2025 in Professional Fighters League
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The year 2025 was the 7th year in the history of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
| 2025 in Professional Fighters League | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Promotion | Professional Fighters League |
| First date | January 25, 2025 |
| Last date | December 20, 2025 |
Background
On January 7, 2025, PFL chairman Donn Davis announced that elbows will be legal in the promotion, after the PFL had banned elbows for the regular season and playoffs. Elbows were typically allowed in non-season and non-playoff fights only.[1]
On January 9, 2025, it was announced that the 2025 season of PFL would no longer operate as a points-based tournament, but would rather be contested as a single-elimination tournament.[2]
On January 15, 2025, PFL revealed that hold eight tournaments in 2025, confirming the $500,000 pay for each winner. In total, it will distribute more than $20 million to the fighters. The tournaments will take place at heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and women's flyweight divisions.[3][4][5]
Events list
Title fights
| Title fights in 2025 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Event | Notes | |||
| Lightweight | Usman Nurmagomedov (c) | def. | Paul Hughes | Decision (majority) (47–47, 48–46, 48–46) | 5 | 5:00 | PFL Champions Series 1 | [a] |
| Middleweight | Costello van Steenis | def. | Johnny Eblen | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | 5 | 4:51 | PFL Champions Series 2 | [b] |
| Light Heavyweight | Corey Anderson | def. | Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | Decision (unanimous) (49–45, 49–45, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | PFL Champions Series 3 | [c] |
| Lightweight | Usman Nurmagomedov | def. | Paul Hughes | Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 49–46, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | PFL Champions Series 3 | [d] |
| Women's Featherweight | Cris Cyborg (c) | def. | Sara Collins | Submission (face crank) | 3 | 2.55 | PFL Champions Series 4 | [e] |
| Heavyweight | Vadim Nemkov | def. | Renan Ferreira | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | 1 | 4.00 | PFL Champions Series 4 | [f] |
- For the Bellator Lightweight World Championship. Nurmagomedov was deducted 1 point in round 3 due to repeated groin kicks.
2025 PFL World Tournament
2025 PFL Heavyweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
 Valentin Moldavsky | UD | |||||||||
| Sergey Bilostenniy | 3 | |||||||||
| Valentin Moldavsky | 1 | |||||||||
 Alexander Romanov | NC | |||||||||
| Alexander Romanov | SUB | |||||||||
 Timothy Johnson | 1 | |||||||||
| Alexander Romanov | 5 | |||||||||
| Oleg Popov | SD | |||||||||
 Abraham Bably | 3 | |||||||||
 Rodrigo Nascimento[a] | SD | |||||||||
| Rodrigo Nascimento | 3 | |||||||||
| Oleg Popov | UD | |||||||||
| Oleg Popov | SD | |||||||||
 Karl Williams[b] | 3 | |||||||||
- Pouya Rahmani withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues and was replaced by Rodrigo Nascimento.
- Linton Vassell withdrew from the tournament and was replaced by Karl Williams.
2025 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Phil Davis | TKO | |||||||||
 Rob Wilkinson | 2 | |||||||||
| Phil Davis | 3 | |||||||||
| Sullivan Cauley | UD | |||||||||
| Alex Polizzi[a] | 1 | |||||||||
| Sullivan Cauley | TKO | |||||||||
| Sullivan Cauley | 2 | |||||||||
| Antônio Carlos Júnior | SUB | |||||||||
 Karl Moore | 3 | |||||||||
| Antônio Carlos Júnior | SD | |||||||||
| Antônio Carlos Júnior | UD | |||||||||
| Simeon Powell | 3 | |||||||||
 Karl Albrektsson | 2 | |||||||||
| Simeon Powell | TKO | |||||||||
- Marcelo Nunes withdrew from the tournament before event started and was replaced by Alex Polizzi.
2025 PFL Middleweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Impa Kasanganay | 1 | |||||||||
| Fabian Edwards | TKO | |||||||||
| Fabian Edwards | UD | |||||||||
| Josh Silveira | 3 | |||||||||
| Mike Shipman | 3 | |||||||||
| Josh Silveira | UD | |||||||||
| Fabian Edwards | KO | |||||||||
| Dalton Rosta | 3 | |||||||||
| Dalton Rosta | SUB | |||||||||
| Sadibou Sy | 2 | |||||||||
| Dalton Rosta | SD | |||||||||
 Aaron Jeffery | 3 | |||||||||
| Aaron Jeffery | SD | |||||||||
| Murad Ramazanov | 3 | |||||||||
2025 PFL Welterweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
 Jason Jackson | SUB | |||||||||
| Andrey Koreshkov | 2 | |||||||||
| Jason Jackson | 3 | |||||||||
 Thad Jean | SD | |||||||||
| Mukhamed Berkhamov | 1 | |||||||||
| Thad Jean[a] | KO | |||||||||
| Thad Jean | UD | |||||||||
| Logan Storley | 5 | |||||||||
| Joseph Luciano[b] | 3 | |||||||||
| Logan Storley | UD | |||||||||
| Logan Storley | UD | |||||||||
 Masayuki Kikuiri | 3 | |||||||||
 Giannis Bachar | 2 | |||||||||
| Masayuki Kikuiri | TKO | |||||||||
- Florim Zendeli withdrew from the tournament for unknown reasons and was replaced by Thad Jean.
- Magomed Umalatov missed weight (173.6 lb) and he was removed from the tournament. Alternate fighter Joseph Luciano stepped in instead.
2025 PFL Lightweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Vinicius Sacchelli Cenci[a] | 3 | |||||||||
| Brent Primus | SUB | |||||||||
| Brent Primus | 3 | |||||||||
| Alfie Davis | UD | |||||||||
| Clay Collard | 3 | |||||||||
| Alfie Davis | UD | |||||||||
| Alfie Davis | UD | |||||||||
| Gadzhi Rabadanov | 5 | |||||||||
| Gadzhi Rabadanov | KO | |||||||||
 Marc Diakiese | 1 | |||||||||
| Gadzhi Rabadanov | TKO | |||||||||
| Kevin Lee[b] | 1 | |||||||||
 Jay-Jay Wilson | TKO | |||||||||
 Mads Burnell | 3 | |||||||||
- Alexandr Shabliy withdrew from the tournament due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Vinicius Sacchelli Cenci.
- Jay-Jay Wilson withdrew from the tournament due to a jaw injury and was replaced by Kevin Lee.
2025 PFL Featherweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
 Jesus Pinedo | TKO | |||||||||
 Ádám Borics | 1 | |||||||||
| Jesus Pinedo | TKO | |||||||||
| Gabriel Braga | 1 | |||||||||
| Gabriel Braga | SUB | |||||||||
| Frederik Dupras[a] | 1 | |||||||||
| Jesus Pinedo | 5 | |||||||||
| Movlid Khaybulaev[b] | SUB | |||||||||
| Jeremy Kennedy | 3 | |||||||||
| Movlid Khaybulaev | SD | |||||||||
| Movlid Khaybulaev | UD | |||||||||
 Kim Tae-kyun | 3 | |||||||||
| Nathan Kelly | 1 | |||||||||
| Kim Tae-kyun | SUB | |||||||||
- Yves Landu withdrew from the tournament due to injury and was replaced by Frederik Dupras.
- Movlid Khaybulaev tested positive for recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO, a synthetic form of EPO) on December 18, 2025. The PFL stripped him of his Featherweight tournament win (the result of the bout was not affected).[24]
2025 PFL Bantamweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Leandro Higo | 3 | |||||||||
| Marcirley Alves[a] | SD | |||||||||
| Marcirley Alves | UD | |||||||||
| Jake Hadley | 3 | |||||||||
| Jake Hadley | SUB | |||||||||
| Matheus Mattos[b] | 3 | |||||||||
| Marcirley Alves | UD | |||||||||
| Justin Wetzell | 5 | |||||||||
| Kasum Kasumov | 3 | |||||||||
| Justin Wetzell[c] | UD | |||||||||
| Justin Wetzell | UD | |||||||||
 Mando Gutierrez | 3 | |||||||||
 Francesco Nuzzi | 1 | |||||||||
| Mando Gutierrez[d] | SUB | |||||||||
- Magomed Magomedov withdrew from the tournament due to injury and was replaced by Josh Rettinghouse. In turn, Rettinghouse was not medically cleared and replaced by Marcirley Alves
- Sarvarjon Khamidov withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues and was replaced by Matheus Mattos.
- Ciaran Clarke withdrew from the tournament due to injury and was replaced by Justin Wetzell.
- Ali Taleb and Zebenzui Ruiz withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues and were replaced by Francesco Nuzzi and Mando Gutierrez.
2025 PFL Women's Flyweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Juliana Velasquez | 1 | |||||||||
 Ekaterina Shakalova[a] | SUB | |||||||||
| Ekaterina Shakalova | 2 | |||||||||
| Jena Bishop | SUB | |||||||||
| Kana Watanabe | 3 | |||||||||
| Jena Bishop | UD | |||||||||
| Jena Bishop | 3 | |||||||||
| Liz Carmouche | KO | |||||||||
| Liz Carmouche | TKO | |||||||||
| Ilara Joanne | 1 | |||||||||
| Liz Carmouche | UD | |||||||||
| Elora Dana | 3 | |||||||||
| Elora Dana | SUB | |||||||||
| Diana Avsaragova | 1 | |||||||||
- Taila Santos withdrew from the tournament and was replaced by Ekaterina Shakalova.
2025 PFL Africa Tournament
2025 PFL Africa Heavyweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
 Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze[a] | 1 | |||||||||
| Abraham Bably | KO | |||||||||
| Abraham Bably | TKO | |||||||||
 Joffie Houlton | 1 | |||||||||
| Joffie Houlton[b] | DQ | |||||||||
 Abdoullah Kane | 1 | |||||||||
| Abraham Bably | KO | |||||||||
 Justin Clarke | 1 | |||||||||
| Justin Clarke | TKO | |||||||||
 Jashell Ticha Awa | 1 | |||||||||
| Maxwell Djantou Nana | 3 | |||||||||
| Justin Clarke | TKO | |||||||||
| Maxwell Djantou Nana | UD | |||||||||
| Mickaël Groguhe | 3 | |||||||||
2025 PFL Africa Welterweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
 Shido Boris Esperanca | SUB | |||||||||
 Ibrahima Mané | 1 | |||||||||
| Shido Boris Esperanca | SUB | |||||||||
| Ayinda Octave | 1 | |||||||||
| British Boloyoang | 1 | |||||||||
| Ayinda Octave | TKO | |||||||||
| Shido Boris Esperanca | 2 | |||||||||
 Yabna N'Tchalá | TKO | |||||||||
 Sanon Sadeck | 3 | |||||||||
| Yabna N'Tchalá | UD | |||||||||
| Yabna N'Tchalá | UD | |||||||||
| Emilios Dassi | 3 | |||||||||
| Osvaldo Benedito | 1 | |||||||||
| Emilios Dassi | KO | |||||||||
2025 PFL Africa Featherweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Patrick Ocheme | DEC | |||||||||
 Mohamed Camara | 3 | |||||||||
| Mohamed Camara | 3 | |||||||||
| Alain Majorique[a] | UD | |||||||||
| Abdul Razak Sankara | KO | |||||||||
| Shadrick Dju Yemba[b] | 1 | |||||||||
| Alain Majorique | 2 | |||||||||
| Wasi Adeshina | TKO | |||||||||
| Wasi Adeshina | SUB | |||||||||
| Jean-Jacques Lubaya | 2 | |||||||||
| Wasi Adeshina | UD | |||||||||
 Dwight Joseph | 3 | |||||||||
| Wilker Nsamo | 2 | |||||||||
| Dwight Joseph | KO | |||||||||
- The bout was originally scheduled as Patrick Ocheme vs. Abdul Razak Sankara, but both fighters missed weight and were replaced by alternate bout between Mohamed Camara vs. Alain Majorique.
- The bout was originally scheduled as Abderrahman Errachidy vs. Elbert Lukas Steyn, but both fighters missed weight and were replaced by alternate bout between Abdul Razak Sankara vs. Shadrick Dju Yemba.
2025 PFL Africa Bantamweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Nkosi Ndebele | TKO | |||||||||
 Mahmoud Atef | 1 | |||||||||
| Nkosi Ndebele | SD | |||||||||
 Simbarashe Hokonya | 3 | |||||||||
| Frans Mlambo[a] | 3 | |||||||||
| Simbarashe Hokonya | UD | |||||||||
| Nkosi Ndebele | TKO | |||||||||
| Boule Godogo[b] | 2 | |||||||||
| Shannon van Tonder | 3 | |||||||||
| Boule Godogo | SD | |||||||||
| Boule Godogo | 3 | |||||||||
 Karim Henniene | KO | |||||||||
| Asiashu Tshitamba[c] | 3 | |||||||||
| Karim Henniene | SD | |||||||||
2025 PFL Europe Tournament
2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Connor Hughes | KO | |||||||||
 Sebastien Di Franco | 1 | |||||||||
| Connor Hughes | KO | |||||||||
 Gino van Steenis | 1 | |||||||||
| Decky McAleenan | 3 | |||||||||
| Gino van Steenis | UD | |||||||||
| Connor Hughes | 3 | |||||||||
 Aleksandr Chizov | KO | |||||||||
| Gavin Hughes | 3 | |||||||||
| Claudio Pacella | UD | |||||||||
| Claudio Pacella | 3 | |||||||||
| Aleksandr Chizov | SD | |||||||||
 Mark Ewen | 1 | |||||||||
| Aleksandr Chizov | TKO | |||||||||
2025 PFL Europe Bantamweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
 Mahio Campanella | UD | |||||||||
| Matiss Zaharovs | 3 | |||||||||
| Baris Adiguzel[a] | KO | |||||||||
| Julien Lopez[b] | 1 | |||||||||
| Anas Azizoun | 1 | |||||||||
 Gustavo Oliveira | KO | |||||||||
| Baris Adiguzel | TKO | |||||||||
| Dean Garnett | 1 | |||||||||
| Dean Garnett | UD | |||||||||
 Tuomas Grönvall[c] | 3 | |||||||||
| Dean Garnett | SUB | |||||||||
 Jan Ciepłowski | 3 | |||||||||
| Jan Ciepłowski | TKO | |||||||||
| Julien Lopez | 1 | |||||||||
2025 PFL MENA Tournament
2025 PFL MENA Welterweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
 Omar Hussein | 3 | |||||||||
 Mohammad Alaqraa | UD | |||||||||
| Mohammad Alaqraa | TKO | |||||||||
 Mohamed Zarey | 1 | |||||||||
| Mohamed Zarey | UD | |||||||||
| Ayman Galal | 3 | |||||||||
| Mohammad Alaqraa | UD | |||||||||
 Badreddine Diani | 3 | |||||||||
| Badreddine Diani | UD | |||||||||
| Ahmad Abdelbast Darwish | 3 | |||||||||
| Badreddine Diani | SD | |||||||||
 Amir Fazli | 3 | |||||||||
 Rostem Akman | 2 | |||||||||
| Amir Fazli | KO | |||||||||
2025 PFL MENA Lightweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Mohsen Mohammadseifi | UD | |||||||||
| Ahmed El Sisy | 3 | |||||||||
| Mohsen Mohammadseifi | 1 | |||||||||
| Mohammad Fahmi | SUB | |||||||||
 Georges Eid | 1 | |||||||||
| Mohammad Fahmi | SUB | |||||||||
| Mohammad Fahmi | 2 | |||||||||
| Salah Eddine Hamli | SUB | |||||||||
| Salah Eddine Hamli | SUB | |||||||||
 Abbas Khan | 3 | |||||||||
| Salah Eddine Hamli | SUB | |||||||||
| Souhil Taïri | 3 | |||||||||
| Abdullah Saleem | TKO | |||||||||
| Souhil Taïri | 2 | |||||||||
2025 PFL MENA Featherweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Akram Nasri[a] | 3 | |||||||||
| Islam Reda | SUB | |||||||||
| Islam Reda | UD | |||||||||
| Taha Bendaoud | 3 | |||||||||
| Drissi Boualem[b] | 1 | |||||||||
| Taha Bendaoud | SUB | |||||||||
| Islam Reda | SUB | |||||||||
| Yanis
Ghemmouri | 2 | |||||||||
 Izzeddine Al-Derbani | – | |||||||||
| Yanis Ghemmouri | BYE[c] | |||||||||
| Yanis Ghemmouri | UD | |||||||||
| Assem Ghanem | 3 | |||||||||
| Hussein Salem | 3 | |||||||||
| Assem Ghanem | UD | |||||||||
- Abdullah Al-Qahtani withdrew from the tournament due to injury and was replaced by Akram Nasri.
- Abdelrahman Alhyasat withdrew from the tournament due to weight cut issues and was replaced by Drissi Boualem.
- Al Derbani pulled out of the bout due to medical issues and Ghemmouri therefore got a bye to the semi-finals.
2025 PFL MENA Bantamweight Tournament
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| Xavier Alaoui | UD | |||||||||
| Ziad Ayman Mokhtar | 3 | |||||||||
| Xavier Alaoui | 3 | |||||||||
| Islam Youssef | UD | |||||||||
| Benyamin Ghahraman[a] | 2 | |||||||||
| Islam Youssef[b] | KO | |||||||||
| Islam Youssef | 1 | |||||||||
| Nawras Abzakh | SUB | |||||||||
| Moktar Benkaci | TKO | |||||||||
| Marcel Adur | 1 | |||||||||
| Moktar Benkaci | 3 | |||||||||
| Nawras Abzakh | UD | |||||||||
| Nawras Abzakh | KO | |||||||||
| Ali Yazbeck | 2 | |||||||||
- Elias Boudegzdame withdrew from the tournament and was replaced by Benyamin Ghahraman.
- Tariq Ismail withdrew from the tournament due to injury and was replaced by Mehdi Saadi. In turn, Saadi withdrew from the event due to significantly missing weight and was replaced by alternate Islam Youssef.