2025 PFL Season: Key Storylines To Follow
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The 2025 PFL season kicks off this April with a brand-new format, shifting to a single-elimination tournament for the first time in league history.
Divisions like women’s flyweight, lightweight, and heavyweight are wide open this season, with no former champions in the mix. While a handful of veterans are sprinkled in, only a few clear favorites stand out on paper. The talent pool may lack major star power, but there are still enough recognizable names to keep things interesting as the PFL rolls out its new format.
That said, never underestimate the newcomers. Several fighters enter the 2025 season with strong records, and some could emerge as key players for the promotion moving forward. As we get closer to the season and throughout the tournament, we take a closer look at the key storylines to watch:
Women’s Flyweight Single-Elimination Tournament
Roster: Talia Santos, Juliana Velasquez, Kana Watanabe, Jena Bishop, Liz Carmouche, Ilara Joanne, Elora Dana, and Diana Avsaragova.
The women’s flyweight division enters its second year in the 2025 PFL season. With the Bellator acquisition, a few new names have been added to the tournament alongside some returning contenders.
Fans will get a championship-worthy matchup right away. Last year’s runner-up, Taila Santos, faces former Bellator flyweight champion Juliana Velasquez in the first round. The biggest storyline this season will likely be whether Santos can finally claim the title with Dakota Ditcheva out of the equation.
Liz Carmouche also had a strong campaign last year before falling short in the semi-finals. As another top contender, could we see a Carmouche-Santos rematch—this time in the finals?
Bantamweight Single-Elimination Tournament
Roster: Magomed Magomedov, Leandro Higo, Savarjon Khamidov, Jake Hadley, Ciran Clarke, Kasum Kasumov, Ali Taleb, and Zebunzui Ruiz.
The bantamweight division is brand new to the PFL. So, every competitor will be experiencing this tournament format for the first time. This season features fighters from several countries, including a strong Russian presence.
One of the key storylines to watch is how former UFC fighter Jake Hadley fares. Once considered a high-potential prospect, he struggled to find his footing in the UFC. Magomed Magomedov, a former Bellator title challenger, adds another layer of intrigue. Meanwhile, Ireland’s Ciaran Clarke is a promising prospect with the potential to win it all—but first, he faces a tough test in Russian standout Kasum Kasumov, who trains with Khabib.
Despite concerns over the lack of household names due to the division being the deeper, the stage is set for an exciting inaugural season.
Featherweight Single-Elimination Tournament
Roster: Adam Borics, Gabriel Braga, Jeremy Kennedy, Jesus Pinedo, Movlid Khaybulaev, Nathan Kelly, Tae Kyun Kim, and Yves Landu.
Featherweight is absolutely stacked with several notable names, making this one of the deepest seasons in the division’s history. The most interesting storyline to follow this season is the potential for a rematch in the semi-finals. Both the 2023 PFL Featherweight Champion, Jesus Pinedo, and runner-up Gabriel Braga are on the same side of the bracket. Meanwhile, on the opposite side stands the 2021 PFL Featherweight Champion, Movlid Khaybulaev.
Adding to the depth of this season is former Bellator title contender Adam Borics, and the veteran Yves Landu. Nathan Kelly and Jeremy Kennedy return, bringing more experience to the field. Meanwhile, Taekyun Kim enters as an intriguing newcomer, boasting an impressive 10-1 record.
Lightweight Single-Elimination Tournament
Roster: Alexander Shabliy, Brent Primus, Clay Collard, Alfie Davis, Gadzhi Rabadanov, Marc Diakiese, Mads Burnell, and Jay-Jay Wilson.
Clay Collard finished as the runner-up in 2023, while Brent Primus fell just short last season. Both will be looking to finally claim PFL gold. This will be one of the main stories to watch as the season kicks off in April.
This year’s tournament also features several exciting newcomers. Names like Alfie Davis, former UFC fighter Marc Diakiese, and surging prospect Jay-Jay Wilson join the mix. Meanwhile, Gadzhi Rabadanov and Mads Burnell return, adding more depth to the field.
Beyond the former runner-ups chasing redemption, the biggest storyline this season will be how the new prospects adapt to the tournament’s high-stakes elimination format. Lightweight is wide open and will be a fun bracket to keep a close eye on.
Welterweight Single-Elimination Tournament
Roster: Andrey Koreshkov, Giannis Bachar, Jason Jackson, Logan Storley, Magomed Umalatov, Masayuki Kikuiri, Mukhamed Berkhamov, and Thad Jean.
Alternate: Sarek Shields
Unfortunately, we won’t get to see how Florim Zendeli does this season as the reigning 2024 PFL Europe Welterweight Champion. He was forced to pull out of the tournament due to injury. So in steps in the undefeated Thad Jean to take on Mukhamed Berkhamov in the first round, making Sarek Shields the new alternate.
One of the most intriguing dynamics in the division is the presence of Jason Jackson and Logan Storley, both of whom train at Kill Cliff FC. If they cross paths this season, it would be int he finals, so that could be interesting. Fighting a teammate always adds another layer of complexity.
The division also features a strong Russian contingent, Berkhamov being the lone newcomer of the three. As for the tournament as a whole, it welcomes six fresh faces to the mix.
Middleweight Single-Elimination Tournament
Roster: Aaron Jeffery, Dalton Rosta, Fabian Edwards, Impa Kasanganay, Josh Silvera, Mike Shipman, Murad Ramazanov, and Sadibou Sy.
The PFL’s middleweight division is arguably the most stacked roster the promotion has assembled this season. Honestly, some of these guys could compete for the Handsomest MF title, too. Adding even more depth to the division, three new faces join the roster this year, further shaking up an already competitive field.
One of the biggest storylines to watch is whether Aaron Jeffery and Dalton Rosta will run it back. Jeffery handed Rosta his first career loss, ending his undefeated streak. They are on track to meet int he semi-finals now that the bracket has been revealed. But to kick off the season, Rosta has to beat former champion and millionaire winner Sadibou Sy. Training partners add another layer of intrigue—Jeffery and Impa Kasanganay both train at Kill Cliff FC, with Jeffery frequently traveling from Canada to Florida for camps. They could very well meet in the finals. Meanwhile, Josh Silvera and Rosta sharpen their skills together at ATT. They also could be the championship matchup.
Another potential rematch looms between Fabian Edwards and Mike Shipman. The two fought in Bellator back in 2019, with Edwards securing a split-decision win. If both win, they may meet again in the semi-finals. With two former champions, a deep pool of contenders, and exciting new additions, the middleweight division is shaping up to be must-watch TV this season.
Light Heavyweight Single-Elimination Tournament
Roster: Antonio Carlos Jr., Karl Moore, Phil Davis, Rob Wilkinson, Sullivan Cauley, Karl Albrektsson, Simeon Powell, and Marcelo Nunes.
Former 2021 PFL light heavyweight champion Antonio Carlos Jr. returns, looking to reclaim the title and another half-million-dollar prize. Joining the division are newcomers Karl Albrektsson, Karl Moore, and Sullivan Cauley, while Marcelo Nunes makes his return after a two-year absence from the tournament format. Rob Wilkinson is also back, adding another former champion to the mix.
After competing in last year’s PFL Europe tournament, Simeon Powell now enters the main PFL bracket in pursuit of greatness, gold, and money. The light heavyweight division truly feels wide open and for the taking this season.
While there are big names and former champions in the field, it has been some time since they last held gold. This could be the year a new reign begins, changing someone’s life in the process. So, who will step up?
Heavyweight Single-Elimination Tournament
Roster: Valentin Moldavsky, Sergey Bilostenniy, Alexandr Ramanov, Tim Johnson, Pouya Rahmani, Abraham Bably, Linton Vassell, and Oleg Popov.
Heavyweight should be a fun one to watch this season. It’s another wide-open division, meaning whoever rises to the occasion will walk away as champion.
Former UFC fighter Alexandr Romanov enters the mix this year. We also have newcomers Abraham Bably, Linton Vassell, and Pouya Rahmani added to freshen up the competition. Meanwhile, Sergei Bilostenniy, last year’s alternate who never got his chance but still secured a finish, finally has the opportunity to prove he belonged in the mix all along.
Former Bellator heavyweight champion Valentin Moldavsky and last year’s runner-up Oleg Popov also return for the 2025 PFL season. So, the division is certainly one of the most unique. It blends seasoned veterans, rising prospects, and accomplished fighters at different stages of their careers. With such a diverse field, anything can happen. The big boys always come to bang!
The 2025 PFL season kicks off on April 3 at 7 PM ET, streaming live on ESPN+. Let us know which bracket you’re most excited for in the comments below.
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