PFL announces first three events of 2019 regular season

The Professional Fighters League announced the first three events for the first half of the 2019 regular season Friday.

PFL 1 will feature two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison as she takes on Russian born Svetlana Khautova. Also on the card, former Strikeforce and Invicta FC bantamweight champion Sara Kaufman makes the jump up two weight classes to challenge Morgan Frier. Both women will compete in the inaugural women’s lightweight division. PFL’s season 1 breakout star Ray Cooper III is also set to return as he faces off against his cousin Zane Kamaka.

PFL 2 will feature hometown favorites Chris Wade and Andre Harrison as well the returns of defending 2018 PFL featherweight champion Lance Palmer and lightweight champion Natan Schulte.

Rounding out the first three events, fans will witness the return of defending heavyweight champion Philipe Lins as he enters the cage against former Bellator and RIZIN veteran Satoshi Ishii at PFL 3. Last season’s light heavyweight runner-up Vinny Magalhaes will also begin his quest for redemption against Emiliano Sordi.

All three events will take place at NYCB Live on Long Island, N.Y.

Here is the first three fight cards:

PFL 1 – May 9

ESPN2

• Kayla Harrison vs. Svetlana Khautova
• Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. John Howard
• Ray Cooper III vs. Zane Kamaka
• Sarah Kaufman vs. Morgan Frier
• Sadibou Sy vs. David Michaud

ESPN+

• Handesson Ferreira vs. Bojan Velickovic
• Genah Fabian vs. Bobbi Jo Dalziel
• Gamzat Khiramagomedov vs. Glaico Franca
• Andre Fialho vs. Chris Curtis
• Larissa Pacheco vs. Roberta Samad

PFL 2 – May 23

ESPN+

• Lance Palmer vs. Alex Gilpin
• Chris Wade vs. Nate Andrews
• Andre Harrison vs. TBD
• Ramsey Nijem vs. Ronys Torres
• Akhmed Aliev vs. Carlao Silva
• Alexandre Almeida vs. Luis Rafael Laurentino
• Islam Mamedov vs. Ylies Djiroun
• Rashid Magomedov vs. Loik Radzhabov

ESPN2

• Natan Schulte vs. Bao Yincang
• Alexandre Bezerra vs. Jeremy Kennedy
• Damon Jackson vs. Movlid Khaybulaev
• Steven Siler vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov

PFL 3 – June 6

ESPN+

• Philipe Lins vs. Satoshi Ishii
• Kelvin Tiller vs. Muhammed Dereese
• Maxim Grishin vs. Jordan Johnson
• Valdrin Istrefi vs. Ali Isaev
• Rakim Cleveland vs. Viktor Nemkov
• Ronny Markes vs. Sigi Pesaleli
• Rashid Yusupov vs. Mikhail Mokhnatkin
• Alex Nicholson vs. Francimar Barroso

ESPN2

• Vinny Magalhaes vs. Emiliano Sordi
• Dan Spohn vs. Bozigit Ataev
• Jared Rosholt vs. Denis Goltsov
• Ben Edwards vs. Ante Delija