The eighth week of the 2023 Professional Fighters League Challenger Series continued live from Universal Studios, in Orlando, Florida and featured a four-fight card with eight fighters fighting for a PFL contract. At the conclusion of the event, the all-star judging panel consisting of Wiz Khalifa, Kayla Harrison and Randy Couture helped award the eighth contract of the 2023 Challenger Series to Denzel Freeman. Freeman joins Light Heavyweight Impa Kasaganay, Featherweight Brahyan Zurcher, Women’s Flyweight Desiree Yanez, Heavyweight Abraham Bably, Women’s Featherweight Amanda Leve and Welterweight Thad Jean, as PFL Challenger Series contract winners this year. The event was streamed exclusively on Fubo Sports, the live, free-to-consumer TV network from FuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO), the leading sports-first live TV streaming platform.
Freeman, a U.S. Marine earned the eight and final contract of the PFL Challenger series knocking out Raiden Kovacs in mere seconds. A perfectly placed head kick followed by thunderous ground and pound ended the bout at the 0:27 mark of Round 1, marking the third-fastest Heavyweight finish in PFL history. Freeman wins his fourth consecutive fight and remains undefeated.
Kendly St. Louis returned to the PFL Challenger Series on the strength of a five-fight winning streak against Paulo Laia, the first deaf fighter to compete under the PFL banner, in the main event. St. Louis earned his sixth consecutive victory with a dominant unanimous decision, 30-27 across all three judges score cards. With the win, St. Louis improves to 9-4-0 in his career.
“It’s been an honor to watch incredible athletes leave it all on the line throughout the 2023 PFL Challenger Series,” said Ray Sefo, President of Fighter Operations of PFL. “Congratulations to Denzel Freeman for earning the eighth contract of the Challenger Series, and welcome to the PFL.”
Jackie Cataline battled Evelyn Martin in a Women’s Featherweight contest in the highly anticipated co-main event. Cataline is 2-1 in the PFL Challenger Series, while Martins won her Challenger Series debut in Week 2. Tonight Martins picked up her second win of the 2023 PFL Challenger Series, defeating Cataline by unanimous decision, 29-28 across the judges’ scorecards.
Kicking off the card, Sadeck Sanon and Ali Omar faced off in a Welterweight battle. Sanon entered the 2023 PFL Challenger Series on a three-fight winning streak, while Omar came into the matchup with three of his four wins coming by way of a 1st round finish. After an action-packed three round war, it was Omar who came out victorious, winning by split decision, 28-29, 29-28, 30-27.
The 2023 PFL Regular Series kicks off on Saturday, April 1 at the The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+, featuring the return of 2022 PFL Featherweight Champion Brendan Loughnane and 2022 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion, Robert Wilkinson.
PFL is the #1 fastest growing company in MMA and the #2 MMA company on a worldwide basis. PFL is the only league in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in sports-season “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports. The PFL fighter roster is global and world-class, with fighters from over 20 countries and 25% independently ranked in the top 25. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience. PFL is aired primetime live in the U.S. on ESPN and ESPN+ and in 140 countries via 25 leading broadcast and streaming partners.
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