Professional Fighters League Challenger Series To Begin From February 18

The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced that the inaugural PFL Challenger Series will be held at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL beginning Friday, February 18 and airing exclusively on Fubo Sports Network, the live, free-to-consumer TV network from sports-first live TV streaming platform fuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO).    

 
    
The PFL Challenger Series is a platform in which MMA fighters can earn their way into the League and a chance at PFL gold plus the $1 million that comes along with it. The sport’s most innovative company has expanded the opportunity for fighters of all experience levels to gain entry into the PFL where they will compete with a global roster of top-tier fighters in hopes of becoming the next million-dollar champion.

Fighters from around the world will compete each week for a PFL contract that will either put them in the 2022 Regular Season or set them on a development path with the League in hopes of joining a future Season. Out of the more than 500 applicants, there will be eight fighters selected, one each week, to join the fastest growing organization in combat sports.

“The Challenger Series is a first-of-its-kind MMA competition where fighters from all backgrounds and experiences get a shot to prove themselves in front of a panel of combat sports legends and global icons,” said Ray Sefo, President of Fighter Operations of PFL. “I’m excited to get to Orlando to evaluate these talented athletes who will put it all on the line to live out their dreams of becoming a world champion.”

The inaugural PFL Challenger Series event will feature the 205-pound light heavyweight division and will include LFA double champion Josh Silveira, one of the most highly sought-after prospects in the sport. Silveira (7-0), is the son of MMA pioneer and American Top Team co-founder Conan Silveira and was coveted by every major MMA organization in the world. He chose the Challenger Series to showcase his abilities and to have the opportunity to fight in the 2022 PFL Season.

Germany’s Alexander Poppeck (12-3) is another fighter poised to make a run at a PFL roster spot. The Munich native enters the Challenger Series on a three-fight win streak that includes a pair of first round TKO victories. “Ironside” specializes in kickboxing and Muay Thai.

Mohamed Juma hails from the newest country in the world, South Sudan, and he is looking to put his nation on the MMA map. Juma (8-2) enters the Challenger series on an eight-fight win streak. The South Sudanese power puncher will be making his American debut.

Rounding out the division are American Taylor Johnson (7-3), rising British star Simeon Powell (4-0) and top Brazilian prospects Joao Paulo Fagundes (7-0) and Bruce Souto (14-3), who is riding an eight-fight win streak. 

Viewers watching the PFL Challenger Series can also interact with the live competition through fuboTV’s popular predictive, free-to-play games. During the bouts, fans can answer predictive questions about the action all on one screen using their remote control. Fubo Sportsbook, now live in Iowa and Arizona, is also the exclusive gambling sponsor of the PFL Challenger Series.

 
Fubo Sports Network is fuboTV’s linear TV network dedicated to featuring sports stories on and off the field. Fans can stream Fubo Sports Network for free on LG Channels, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Vizio Channels, Sports on Tubi, Plex, Hisense Smart TVs, and XUMO or as part of fuboTV’s subscription packages of 100+ sports, news and entertainment channels.