PFL announces Challenger Series matchups for first two events, women’s lightweight roster

Matchups are set for the PFL’s first Challenger Series events.

On Monday, the league announced its lineups for the upcoming Challenger Series cards that are scheduled to air in February and March on the Fubo Sports Network. The Feb. 18 Event will see light heavyweights compete for PFL contracts, and the February 25. Event will be a showcase for welterweights. Women’s lightweights will compete on March 4, with matchups still to be determined for that card.

All three shows will take place at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla.

Headlining the Feb. 18 card is a light heavyweight matchup between undefeated Floridian Josh Silveira (7-0) and Mohamed Juma (8-2), who hails from South Sudan. Silveira won the vacant LFA middleweight title by unanimous decision over Jared Revel in his most recent bout.

The Feb. 25 main event sees welterweights Jarrah Al Silawi (16-3) and Michael Lilly (7-6) face off. Al Silawi has been a standout in the Brave CF promotion, while Lilly has competed for the Titan FC promotion in the U.S.

The names announced for the March 4 lightweight card include Cynthia Vescan, who represented France in freestyle wrestling at the 2012 London Olympics. Vescan had been scheduled to make her pro MMA debut in August at a PFL tournament, but she withdrew due to undisclosed reasons.

Also competing at 155 pounds for a PFL contract are American wrestler Jackie Cataline Surber (pro debut), German judoka Julia Dorny (2-0), City Kickboxing product and recent American Top Team trainee Michelle Montague (10-1 amateur), Czech Republic’s Martina Jindrova (3-2), Portugal’s Jacqueline Cavalcanti (2-0), undefeated amateur Jeslen Mishelle (5-0) and recent Bellator and Invicta FC competitor Olivia Parker (4-2).

The

Challenger Series will have two types of PFL contracts. One, they can become a part in the upcoming 2022 league or a development deal. Only eight fighters (one per week) will earn a contract, with a rotating panel of celebrities helping to decide who makes it to the league. As guests, Mike Tyson (boxing legend) and Ray Lewis (NFL stars), have been already announced.

See the full lineup for the first two Challenger Series shows below:

PFL Challenger Series 1 – Feb. 18

Josh Silveira vs. Mohamed Juma

Alexander Poppeck vs. Taylor Johnson

Joao Paulo Fagundes vs. Bruce Souto

Simeon vs. Karl Williams

PFL Challenger Series 2 – Feb. 25

Jarrah El Silawi vs. Michael Lilly

Dilano Taylor vs. Mark Martin

Carlos Leal vs. Socrates Pierre

Lucas Barbosa vs. Troy Green