Six World Title Fights with Six Million Dollars on the Line Live
on ESPN2 and Simulcast on ESPN+
Kayla Harrison and Taylor Guardado headline
PFL World Championship Main Card
Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields Returns to the SmartCage in
Second MMA Fight Facing Abigail Montes
PFL World Championship is Live in Primetime on Wednesday, October 27
on ESPN+ and ESPN Networks
Main Card at 8 PM ET on ESPN2 & ESPN+
Prelims at 4:30 PM ET on ESPN+
NEW YORK (September 27, 2021) - The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, has announced the card for the PFL World Championship on Wednesday, October 27 on ESPN2 and ESPN+. Fighters across all six weight classes look to etch their name in PFL history as world champions and capture the $1 million grand prize.
Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields will return to the PFL SmartCage after a thrilling MMA debut at PFL 4, 2021 rallying from behind and securing an impressive round 3 TKO victory over Brittney Elkin. Shields, a two-sport combat athlete, looks to continue her winning ways and is set to face Abigail Montes at the PFL World Championship.
“The PFL World Championship on Wednesday, October 27 will showcase the determination and resilience our world class fighters have showcased throughout the season in their quest to become a PFL World Champion,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “After what’s already been an incredibly successful season, I cannot wait to crown this year’s six champions.”
In the highly anticipated main event, 2019 PFL Women’s Lightweight World Champion Kayla Harrison looks to continue her undefeated MMA run when she returns to the SmartCage against Taylor Guardado.
Further action will see an appealing co-main bout featuring 2019 PFL Welterweight World Champion Ray Cooper III and 2018 PFL Welterweight World Champion, Magomed Magomedkerimov. The bout will be a rematch between the two from 2018, where Magomedkerimov was victorious via a round 2 submission.
Continued action turns to the Heavyweight division, where a highly intriguing clash between Bruno Cappelozza and Ante Delija will take place.
In the Featherweight division, Movlid Khaybulaev - who holds the fastest knockout in PFL history - will match up with Chris Wade. Wade, who exited the PFL Semifinals in both 2018 and 2019, makes his first-ever trip to the PFL World Championship.
The Light Heavyweight division will feature Brazilian Antonio Carlos Jr and Norwegian Marthin Hamlet. Carlos Jr. was last victorious in the PFL Semifinals, knocking off former Light Heavyweight Champion Emiliano Sordi. Hamlet advanced in the PFL Semifinals after Cezar Ferreira suffered an injury with his first kick, resulting in the fastest finish in PFL history for the Light Heavyweight division.
The championship action starts in the Lightweight division, with 2019 PFL lightweight runner-up Loik Radzhabov squaring off with Raush Manfio, who holds a record of 3-0 in his PFL debut season.
Professional Fighters League has quickly established itself as the No. 2 MMA company in the world. With the addition of world-class talent – from elite fighters to established business executives – and partnering with industry-leading brands such as Anheuser-Busch InBev, GEICO, DraftKings, BetMGM, Upper Deck, CarParts.com and Socios, the PFL continues to accelerate its global expansion.
PFL World Championship Card:
On ESPN2 / ESPN+
- Kayla Harrison vs. Taylor Guardado
- Ray Cooper III vs. Magomed Magomedkerimov
- Claressa Shields vs. Abigail Montes
- Bruno Cappelozza vs. Ante Delija
- Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Chris Wade
On ESPN+
- Antonio Carlos Jr. vs. Marthin Hamlet
- Loik Radzhabov vs. Raush Manfio
- Omari Akhmedov vs. Jordan Young
- Don Madge vs. Nathan Williams
- TBD vs. TBD
About Professional Fighters League
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is the first and only global organization to present MMA in the sports-season format where world-class fighters compete in a Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship. Leveraging its elite talent roster and cutting-edge SmartCage technology to deliver unmatched immersive experiences, the league is experiencing a tremendously successful 2021 which has seen substantial viewership growth on ESPN networks. The 2021 PFL World Championship on Wednesday, October 27 is the biggest night in MMA where the top-two fighters across six weight divisions compete to become a world champion and earn the $1 million title purse. The event airs live on ESPN networks and streaming platforms, as well as on leading broadcast and streaming outlets in 160 countries worldwide.
For more follow PFL on Instagram (@PFLmma), Twitter (@PFLMMA), and Facebook (/PFLmma).
