PFL ANNOUNCES 2022 SEASON KICKOFF MAIN EVENT AND FULL CARD MATCHUPS FOR LIGHTWEIGHTS AND LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS APRIL 20 ON ESPN

2021 Lightweight Champion Raush Manfio and Don Madge headline PFL 1

Anthony Pettis, Antonio Carlos Jr., Myles Price, Delan Monte, Jeremy Stephens and Clay Collard star in PFL 1 main card

PFL 1 live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ on Wednesday, April 20

NEW YORK, March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced its main event and full card matchups for its 2022 Regular Season kickoff, PFL 1, taking place on April 20 at Esports Stadium Arlington in Arlington, TX. 2021 PFL Lightweight Champion Raush Manfio looks to begin his journey to a second world title against South African Don "Magic Man" Madge in the evening's headlining bout.  

In the co-main event, Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis, one of the most exciting fighters of all-time and a former world champion, returns to the PFL SmartCage against Myles "Magic" Price of Ireland, who is making his PFL debut.  

In Light Heavyweight action, two Brazilians square off when 2021 PFL Champion Antonio Carlos Jr. takes on Delan Monte. Carlos Jr., a submission specialist, will look to take a step towards the PFL Playoffs and a second world title against Monte who will enter the event riding a three-fight winning streak.

Rounding out the main card, hard charging American and fan favorite Clay Collard will take on MMA veteran Jeremy Stephens. "Cassius" Clay Collard and "Lil Heathen" Jeremy Stephens are not fighters that will look to feel each other out, as both are knockout artists who will let their hands go.

"The highly anticipated 2022 PFL Season kicks off April 20 on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S. and will be distributed internationally to over 160 countries on premium sports platforms," said PFL CEO Peter Murray.  "We are excited to deliver fans our next-gen product as well as the opportunity to follow the season-long journeys of our returning PFL Champions and top-ranked fighters from around the world compete in MMA's most challenging and rewarding format."

"The PFL has put together an action-packed card to kick off the 2022 Regular Season," said PFL President of Fighter Operations, Ray Sefo. "I'm excited for fight fans around the world to watch the elite talent in our Lightweight and Lightweight Heavyweight divisions on April 20 live in primetime on ESPN."

The 2022 PFL Season will begin April 20 on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ in primetime. The remaining Regular Season events will take place on April 28, May 6, June 17, June 25, and July 1.

PFL is the first and only MMA league with a true sports-season format where elite fighters from around the world compete in a Regular Season, Playoffs and Championship. The four competitors in each division who earn the most points advance to the win-or-go-home Playoffs, followed by the biggest night in MMA – the PFL World Championship – with each winner going home with the $1 million prize.

Professional Fighters League is the No. 2 MMA company globally and features an elite talent roster with 25 percent of its fighters independently ranked in the top-25 of the world, including 2021 PFL champions Ray Cooper III and Movlid Khaybulaev. PFL has live event coverage in 160 countries on leading distribution platforms and delivers a unique, innovative product to the more than 600 million MMA fans globally.

Full Card:

ESPN Card

Raush Manfio vs. Don Madge

Anthony Pettis vs. Myles Price

Antonio Carlos Jr. vs. Delan Monte

Clay Collard vs. Jeremy Stephens

ESPN+ Card

Emiliano Sordi vs. Joshua Silveira

Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. TBA

Marthin Hamlet vs. Teodoras Aukstuolis

Omari Akhmedov vs. Viktor Pesta

Robert Wilkinson vs. Bruce Souto

Alexander Martinez vs. Stevie Ray

SOURCE Professional Fighters League (PFL)