The PFL heavyweight playoffs have gotten a shakeup next month in Wales.
No. 4 seed Bruno Cappelozza (15-6) is out of his semifinal bout against top seed Denis Goltsov (29-7). Stepping in for Cappelozza will be the man who beat him in the regular season, Matheus Scheffel (16-8). PFL officials announced the change Thursday.
The PFL’s second playoff event, which features heavyweight and welterweight semifinals, takes place Aug. 13 at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. The main card airs on ESPN.
Scheffel was knocked out by Ante Delija in his first fight of the regular season, but rebounded in June for a unanimous decision over Cappelozza. That gave him 3 points in the regular season, which left him on the outside of the four-man playoff bracket. But now he gets his shot as an alternate.
With the change, PFL’s second playoff event lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 1 p.m. ET)
- Rory MacDonald vs. Magomed Umalatov – welterweight semifinal
- Ante Delija vs. Renan Ferreira – heavyweight semifinal
- Denis Goltsov vs. Matheus Scheffel – heavyweight semifinal
- Sadibou Sy vs. Carlos Leal – welterweight semifinal
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 11 a.m. ET)
- Josh O’Connor vs. Emran Sakhizaada
- Mohammad Fakhreddine vs. TBA
- John Mitchell vs. Chris Mixan
- Szymon Bajor vs. Hatef Moeil
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
- Kenneth Bergh vs. Will Fleury
- Nathan Kelly vs. TBA
- Vojto Barborik vs. Maxim Radu
- Moktar Benkaci vs. Francesco Nuzzi
