The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has announced a stacked lineup for its 2025 middleweight World Tournament, featuring a mix of seasoned veterans and rising contenders.
Eight fighters will compete for supremacy in the 185-pound division, all vying for the $500,000 prize money in a new format that will be replacing the promotion's usual season and playoff structure.
The tournament includes several notable names, headlined by former Bellator middleweight title challengers Fabian Edwards and Aaron Jeffery, both of whom bring high-level experience to the competition.
Adding intrigue, Impa Kasanganay, the 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion, will drop down a weight class to compete at 185 pounds. Former Bellator middleweight contenders Dalton Rosta and Mike Shipman will also be in the mix, alongside former ONE Championship standout Murad Ramazanov.
Rounding out the field are Josh Silveira, the 2023 PFL light heavyweight runner-up, and Sadibou Sy, the 2022 welterweight champion.
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Two additional fighters, Jordan Newman and Khalid Murtazaliev, have been named tournament alternates and are prepared to step in if needed.
The tournament will kick off with the quarterfinals on April 18, taking place at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando. Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN and ESPN+. Official matchups have yet to be announced.
This marks the PFL’s return to a bracketed middleweight tournament, a format last used in its inaugural 2018 season. The division was temporarily removed in 2019 to make room for the women’s lightweight division, which gained prominence with the rise of Kayla Harrison.
Now, with a deep talent pool and a return to its roots, the middleweight World Tournament promises to deliver some intriguing matchups.