5 Fights To Watch Out For At Highly-Anticipated PFL 5

The 2022 regular season of the Professional Fighters League heads into the home stretch on Friday, June 24, featuring featherweight, heavyweight and lightweight combatants competing for spots in the upcoming playoffs.

By the time the curtains close, the postseason brackets in these weight classes will be set.

With that being said, here are the pivotal bouts to watch out for at PFL 5.

Anthony Pettis vs. Stevie Ray

PFL 5’s co-main event pitting Anthony Pettis against Stevie Ray will be an interesting matchup for those that closely follow the league's talent-laden lightweight division.

Pettis has already secured his spot in the playoffs, but he will try to lock up the No. 1 seed as he storms into his first PFL postseason appearance.

Ray, meanwhile, will need to earn a finish before the 2:42 mark of the third round to salvage his playoff hopes.

Given the stakes, this should be a must-see matchup that will finalize the lightweight semifinal picture.

Bruno Cappelozza vs. Mateus Scheffel

Bruno Cappelozza’s PFL run has been nothing short of must-see TV.

The reigning PFL heavyweight champion has demolished pretty much everyone that the organization has put in front of him.

However, another tough test awaits Cappelozza as he is scheduled to duke it out with another hard-hitting Brazilian in Mateus Scheffel, who’s fighting for a spot in the postseason.

Given that a loss could severely damage Cappelozza’s hopes for back-to-back title reigns, expect fireworks to close out the show at PFL 5.

Renan Ferreira vs. Klidson Abreu

Speaking of must-see TV, Renan Ferreira has also been someone who’s delivered exciting stoppage after exciting stoppage.

His last two PFL outings have lasted a combined 56 seconds, and with a maiden playoff berth within reach, there’s no doubt that Ferreira will have his sights set on another quick finish.

A flash KO will be easier said than done as Ferreira will be facing a submission specialist in Klidson Abreu, who will also have a playoff spot in his crosshairs.

It’s a classic striker-versus-grappler encounter, and it’s bound to be an exciting one.

Bubba Jenkins vs. Reinaldo Ekson

“Exciting” isn’t necessarily the word that first comes to mind when talking about Bubba Jenkins.

The ex-BRAVE CF featherweight champion has turned heads since he made his presence felt under the promotion's umbrella.

Last season, Jenkins made it all the way to the semifinals and would love nothing more than to do it again this year.

Reinado Ekson, meanwhile, has been pretty exhilarating to watch as well in his last few fights.

Ekson earned his spot in the PFL regular season with a win in the PFL Challenger Series and will try to translate that into a playoff berth.

With playoff implications on the line, this fight has all the makings of a fight to watch out for.

Lance Palmer vs. Sheymon Moraes

This clash is on this list for a number of reasons, but mainly because of the curious case of Lance Palmer.

A former two-time PFL featherweight titleholder, Palmer went from undefeated in his first 11 fights to winless in his last three.

Palmer could easily bounce back and return to the postseason for the first time since 2019 with an impressive win at PFL 5, but it won’t be an easy road.

Standing in front of Palmer will be veteran Sheymon Moraes, who has gone undefeated in his last three outings, including two second-round stoppages and a win over prospect Boston Salmon.

Again, with playoff spots at stake, this should be an interesting bout to take in.

PFL 5 is available live in the United States on ESPN+ starting at 6:00 PM ET. The action continues on ESPN at 8:00 PM.