When Bellator was purchased by PFL, it was said that a crossover card would follow closely with the best from each promotion facing off. That card is now set for Feb. 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, PFL announced on Tuesday.
The card is set to feature four pairings of champions from each promotion, in addition to several other PFL vs. Bellator matchups.
The champion vs. champion bouts are as follows:
- Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader vs. PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira
- Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen vs. PFL light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay in a middleweight bout
- Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull vs. PFL featherweight champion Jesus Pinedo
- Bellator welterweight champion Jason Jackson vs. PFL welterweight champion Magomed Magomedkerimov
Heavy Lies The Crown. Everyone wants a seat on the 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗘 👑🏆#PFLvsBellator pic.twitter.com/kNkEOs4pUw
— PFL (@PFLMMA) January 16, 2024
Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov will also be in action, though he will not be facing a PFL champ, instead taking on Bruno Cappelozza, who is coming off a win that was overturned after a failed drug test.
Former UFC title contender and current PFL member Thiago Santos -- who has won just one fight in his seven most recent outings -- will face another fellow former UFC title challenger when he meets Bellator's Yoel Romero.
The other standout fight on the card features PFL's Clay Collard against former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee in a lightweight bout.
According to Helwani's report, women's boxing superstar Claressa Shields is also expected to return to MMA on the card. Shields fought for PFL twice in 2021, coming from behind to stop Brittney Elkin before losing a decision to Abigail Montes.
Elbows, banned in PFL due to the effect cuts could have on their season format, will be legal for the event.
