European MMA Fighters Get Chance To Shine Under PFL's Developmental Territory

A collection of the best up-and-coming mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters from Europe will get to showcase their skills for a chance to compete for a six-figure payday this year as the Professional Fighters League has announced the launch of the inaugural season of PFL Europe.

The United States-based promotion, known for its sports tournament-style format, announced the new regional league on Thursday morning, January 12.

"PFL Europe's inaugural season schedule is set, and MMA fans in 2023 will experience Europe's best MMA fighters competing in the PFL's true sport format," said PFL CEO Peter Murray via an official press release.

The organization will feature 32 fighters from Europe, across four weight divisions, namely light heavyweight, bantamweight, women's flyweight and lightweight.

After the season, champions will be crowned from each weight division, with each one of them taking home $ 100,000 and a chance to earn a spot in PFL's global million-dollar regular season tournament.

It was also announced that the inaugural PFL Europe season will consist of four events across four countries in the region.

"PFL Europe Regular Season events will be staged in Newcastle, UK in March, and Berlin, Germany in July. Semifinalists will then compete in a single elimination Playoff event in Paris, France, in September with the winners advancing to the PFL Europe Championship in Dublin, Ireland in December," Murray detailed.

The regular-season card will take place at the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle, England on March 25, and at the Verti Music Hall in Berlin, Germany on July 8th.

The playoffs will head to the Zenith Paris La Villette in France on September 30th.

The season wraps up at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on December 8th.

Last season, PFL already held qualifying matches, with the first batch of competitors earning their spots on the PFL Europe roster.

These qualifiers coincided with the league's debut in Europe when it held back-to-back playoff events in the United Kingdom.

Among those who have qualified are Ireland's Will Fleury and Nathan Kelly, Italy's Radu Maxim, Norway's Magnus Iversen and Sweden's Ali Taleb, as well as England's Abraham Bably and Dakota Ditcheva.