The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has officially unveiled its fighter roster for PFL Europe, with a number of notable names included in the athlete list.
PFL Europe in 2023 will feature four weight classes: men’s light heavyweights, lightweights and bantamweights, plus women’s flyweights, and fans of European MMA will spot some recognizable names among the rosters for each weight class.
At light heavyweight, rising English prospect Simeon Powell is joined by six more contenders, including former Cage Warriors contender Kenneth Bergh, while the lightweight division features Ireland’s former BAMMA and Bellator veteran Dylan “The Nuke” Tuke, unbeaten Englishman Connor Hughes and in-form Frenchman Geysim Derouiche.
The bantamweight division is stacked with talent, headed by former Cage Warriors 135-pound champion Dominique Wooding. He’s joined by Ireland’s Bellator veteran Frans Mlambo, Germany’s Khurshed Kakhorov and undefeated former UAE Warriors bantamweight champion Ali Taleb from Sweden.
The women’s flyweight division is headlined by rising British star Dakota Ditcheva, and Swedish veteran Cornelia Holm.
The 2023 PFL Europe season will see two regular-season events, each featuring two weight classes. PFL Europe 1 will showcase the men’s light heavyweight and women’s flyweight divisions, while PFL Europe 2 will feature the men’s lightweight and bantamweight divisions.
The third event will form the PFL Europe Playoffs, as the fighters compete for a spot in the final event of the season, the 2023 PFL Europe Finals, which will take place at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The season champions in each weight class will win $100,000 and a chance to earn a spot on the PFL’s global roster, with a chance to win the $1 million global season prize.
“We are excited to kick off PFL Europe’s inaugural season with the best European roster of fighters,” said PFL president of fighter operations Ray Sefo.
“PFL Europe will see the best in MMA action in a true season format, where fighters must win to advance.”
PFL Europe: Fighter roster
Men’s light heavyweights
- Simeon Powell (UK)
- Mohamed Amine (Holland)
- Kenneth Bergh (Norway)
- Jakob Nedoh (Slovenia)
- Anthony Salamone (France)
- Daniel Ladero (Spain)
- Damien Remy (France)
Men’s lightweights
- Acoidan Duque (Spain)
- Aleksandr Chizov (Latvia)
- Connor Hughes (UK)
- Dylan Tuke (Ireland)
- Geysim Derouiche (France)
- John Mitchell (Ireland)
- Rodu Maxim (Italy)
- Jakub Kaszuba (Poland)
Men’s bantamweights
- Ali Taleb (Sweden)
- Dominique Wooding (UK)
- Francesco Nuzzi (Italy)
- Frans Mlambo (Ireland)
- Farbod Iran Nezhad (Germany)
- Kenji Bortoluzzi (Switzerland)
- Khurshed Kakhorov (Germany)
- Mokthar Benkaci (France)
Women’s flyweights
- Dakota Ditcheva (UK)
- Clara Riciguolo (France)
- Griet Eechkout (Belgium)
- Mafalda Carmona (Portugal)
- Cornelia Holm (Sweden)
- Marta Waliczek (Poland)
- Lizzy Gevers (Holland)
- Valentina Scatizzi (Italy)
PFL Europe: Confirmed 2023 schedule
- Saturday, March 25 – PFL Europe 1: Newcastle, UK – Vertu Motors Arena
- Saturday, July 8 – PFL Europe 2: Berlin, Germany – Verti Music Hall
- Saturday, September 30 – PFL Europe Playoffs: Paris, France – Zenith Paris La Villette
- Friday, December 8 – PFL Europe Finals: Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena