PFL 6 lineup revised, defending heavyweight champion Ali Isaev out

For the third season in a row, the PFL will crown a new heavyweight champion.

Defending 2019 champion Ali Isaev has been forced to withdraw from next Friday’s PFL 6 event in Atlantic City, N.J., after not being medically cleared to compete, the league announced Thursday. Stepping in for Isaev to fight Renan Ferreira (6-2, 1 NC) will be PFL newcomer Stuart Austin (15-6).

Isaev won the PFL heavyweight championship at the conclusion of the 2019 season, following 2018 winner Philipe Lins (there was no 2020 champion due to that season being cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic). With Isaev having also withdrawn from PFL 3 in May, he will not be competing for the league title again this season.

Also receiving a new opponent is heavyweight Ante Delija (17-4). League newcomer Chandler Cole (8-2) now fights Delija as a replacement for Hatef Moeil.

A bout between heavyweight alternates Klidson Abreu (15-4, 1 NC) and Jamelle Jones (11-6) has also been added to the card. All the newly added fighters are eligible to earn points for a spot in the upcoming PFL playoffs, which begin on Aug. 13.

See the updated PFL 6 card below:

Main Card (ESPN2, 10 p.m. ET)

• Kayla Harrison vs. Cindy Dandois
• Anthony Pettis vs. Raush Manfio
• Lance Palmer vs. Movlid Khaybulaev
• Denis Goltsov vs. Brandon Sayles

Preliminaries (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)

• Bruno Cappelozza vs. Muhammed DeReese
• Larissa Pacheco vs. Olena Kolesnyk
• Ante Delija vs. Chandler Cole
• Genah Fabian vs. Julija Pajic
• Renan Ferreira vs. Stuart Austin
• Taylor Guardado vs. Laura Sanchez
• Kaitlin Young vs. Mariana Morais
• Klidson Abreu vs. Jamelle Jones