The PFL Challenger Series gives fighters the opportunity to join the PFL’s global roster
The PFL Challenger Series continues live Friday, March 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET exclusively
on fuboTV’s linear network, Fubo Sports Network
NEW YORK (January 27, 2022) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced that the PFL Challenger Series will continue from Universal Studios in Orlando, FL on Friday, March 11 at 9 p.m. ET with featherweight action. The PFL Challenger Series airs live exclusively on Fubo Sports Network, the live TV network from sports-first live TV streaming platform fuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO).
“The Challenger Series is a first-of-its-kind MMA competition where elite athletes from all across the world with unique backgrounds and experiences appear on one of the most prominent stages in MMA today. Ray Sefo, President of Fighter Operations of PFL stated, “I’m excited to get to Orlando to evaluate these talented athletes who will put it all on the line in front of our panel of combat sports legends and global icons to live out their dreams of becoming a world champion.” The PFL Challenger Series presents MMA fighters with elite fighting pedigree to square off in a series of high performance events with the ultimate quest being the PFL podium for a million dollar prize as a PFL rostered fighter.
The PFL continues to innovate the sport of MMA by expanding opportunities for exceptional fighters from around the globe. More than 500 MMA managers and trainers submitted applications on behalf of fighters with the most significant accolades in a mixed martial art discipline to compete in the PFL Challenger Series. Only 56 fighters were selected by PFL for this unique series.
“Featherweights have a blend of power and speed that make it one of the most entertaining divisions in MMA,” said Ray Sefo, President of Fighter Operations of PFL. “We have a talented roster of up-and-coming fighters looking to prove themselves and I’m looking forward to them facing off in Orlando.”
The Challenger Series will continue with the featherweight division on March 11 and it will feature a number of fighters vying for a spot in the 2022 PFL Season. EFC featherweight champion Reinaldo Ekson (17-5) is primed to take his place among the best 145-pound fighters in the world. The Brazilian will have a chance to punch his ticket to the league with an impressive performance.
American wrestling standout Edwin Cooper Jr. is another fighter on the rise. The Jackson-Wink product was a junior college national champion who went on to compete for the prestigious University of Iowa program. Cooper (5-1) will look to establish himself as one of the top featherweight prospects in MMA.
Australian Aaron Blackie (8-2) is a blackbelt in both Judo and jiu-jitsu. the grappling ace likes to utilize his considerable ground skills to submit his opponents and he has been very successful, stopping all eight of his wins, seven by submission. He’ll be making his North American debut at Challenger Series.
Scottie Stockman is a wrestler out of the Roufusport camp in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Despite his grappling background, Stockman (3-1) has a tendency to stand and sling bombs a la Dan Henderson and Justin Gaethje. The Oregon native has rattled off three straight wins, two by KO and also added a KO victory in his boxing debut this past September.
South Korean Do Gyeom Lee (8-4) and Americans Brahyan Zurcher (2-0), Josh Blyden (9-2) and Mike Barnett (11-3) round out the division.
Viewers watching the PFL Challenger Series can also interact with the featherweight live competition through fuboTV’s popular predictive, free-to-play games to earn points and compete for a cash prize. During the bouts, fans can answer predictive questions about the action all on one screen using their remote control. Fubo Sportsbook, now live in Iowa and Arizona, is also the exclusive gambling sponsor of the PFL Challenger Series.
Fubo Sports Network is fuboTV’s linear TV network dedicated to featuring sports stories on and off the field. Fans can stream live sports, original programming and partner content on Fubo Sports Network as part of fuboTV’s subscription packages of 100+ sports, news and entertainment channels.
About Professional Fighters League
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is the fastest growing and most innovative sports league. PFL is the #2 MMA company worldwide and the only with the sports-season format where individual fighters compete in Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship.
PFL is primetime in the U.S on ESPN and ESPN+ and was broadcast and streamed live worldwide last year to 160 countries with partners including RMC Sport, FPT, Sky Sport, and more. The PFL roster is world-class, with 25% of PFL fighters independently ranked in the top 25 in the world. The PFL proprietary SmartCage data and analytics platform powers real-time betting and provides next-gen viewing experience.
PFL has over two-dozen blue-chip brand sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, IBM, GEICO, DraftKings, Bose, Socios.com, Air Force Reserve, US Marine Corps, and more. PFL is backed by major investors including Ares Capital, Luxor Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Swan Ventures, Knighthead, Legends, and several NBA, MLB, and NHL team owners.
MMA is the growth sport of this decade, with 600 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demo of any sport, and true global revenue streams.
PFLmma.com; Instagram (@PFLmma); Twitter (@PFLMMA); Facebook (/PFLmma)
About Fubo Sports Network
Available on 75 million devices, Fubo Sports Network is the live, free-to-consumer TV network featuring sports stories on and off the field. Launched by live TV streaming platform fuboTV (NYSE: FUBO) in September 2019, Fubo Sports Network airs live sports, award-winning original programming such as No Chill with Gilbert Arenas and Getcha Popcorn Ready with T.O. and Hatch and partner content from Lights Out Xtreme Fighting, Stadium, USA TODAY, Flex Fight, World Poker Tour, and BeIN Sports Xtra, among others. Stream for free on LG Channels, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Vizio Channels, Sports on Tubi, Plex, Hisense Smart TVs, and XUMO or as part of fuboTV’s subscription packages of 100+ sports, news and entertainment channels.
