2021 PFL Playoffs 1 sees four matchups altered, one fight added
The first playoff event for PFL in 2021 has undergone various changes.
Four of the current matchups have been altered, and one fight has been added to the Aug. 13 event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. PFL officials informed MMA Junkie of the changes on Wednesday.
Joao Zeferino, who was set to take on Magomed Magomedkerimov in the welterweight co-main event, is out due to injury and has been replaced by No. 5 seed Sadibou Sy.
With Sy stepping in as an alternate, veteran Gleison Tibau now faces replacement Curtis Millender.
Former PFL champion Natan Schulte also was forced to withdraw for undisclosed reasons. His opponent, Olivier Aubin Mercier, will now face fellow former UFC fighter Darrell Horcher in a lightweight matchup.
Nikolai Aleksakhin is out of his scheduled bout against Brett Cooper for undisclosed reasons. Cooper now takes on PFL newcomer Tyler Hill.
Additionally, a new lightweight matchup has been added to the card, as Elvin Espinoza puts his undefeated record up against Hopeton Stewart.
The main card for 2021 PFL Playoffs 1 airs on ESPN 2 and the prelims on ESPN+.
With the changes, here is the updated lineup:
MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
- Ray Cooper III vs. Rory MacDonald
- Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Sadibou Sy
- Clay Collard vs. Raush Manfio
- Alex Martinez vs. Loik Radzhabov
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Darrell Horcher
- Curtis Millender vs. Gleison Tibau
- Brett Cooper vs. Tyler Hill
- Micah Terrill vs. Magomed Umalatov
- Kyron Bowen vs. Michael Lombardo
- Elvin Espinoza vs. Hopeton Stewart