How PFL Can Benefit From Shane Burgos' Much-Awaited Debut Getting Delayed

KEY POINTS

Shane Burgos signed with PFL earlier this year
Burgos was scheduled to make his debut against Marlon Moraes this November
An injury forced Burgos to withdraw from his debut bout

It looks like fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see the Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut of featherweight standout Shane Burgos.

Earlier this month, news broke that Burgos sustained an injury and has been forced to withdraw from his showcase bout against Marlon Moraes at the 2022 PFL World Championships event in New York City later this month.

Shane Burgos is out of his PFL debut on 11/25 due to injury, sources say. Promotion is looking for a replacement for Marlon Moraes.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 6, 2022

Burgos will reportedly be replaced by PFL veteran Sheymon Moraes.

One of PFL's biggest signings for its upcoming 2023 regular season, Burgos—who owns a 15-3 professional mixed martial arts record—spurned the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) to come and join the fast-rising New York-based promotion.

"Hurricane Shane" will be an exciting addition to PFL's featherweight roster for next year.

Prior to signing with PFL, Burgos was coming off a four-year, 11-fight stint with the UFC that saw him go 8-3, with wins over Cub Swanson, Billy Quarantillo and Charles Jourdain.

At first glance, the loss of Burgos on PFL's final card for 2022 looks like a big blow, but it could actually end up playing to the benefit of the league.

Keeping him on the shelf, so to speak, until the 2023 season will keep fans eagerly anticipating his long-awaited debut.

Delaying Burgos' debut also keeps the hype behind him going and eliminates the chance that he gets a rude awakening even before he gets to join PFL's million-dollar tournament.

No doubt, Burgos is one of the most talented 145-pounders in the game today, which is exactly why UFC boss Dana White had expressed disappointment in letting him walk.

Burgos would have been a favorite against Moraes, but the latter is still one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet as one well-timed shot could easily have spelled doom for PFL's newest featherweight star.

A loss even before the start of the 2023 season definitely kills off any fanfare surrounding Burgos and could negatively impact PFL's viewership.

Now that Burgos' league debut has been pushed back to next season, it's likely that more fans will be tuning in to watch the arrival of "Hurricane Shane."

Even without Burgos, the PFL 2022 World Championships card is still pretty stacked, with the likes of Kayla Harrison, Aspen Ladd, Biaggio Ali Walsh and the six scheduled world championship bouts still on deck.

The 2022 PFL World Championships will air live exclusively on ESPN+ PPV in the United States.