweight champ will present the Champion of Champions title belt at Saturday’s PFL vs Bellator event. A brand-new belt known as the Super Belt will be handed out to the winner of all seven main card fights. Accompanying the belt will be a Championship ring, which can be removed from the Super Belt and worn by the fighter.
Those attending the fight night in Riyadh can also look out for former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who will confront the winner of the heavyweight superfight. Ngannou could finally make his Professional Fighters League debut sometime this year against Ferreira or Bader.
Who do you think will seize the throne and go down in MMA history?
PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions: Seize The Throne, Feb 24, 8.30pm, Kingdom Arena, Riyadh. @riyadhseason
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