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ATT fighters will once again be showcased by PFL, including Raush Manfio and Josh Silveira

The Professional Fighters League is kicking off its 2023 MMA regular season with three solid shows in April in Las Vegas, and fighters from American Top Team in Coconut Creek will once again be an integral part of the PFL roster and shows.

In the light heavyweight division, last season’s semifinalist Josh Silveira (9-1) of Fort Lauderdale fights Sam Kei (8-6) of Australia in the first round of regular season action on the first show (PFL 1) of the 2023 season on Saturday. Silveira trains at ATT.

Here is my video interview with Silveira where he discusses the PFL MMA 2023 Season, Las Vegas, PFL 2022 Fights, American Top Tea,, Omari Akhmedov, the Mocco brothers and more.

2021 PFL Champ Raush Manfio (16-4) of Fort Lauderdale via Porto Alegre, Brazil, competes in the third show (PFL 3) on Friday, April 14, battling Alexander Martinez (10-3) from Canada via Paraguay. Manfio trains at ATT.

Here is my video interview with Manfio as he discusses his PFL title season in 2021, his drop off in 2022, his drive/hunger to fight back in 2023, training at ATT, guitar playing and more.

Two-time PFL Champ Kayla Harrison of ATT will not compete in the 2023 PFL regular season. PFL opted not to have her in the season, since she only has two PFL fights remaining on her contract. She will be part of the PFL pay-per-view series later in the year.

2021 PFL Champ Antonio Carlos Jr. of ATT was cast on the reality show “Big Brother Brazil 23.” He will miss the first round of regular season action this season. Last season, he reached the semifinals but could not compete because of injury. Silveira replaced him, battling ATT teammate Omari Akhmedov, who won by unanimous decision.

The first round of the PFL 2023 regular season is in April with three shows from Las Vegas, broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN DePortes and ESPN+.
The first round of the PFL 2023 regular season is in April with three shows from Las Vegas, broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN DePortes and ESPN+.

The PFL, the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, announced that its 2023 regular season will begin on Saturday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

The PFL regular season features a true sports-season format, where elite fighters from around the world compete in a regular season, playoffs and championship, with each winner of the six weight divisions receiving a $1 million prize.

PFL 1 is Saturday, April 1 on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ from Las Vegas.
PFL 1 is Saturday, April 1 on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ from Las Vegas.

The first of three consecutive regular-season events hosted at the venue will feature some of the world’s best featherweight and light heavyweight fighters, headlined by 2022 PFL world champions Brendan Loughnane and Rob Wilkinson facing off against Marlon Moraes and Thiago Santos, respectively.

The second event of the PFL Regular Season will occur on April 7 and showcase some of the world’s top heavyweight and women’s featherweight MMA fighters. Croatian Ante Delija, who rose to the top of the division last year to claim the PFL world championship, will fight Yorgan De Castro, and Larissa Pacheco, who defeated MMA superstar Kayla Harrison to claim the 2022 PFL World Championship, makes her season debut against Julia Budd.

The third event from The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on April 14 will feature the league’s world-class roster of Lightweight and Welterweight stars. The show’s main card will feature Olivier Aubin-Mercier, the 2022 PFL Lightweight World Champion, taking on Shane Burgos in his highly-anticipated PFL debut. In the co-main, last season’s Welterweight winner Sadibou Sy will face off in the SmartCage across from Jarrah Al-Silawi.

PFL 1 – April 1, 2023 (ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes)

Main: Brendan Loughnane vs. Marlon Moraes (FW)

Co-Main: Robert Wilkinson vs. Thiago Santos (LHW)

Also, Josh Silveira vs. Sam Kei (LHW)

PFL 2 – April 7, 2023 (ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes)

Main: Ante Delija vs. Yorgan De Castro (HW)

Co-Main: Larissa Pacheco vs. Julia Budd (WFW)

PFL 3 – April 14, 2023 (ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes)

Main: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Shane Burgos (LW)

Co-Main: Sadibou Sy vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi (WW)

Also, Raush Manfio vs. Alexander Martinez (LW)

Also, Dilano Taylor vs. Magomed Umalatov (WW)

“The Professional Fighters League is excited to return this April to Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world, to kick off the 2023 PFL Regular Season with a three-event residency at the rei-magined The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “The PFL’s extensive roster of world-class fighters will be on display for all US events live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+, along with international distribution to 160 countries globally for MMA fans around the world.”

PFL President of Fighter Operations Ray Sefo said: “With all six of last year’s PFL World Champions returning to the SmartCage, along with the league debuts of MMA stars Shane Burgos and Thiago Santos, fans across the world will see the best this sport has to offer when the 2023 PFL Regular Season kicks off from Last Vegas on April 1.”

PFL is the only MMA group with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in sports-season “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports. The PFL fighter roster is global and world-class, with fighters from more than 20 countries and 25-percent independently ranked in the top 25.

PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience. PFL is aired primetime live in the U.S. on ESPN and ESPN+ and in 140 countries via 25 leading broadcast and streaming partners, including DAZN, DirectTV, Viaplay, Sky Sports, and MBC. PFL has dozens of major brand sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, GEICO, Bose, US Marine Corps, and Celsius Energy Drink..

The company has four global live fight franchises: PFL League Season, PFL Challenger Series, PFL PPV Super Fights, and PFL Europe.

PFL is backed by blue-chip investors including Ares, Luxor Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Knighthead, Legends, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners.

MMA is the growth sport of this decade, with more than 600-million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demo of any sport, and true global revenue streams.

For more info and updates on PFL:

PFLmma.com; Instagram (@PFLmma); Twitter (@PFLMMA); Facebook (/PFLmma)

For tickets or more information on The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, visit virginhotelslv.com/venue/the-theater.

PFL 3 is Friday, April 14 on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ from Las Vegas.
PFL 3 is Friday, April 14 on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ from Las Vegas.

PFL 1

PFL’s 2023 Regular Season kickoff, PFL 1 on Saturday, April 1 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, is live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

2022 PFL Featherweight World Champion Brendan Loughnane headlines the card against Marlon Moraes, as he looks for his second PFL World Championship.

In the co-main event, 2022 PFL Light Heavyweight World Champion Robert Wilkinson returns to the PFL SmartCage against Thiago Santos. Santos will be making his highly anticipated PFL debut.

Further action will see 2021 PFL Featherweight Champion Movlid Khaybulaev take on Ryoji Kudo, as both fighters look to take their first step toward a berth in the 2023 PFL Playoffs.

In another Light Heavyweight battle, last season’s semifinalist and promising fighter Josh Silveira (9-1) of South Florida/American Top Team fights Sam Kei (8-6) of Australia.

PFL 4 at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Friday, June 17, 2022. (Cooper Neill / PFL) Cooper Neill/Courtesy PFL MMA
PFL 4 at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Friday, June 17, 2022. (Cooper Neill / PFL) Cooper Neill/Courtesy PFL MMA

In a contest between two Americans, 2022 PFL Featherweight Runner-Up, Bubba Jenkins matches up with Chris Wade, a former PFL Featherweight Finalist, for a rematch of the 2021 PFL Featherweight Semifinal.

“The Professional Fighters League is set to kick off the 2023 Regular Season at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on Saturday, April 1 with an action-packed card live on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S., with international distribution to 160 countries globally,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “We look forward to delivering fans access to our unprecedented MMA season and follow the season-long journeys of world-class fighters competing for one step closer to the $1 million prize.”

“The 2023 PFL Regular Season is shaping up for our best season yet, and I’m excited to watch our Featherweight and Light Heavyweight divisions compete on April 1,” said PFL President of Fighter Operations, Ray Sefo. “From returning PFL World Champions, to league debuts from MMA stars, fight fans across the world are in for a treat starting with PFL 1 in Las Vegas.”

The 2023 PFL Season will begin on April 1 on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ in primetime. The remaining PFL Regular Season events live from The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas will take place on Friday, April 7 and April 14.

PFL 1 Full Card

ESPN Card

Brendan Loughnane vs. Marlon Moraes

Robert Wilkinson vs. Thiago Santos

Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Ryoji Kudo

Chris Wade vs. Bubba Jenkins

Omari Akhmedov vs. Will Fleury

ESPN+ Card

Krzystof Jotko vs. TBA

Marthin Hamlet vs. Mohammed Fakhreddine

Joshua Silveria vs. Sam Kei

Alejandro Flores vs. Daniel Torres

Jo Sungbin vs. TBA

TBA Showcase vs. TBA Showcase

PFL 3

PFL 3 begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN2and ESPN+ (English and Spanish) with the action continuing at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

2022 PFL Lightweight World Champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier returns to the PFL SmartCage and will headline PFL 3 against Shane Burgos, who will make his highly anticipated PFL debut against the reigning division champion.

In the co-main event, 2022 PFL Welterweight World Champion Sadibou Sy is set to face off with Jordanian native, Jarrah Al-Silawi, for an intriguing matchup with both fighters seeking to take a step toward the PFL Playoffs.

Further action will see the return of two-time PFL Lightweight World Champion, Natan Schulte, who will take on 2022 PFL Lightweight runner-up Stevie Ray.

2021 PFL Lightweight Champion Raush Manfio of (South Florida) American Top Team will match up with two-time PFL Lightweight Semifinalist Alexander Martinez, with both fighters seeking to make a return to the PFL Playoffs.

PFL1 at the Esports Stadium Arlington in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (Cooper Neill / PFL) Cooper Neill/Courtesy PFL MMA
PFL1 at the Esports Stadium Arlington in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (Cooper Neill / PFL) Cooper Neill/Courtesy PFL MMA

“The Professional Fighters League is pleased to unveil the full card match-ups for the third 2023 Regular Season event at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on Friday, April 14 featuring our Lightweight and Welterweight divisions,” said PFL President of Fighter Operations Ray Sefo. “I am eager to watch our world class fighters leave it all on the line for MMA fans around the world and look forward to each of our three events coming to Las Vegas this April.”

PFL 3 Full Card

ESPN+ Card

Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Shane Burgos

Sadibou Sy vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi

Natan Schulte vs. Stevie Ray

Raush Manfio vs. Alexander Martinez

Shane Mitchell vs. TBA

Abdelaziz Abdulvakhabov vs. Ahmed Ami

ESPN2 Card (Simulcast on ESPN+)

Clay Collard vs. Yamato Nishikawa

Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Don Madge

Carlos Leal vs. David Zawada

Magomed Umalatov vs. Dilano Taylor

PFL 2023 on ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes

The 2023 PFL Season debuts April 1 with PFL 1 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) with the action continuing at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes, live from The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

PFL is the only in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year, making PFL a “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports.

Fighters on the PFL roster hail from more than 20 countries, and 25-percent of PFL fighters are independently ranked in the top 25 of their weight-class. The company leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience. PFL airs live in the U.S. on ESPN and ESPN+ and is broadcast and streamed to 140 countries with 25 leading international media partners.

The company has four global live fight franchises: PFL League Season, PFL Challenger Series, PFL PPV Super Fights, and PFL Europe.

PFL airs in the U.S on ESPN and ESPN+ and is broadcast and streamed to 140 countries with 25 international leading media partners, including DAZN, DirectTV, Viaplay, Sky Sports, and MBC. PFL has dozens of major brand sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, GEICO, Bose, US Marine Corps, and Celsius Energy Drink.

PFL is backed by blue-chip investors including Ares, Luxor Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Knighthead, Legends, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners.

MMA is the growth sport of this decade, with more than 600 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demo of any sport and true global revenue streams.

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