The PFL vs. Bellator era in MMA can get underway now that the fighters have hit their marks on the scale.
PFL vs. Bellator: Champions (pay-per-view, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event is the first show for Bellator fighters since the promotion was purchased by the PFL.
Reigning PFL heavyweight season winner Renan Ferreira (12-3) takes on Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader (31-7) in the champ-vs.-champ crossover main event. The event is the first show for Bellator fighters since the promotion was purchased by the PFL. In the co-feature, PFL middleweight 2023 winner Impa Kasanganay (15-3) meets Bellator champ Johnny Eblen (14-0).
Ferreira will have a significant weight advantage on Bader in the headliner, though that’s nothing unusual for Bader when he fights at heavyweight. Ferreira came in at 263.2 pounds; Bader was 231.1. Kasanganay and Eblen had no issues hitting their marks, either. But the welterweight bout between two-time PFL winner Ray Cooper III (25-9-1) and Bellator champ Jason Jackson (17-4) will take place at a 182-pound contract weight instead of 170.
The full PFL vs. Bellator: Champions weigh-in results included:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 3 p.m. ET)
- Renan Ferreira (263.2) vs. Ryan Bader (231.1)
- Impa Kasanganay (185.8) vs. Johnny Eblen (185.5)
- Ray Cooper III (182.4) vs. Jason Jackson (182.1) – 182-pound contract weight
- Bruno Cappelozza (236.2) vs. Vadim Nemkov (238.1)
- Thiago Santos (205.2) vs. Yoel Romero (205)
- Clay Collard (155.5) vs. A.J. McKee (154.8)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 12:30 p.m. ET)
- Henry Corrales (155.7) vs. Aaron Pico (155.7)
- Biaggio Ali Walsh (155.4) vs. Emmanuel Palacio (152.6)
- Claressa Shields (164.4) vs. Kelsey De Santis (164.6)
- Abdullah Al-Qahtani (146) vs. Edukondala Rao (145.7)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL vs. Bellator: Champions.
