PFL Welterweight, Light Heavyweight Cast Ready For Big Challenges In New Season

The clock is ticking for the 2021 PFL season with the welterweight and light heavyweight divisions offering a stacked cast out for glory and a big one million dollar payday.

The fighters out for supremacy in the two divisions have been revealed, and there are plenty of familiar names.

Ray Cooper III and Emiliano Sordi will have their work cut out for them as they brace for a hungry pack of competitors looking to unseat them and be the new face of their respective divisions.

Among the notable names to look out for include Rory MacDonald and Chris Camozzi.

MacDonald is someone who does need much introduction. He is a former UFC top contender and Bellator world champion. He joined the PFL in 2019 and is undoubtedly one of the top names in the welterweight bracket.

There is reason to believe that MacDonald will figure prominently when the PFL formally opens its third season in Apr. 23. He has 15 years of experience. Among the big names that he has faced and conquered in his career include BJ Penn, Demian Maia, Tyron Woodley, Paul Daley and Douglas Lima.

Having accomplished so much, reigning champion Cooper cannot let his guard down. After a dramatic bounce-back year that saw him win it all in 2019, things have just gotten tougher for the 27-year-old Hawaiian.

Cooper owns a 20-7-1 professional record, all of which came off stoppages.

“The welterweight division might be the deepest weight class in the PFL. With the addition of Rory to our two returning champions, there are no easy fights,” PFL president Ray Sefo stated.

The same can be expected from the light heavyweight division. Sordi is expected to have his hands full--with Jordan Young singled out as the one who poses a big threat.

The defending champion owns a 22-8 professional record and is currently on a five-fight winning streak. But that may not mean much to Young who joined the promotion with an 11-1 record.

Worth noting is that nine of those wins in Young's impressive run were via submission.

Aside from Young, another fighter to monitor is Chris Camozzi. He has faced prominent figures in the sport such as Jacare Souza, Joe Riggs, and Lorenz Larkin, not to mention making a name for himself in the UFC.

Other fighters Sordi will have to deal with include Cezar Ferreira, Marthin Hamlet, Jordan Johnson, Tom Lawlor, Smealinho Rama and Dan Spohn.

“The light heavyweights are stacked as well with Sordi and all the new top talent we’ve added,” Sefo said.