Lightweight, Light Heavyweight Pairings Announced for PFL Season Opener on April 20

PFL Regular Season Opens April 20th on ESPN 👊

Which matchup are you most looking forward to? pic.twitter.com/Rx4ItyIqgB

— PFL (@PFLMMA) March 22, 2022

The matchups are official for Professional Fighters League’s 2022 season opening event.

The card, which spotlights lightweights and light heavyweights, will be headlined by a lightweight clash between 2021 champion Raush Manfio and two-time UFC veteran Don Madge. PFL 1: 2022 Regular Season takes place at ESports Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 20 and will also see ex-UFC champ Anthony Pettis face PFL newcomer Myles Price in a 155-pound co-main event.

The rest of the main card, which airs on ESPN beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, will see defending light heavyweight champion Antonio Carlos Jr. square off against Delan Monte, while UFC vets Jeremy Stephens and Clay Collard will lock horns in another lightweight tilt.

The main card will be preceded by a six-bout preliminary draw on ESPN and ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m PT. The prelim bouts are as follows: Emiliano Sordi vs. Joshua Silveira at light heavyweight; Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. TBA at lightweight; Marthin Hamlet vs. Teodoras Aukstuolis at light heavyweight; Omari Akhmedov vs. Viktor Pesta at light heavyweight; Rob Wilkinson vs. Bruce Souto at light heavyweight and Alexander Martinez vs. Steven Ray at lightweight.

“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.”