On Sunday, some of the greatest fighters coming from PFL and Bellator MMA will certainly meet in a card constructed around marketing superiority. The PFL vs. Bellator pay-per-view occasion is the initial cross-promotional memory card since PFL acquired Bellator in November 2023.
The memory card has taken some fine competitors befalling, but pair of wars of present champs continue to be. Top Cats Renan Ferreira (PFL) and also Ryan Bader (Bellator) are actually readied to contest, along with light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay (PFL) handling middleweight champ Johnny Eblen (Bellator) at 185 pounds.
” It’s a massive offer. This doesn’t happen in MMA. Supporters want these sorts of extremely battles,” Bader said at the announcement press conference in January. “A ton of associations do not want to run the risk of putting their champs available and have an additional association visited and sweep them. I love that we are doing this in Saudi Arabia. The entire memory card, if you look at it, is actually stacked. I prepare to assert an additional belt as well. I like it as well as I’m ready for this big option.”
The undercard additionally features additional champions, like Bellator welterweight titleholder Jason Jackson handling former two-time PFL time champ Radiation Cooper III. An additional appealing competition sees 2021 PFL abundant champ Bruno Cappelozza take on past Bellator lighting heavyweight champ Vadim Nemkov in his heavyweight debut. Additionally, a fun showdown of previous UFC headline opponents is actually prepared when Thiago Santos fights Yoel Romero at light heavyweight.
” There is actually a bunch of hardware up here. Our team have PFL champs versus Bellator champs. This is truly a remarkable occasion in mixed martial arts,” PFL CEO Peter Murray said. “Many enthusiasts have actually been referring to this for a long times. Other promotions have been speaking about this too. I am thus honored that on the heels of the Bellator accomplishment our experts can right now offer the finest in mixed martial arts. By the end of annually, our team will certainly start the next season for both PFL and also Bellator, a significant tentpole occasion which are going to be PFL champs vs. Bellator champs. Think about it as MMA’s All-Star Game. This will certainly be long phrase.”
Those fights and plenty extra engaging action are prepared to decrease coming from Kingdom Field in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia along with prelims beginning at noon ET on ESPN+ just before a 3 p.m. major card on PPV.
Allow’s take a much deeper look at both champ vs. champion clashes as well as a glimpse at the remainder of the card.
PFL vs. Bellator fight card, odds
| PFL | Bellator | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
| Renan Fereira (c) -115 | Ryan Bader (c) -105 | Heavyweight |
| Impa Kasanganay (c) +300 | Johnny Eblen (c) -400 | Middleweight |
| Ray Cooper III +525 | Jason Jackson -750 | Welterweight |
| Bruno Cappelozza +300 | Vadim Nemkov -400 | Heavyweight |
| Thiago Santos -110 | Yoel Romero -110 | Light heavyweight |
| Clay Collard +240 | AJ McKee -300 | Lightweight |
PFL vs. Bellator viewing information
Date: Feb. 24 | Start time: 3 p.m. ET (main card)
Location: Kingdom Arena — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
TV channel: ESPN+ PPV | Price: $49.99
Renan Ferreira (-115) vs. Ryan Bader (-105 ), heavyweight
Bader has actually been a Bellator champ because 2017, first keeping the light-toned big-time name and then moving up to grab the heavyweight district. Bader’s 9-2 run because leaving behind the UFC (he participated in the promotion after gaining his last pair of UFC spells) has actually gone over, however his 2 reductions stopped by blockage to strikes.
Ferreira’s record is actually a little misleading. He is actually formally 6-1 in PFL battles, but he additionally has three no contests throughout the operate, 2 of which were losses that were actually rescinded when his opponents evaluated beneficial for disallowed drugs and the other happened when it was actually skipped that Ferreira had touched to Fabricio Werdum’s arm triangle strangle before stopping Werdum along with hits.
If Bader’s face is actually an obligation, Ferreira is actually the man that may exploit it. The hulking 6-foot-8 Brazilian has 10 knockout blows in 12 career success. Measurements is going to likely play into the battle in many means. Bader is actually not a small guy at 6-foot-2 but losing hope six inches is actually a big deal, particularly when Bader’s finest path to victory is actually to close the proximity and also make an effort to utilize his wrestling to put Ferreira on his back. Ferreira’s last reduction came as a result of ground and extra pound and Bader absolutely does not would like to stand as well as attack with a male that can take him out along with a single try. If Bader can easily get inside with consistency as well as enforce his wrestling, he can easily pull off the succeed, but it’s visiting threaten every action of the means. Select: Renan Ferreira by means of TKO, Around 2
Impa Kasanganay (+300) vs. Johnny Eblen (-400 ), middleweight
Kasanganay has actually been remarkable since joining PFL, yet he is going to likely regularly be actually kept in mind as the individual who was on the negative end of some of the craziest knockouts in UFC record after being actually found through Joaquin Buckley’s jumping turning back kick. For every excellent emphasize, there’s a guy on the receiving end, having said that, and also does not have to be actually completion of that male’s time as a valid boxer. Kasanganay has actually won 6 straight battles– 5 in the PFL cage– to find yourself in a highlighted battle on a pay-per-view. Kasanganay is actually the PFL light heavyweight champion however is relocating to middleweight for the battle.
Regardless of Kasanganay turning around his fortunes, he enters into Sunday as a substantial underdog to Eblen. The American has never ever tried loss as a qualified, along with a 14-0 record. He caught the Bellator middleweight headline coming from Gegard Mousasi in June 2022 as well as properly safeguarded the waistband twice before PFL got Bellator.
Eblen’s wrestling ought to dictate exactly how the fight plays out, even as he has a tendency to engage in striking regardless of his top-tier hurting capabilities. The additional Eblen allows Kasanganay to stand, the more Kasanganay possesses the chance to score the upset. But Eblen usually flips the button at the fight time as well as need to have the ability to grind out a gain on the ground. Pick: Johnny Eblen using UD
Quick strikes
Jason Jackson (-750) vs. Radiation Cooper III (+525 ), 182-pound catcweight– Bellator welterweight champion Jackson was actually readied to deal with PFL welterweight master Magomed Magomedkerimov prior to Magomedkerimov withdrew in January. Cooper won pair of PFL events as well as missed in the finals of an additional. His fortunes have certainly not been therefore good since behind time, with two losses in his 3 latest matches. Jackson, on the other hand, has actually won 7 trustworthy matches, most lately knocking out Yaroslav Amosov to catch his label in the last Bellator fight of the pre-PFL time. Choose: Jason Jackson by means of TKO, Around 3
Bruno Cappelozza (+300) vs. Vadim Nemkov (-400 ), heavyweight– Nemkov quit his Bellator light heavyweight headline to look for brand new effectiveness at heavyweight. He’s in for a stiff test against Cappelozza, that has 14 smashes in 15 profession triumphes. Nemkov is actually the much better fighter as well as takes an 11-fight winning streak into a fight versus Cappelozza, that has not tape-recorded a succeed in virtually pair of years. Choose: Vadim Nemkov by means of UD
