PFL is a MMA league that was founded in 2017 and launched in 2018. Unlike other major MMA organizations, the Professional Fighters League has a structured system where fighters compete in a regular season, post-season, and championships rather than competing in year-round bouts. In particular, the PFL made headlines last year by signing a contract with Francis Ngannou and acquiring its rival, Bellator MMA. In this article, we will have a look at the 10 best fighters of the PFL.
10) Ray Cooper III
Cooper began his professional MMA career in 2012 and fought in various promotions like KOTC, Destiny MMA, Star Elite Cage Fighting, X-1 and more. He finally made his PFL debut in 2018. Ray has notable wins over Rory MacDonald and Magomed Magomedkerimov and is a two-time welterweight champion in the PFL. His first triumph came at the 2019 PFL Welterweight Tournament, where he got the victory with a TKO finish over David Michaud. His second championship win came in 2021, when he defeated Magomedkerimov and solidified his position as a dominant athlete in the division.
9) Clay Collard
Collard made his PFL debut in 2021 and became one of the most thrilling fighters in the promotion. He earned a unanimous decision win over Shane Burgos in 2023 to make his way to his inaugural PFL championship match. Although he was not victorious in the final against last year’s lightweight champion, Oliver Aubin-Mercier, Clay displayed a competitive performance throughout the match.
8) Magomed Magomedkerimov
Magomed is an excellent grappler and particularly excels in the art of the guillotine choke. He made his PFL debut in 2018 after fighting in various MMA promotions. His expertise was evident when he made Ray Cooper III submit to a guillotine choke in 2018 and won the PFL Welterweight Tournament. Magomed continued his dominance in 2023 and won another PFL Welterweight Tournament after defeating Sadibou Sy with his trademark guillotine choke.
7) Sadibou Sy
Sadibou Sy began his professional MMA career in 2013 and fought in promotions like IRFA and Superior Challenge. He joined the PFL in 2018 and went on to become one of the best fighters in the promotion. Sy has great striking abilities and has a notable win over David Michaud. He won the 2022 PFL Welterweight Tournament by defeating Dilano Taylor.
6) Brendan Loughnane
Brendan Loughnane dominated the featherweight division during the 2022 PFL season, resulting in him claiming the championship title. His accomplishments did not end there, as he scored a significant victory against former UFC Bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes via technical knockout. Despite an epic performance at Dana White’s Contender Series 17, including a win over Bill Algeo, Brendan surprisingly remained unsigned by the UFC.
5) Derek Brunson
Brunson made a big move after requesting his release from the UFC and joining the PFL. In his PFL debut, Brunson scored a win over Ray Cooper III in the PFL Finals to conclude the 2023 season. Despite only having one fight in this organization, he has a great resume. Derek has notable victories over fighters such as Darren Till, Kevin Holland, Lyoto Machida and Uriah Hall.
4) Larissa Pacheco
Pacheco is one of the top female featherweights in the MMA world. Her professional MMA career began in 2012 and she fought in various promotions, including the UFC. However, she lost both of her bouts in the UFC and as a result, was removed from their roster. Pacheco joined the PFL in 2019 and became one of the most incredible female fighters. She won the 2022 PFL Women’s Lightweight Championship with a surprising victory over Kayla Harrison. Larissa continued her winning streak by capturing the 2023 PFL Women’s Featherweight Championship with another great win, this time defeating Mokhnatkina.
3) Olivier Aubin-Mercier
Olivier found mixed success in the UFC and when he joined the PFL, he experienced a notable resurgence in his career. He began an impressive 10-fight win streak in the promotion and achieved victory in the 2022 PFL Lightweight Tournament by defeating Stevie Ray. Olivier continued his winning streak by defeating Clay Collard and winning the 2023 PFL Lightweight Tournament. After this win, he announced his retirement from the sport.
2) Impa Kasanganay
After mixed success in the UFC, Impa began a remarkable journey, posting an impressive winning streak in the PFL. He then won the 2023 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament title after defeating Josh Silveira. His rise to prominence was especially notable given his ability to bounce back from a big knockout at the hands of Joaquin Buckley in 2020. His determination and skills have solidified his status as one of the best fighters in the light heavyweight division.
1) Kayla Harrison
Kayla Harrison is arguably the best PFL fighter. She is a two-time champion in the organization’s lightweight division and is considered one of the greatest female fighters globally. Harrison has suffered only one defeat in her entire career to date and that was at the hands of Pacheco, a fighter she had defeated twice before. Kayla recently signed a contract with the UFC and is set to make her debut at UFC 300.
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