/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69469524/20191231_PFL_10_FN_Social0193_2.0.jpg)
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 With Isaev having also withdrawn from PFL 3 in May, he will not be competing for the league title again this season.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