The ''PFL 1''

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...

event for the 2021 season of the

Professional Fighters League The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) promot ...

was held on April 23, 2021. This was the first regular season event of the tournament and included fights in the

Featherweight Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling. Boxing Professional boxing History A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of . In the early days of the division, this ...

and

Lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight boxe ...

divisions.

Background

The event was headlined by a lightweight clash between the former

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

and WEC Lightweight champion

Anthony Pettis Anthony Paul Pettis (born January 27, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League. Pettis formerly fought in the Welterweight, Lightweight, and Featherweight divisions of the ...

and the

veteran

Clay Collard Clay Collard (born March 10, 1993) is an American professional mixed martial artist and boxer. A professional since 2011, he formerly competed for the UFC. He currently competes in the lightweight division of the Professional Fighters League. Ba ...

. In the co-main event, the two-time PFL Lightweight tournament winner

Natan Schulte Natan Silveira Schulte (born February 20, 1992) is a Brazilian mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight (MMA), Lightweight division of the Professional Fighters League. Background Natan Schulte was born in Joinvill ...

faced the former

Bellator Bellator, warrior in Latin, may refer to: * Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States * Bishop Bellator of Archaeological site of Sbeitla, Sufetula (5th century) Taxonomy * Bellator (fish), ''Bellator'' (fish), a fis ...

Lightweight title challenger

Marcin Held Marcin Held (born January 18, 1992) is a Polish mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division. He formerly competed in the Lightweight division of the Absolute Championship Berkut, Professional Fighters League, a ...

. The remaining two fights of the main card were held in the featherweight division: former two-time PFL Featherweight champion

Lance Palmer Lance Palmer (born February 7, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist and former collegiate wrestler. He currently competes in the featherweight division of Professional Fighters League, where he is the 2019's tournament champi ...

faced the 2011 NCAA Division I champion

Bubba Jenkins Bubba Jenkins (born February 5, 1988) is an American mixed martial artist and former amateur wrestler. He currently competes in the featherweight division of Professional Fighters League. He has also notably competed for Bellator MMA, Absolute ...

and

Movlid Khaybulaev Movlid Khaybulaev (born October 16, 1990) is a Russian mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Featherweight division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL). A professional competitor since 2011, he has also competed in Fight Nights Glo ...

was to face Jason Soares. However, Soares was removed from the PFL season and his fight against Movlid Khaibulaev after failing medicals. He was replaced by Lazar Stojadinovic. A lightweight bout between Joilton Lutterbach and

Olivier Aubin-Mercier Olivier Aubin-Mercier (; born February 23, 1989) is a Canadian mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of the Professional Fighters League. He formerly competed for the UFC until October 2019 when he became a free agent. A pr ...

was planned for this event, however Olivier pulled out due to injury and was replaced by Former

Titan FC Titan Fighting Championship (Titan FC) is an American mixed martial arts promotion based out of Pompano Beach, Florida. Their shows were originally run in and near Kansas City and have since expanded to include venues all over North America and e ...

lightweight champion

Raush Manfio Raush Manfio Lourenço (born November 3, 1991) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division of the Professional Fighters League. On October 27, 2021, he won the PFL lightweight championship belt. Figh ...

. Olivier is expected to return in June.

Johnny Case Johnny Case (born June 28, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Lightweight division of RIZIN. A professional since 2007, he formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Professional Fighters League ...

was expected to face Loik Radzhabov at this event. However, due to an arrest, Case had to pull out and was replaced by Alexander Martinez. At weigh-ins, Mikhail Odintsov weighed in at 156.4 pounds, missing weight by .4 pounds. He was fined 20 percent of his purse, ineligible to win playoff points, given a walkover loss, and was penalized one point in the standings. Akhmet Aliev received a walkover win regardless of bout outcome but is eligible to gain stoppage points.

Results

Standings After Event

The PFL points system is based on results of the match. The winner of a fight receives 3 points. If the fight ends in a draw, both fighters will receive 1 point. The bonus for winning a fight in the first, second, or third round is 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point respectively. The bonus for winning in the third round requires a fight be stopped before 4:59 of the third round. No bonus point will be awarded if a fighter wins via decision. For example, if a fighter wins a fight in the first round, then the fighter will receive 6 total points. A decision win will result in three total points. If a fighter misses weight, the opponent (should they comply with weight limits) will receive 3 points due to a walkover victory, regardless of winning or losing the bout, with the fighter who missed weight being deducted 1 standings point; if the non-offending fighter subsequently wins with a stoppage, all bonus points will be awarded. A fighter who was unable to compete for any reason, will receive a 1-point penalty (-1 point in the standings). The fighters who made weight will not receive a walkover, but will earn points and contracted purse amounts based on their performance in the altered matchup.

Lightweight

Featherweight

References