PFL vs. Bellator

PFL vs. Bellator: Champs was a mixed martial arts event co-promoted by Professional Fighters League and Bellator MMA that took place on February 24, 2024, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.^[1][2]

PFL vs. Bellator
Promotion(s)	Bellator MMA Professional Fighters League
Date	February 24, 2024 (2024-02-24)
City	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Venue	Kingdom Arena
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Background

In November 2023, it was announced that the PFL had acquired rival promotion Bellator MMA.^[3] Speculation was that the company would run a champion against champion event in 2024, bolstered by appearances of Bellator MMA champions at PFL's final event of 2023.

A champion versus champion card was announced on January 16, 2024, and scheduled for the following month. Originally, the event was to see four champions from four divisions (heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, and light heavyweight) defend their titles from their respective organizations.^[4] However, two champion versus champion matches were altered leading up to the card:

• 2018 and 2023 PFL welterweight winner Magomed Magomedkerimov was originally announced to face the Bellator Welterweight Champion (also former LFA Welterweight Champion) Jason Jackson at this event. However, Magomedkerimov withdrew from the bout due to injury in January 2024 and was replaced by 2019 and 2021 PFL welterweight winner Ray Cooper III in a 180 pounds catchweight bout.^[5]

• A featherweight bout between reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion Patrício Pitbull and 2023 PFL featherweight winner Jesus Pinedo was scheduled for this event; however, Pinedo pulled out a week before the event with a back injury.^[6] Pitbull was instead booked against 2023 PFL featherweight finalist Gabriel Alves Braga who was already on the card, while Braga's opponent, Aaron Pico, was booked in a rematch against Henry Corrales.^[7] The days of weigh-ins, Braga was deemed unable to compete and the bout was scrapped.^[8]

The undercard also included bouts between fighters from the rival promotions, with the following fights being added as well:^[4]

• A heavyweight bout between 2021 PFL heavyweight winner Bruno Cappelozza and former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion (also the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix winner) Vadim Nemkov.
• A light heavyweight bout between Thiago Santos and Yoel Romero.
• A lightweight bout between Clay Collard and former Bellator Featherweight Champion (also the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix winner) A. J. McKee.
• A featherweight bout between Aaron Pico and 2023 PFL featherweight finalist Gabriel Alves Braga.

In addition, the card featured the MMA return of Claressa Shields and the professional MMA debut of Biaggio Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali who previously competed for PFL in amateur bouts.^[4]

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones made an appearance on the broadcast.^[9]

Results

Main Card (ESPN+ PPV / DAZN PPV / MAX)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Heavyweight	Renan Ferreira (c-PFL)	def.	Ryan Bader (c-Bellator)	TKO (punches)	1	0:21	[a]
Middleweight	Johnny Eblen (c-Bellator)	def.	Impa Kasanganay (c-PFL)	Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)	3	5:00	[b]
Catchweight (182 lb)	Jason Jackson (c-Bellator)	def.	Ray Cooper III (c-PFL)	TKO (leg kick and punches)	2	0:23	[c]
Light Heavyweight	Vadim Nemkov (c-Bellator)	def.	Bruno Cappelozza (c-PFL)	Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke)	2	2:13	[d]
Light Heavyweight	Yoel Romero	def.	Thiago Santos	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)	3	5:00
Lightweight	A. J. McKee	def.	Clay Collard	Submission (armbar)	1	1:10
Early Card (ESPN / ESPNews / ESPN+ / MAX / FX / Hulu)
Featherweight	Aaron Pico	def.	Henry Corrales	TKO (punches)	1	4:53
Lightweight	Biaggio Ali Walsh	def.	Emmanuel Palacio	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Women's Super Lightweight	Claressa Shields	def.	Kelsey DeSantis	Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)	3	5:00
Featherweight	Abdullah Al-Qahtani	def.	Edukondala Rao	TKO (punches and head kick)	3	0:23
Flyweight	Malik Basahel	def.	Vinicius Pereira	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 30–27)	3	3:00	[e]

1. For "PFL vs. Bellator Champion of Champions" World Heavyweight Superfight Championship
2. For "PFL vs. Bellator Champion of Champions" World Middleweight Superfight Championship
3. For "PFL vs. Bellator Champion of Champions" World Welterweight Superfight Championship
4. For "PFL vs. Bellator Champion of Champions" World Light Heavyweight Superfight Championship
5. Amateur bout. Pereira missed weight (129.2 lb).

^[10]

See also

• Martial Arts portal

• List of current Bellator MMA fighters
• List of current PFL fighters
• 2024 in Bellator MMA
• 2024 in Professional Fighters League
• List of Bellator MMA events
• List of PFL events
• Riyadh Season