The long wait to see 2023 PFL featherweight champion Jesus Pinedo back in action will continue after he failed to hit the featherweight limit on Thursday.
Pinedo broke through in a major way last year. A few years on from a 1-1 run in the UFC, the Peruvian standout signed to compete in the PFL's 145-pound season, where his campaign got off to a difficult start in defeat against Gabriel Braga.
But "El Mudo" mounted a quick resurgence, delivering one of the upsets of the year when he knocked out ex-champ Brendan Loughnane. After then stopping Bubba Jenkins to reach the featherweight final, Pinedo got his revenge on Braga to have gold wrapped around his waist.
Unfortunately, that was the last time we saw Pinedo inside the SmartCage. He was scheduled to figure in a prominent matchup on the PFL vs. Bellator lineup this past February opposite all-time great Patrício "Pitbull" Freire, but a back injury forced him out.
And after subsequently missing the chance to defend his crown in the 2024 featherweight season, Pinedo finally had his return set for this week's PFL World Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A day out from his return in a showcase clash against Jeremy Kennedy, however, disaster has struck. Pinedo was announced to have missed weight by a mammoth six pounds on Thursday, forcing his removal from the card.
MMA Fighting's Damon Martin first reported the news.
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With Pinedo out, his former two-time opponent Braga will fill in on short notice to face Kennedy on Friday's showcase card, which kicks off the lengthy lineup at 7:15 AM ET. Also competing before 10 title fights play out are the likes of Slim Trabelsi and Costello van Steenis.
The King Saud University will then play host to four inaugural PFL MENA championship matchups at 9:30 AM ET, before the global belts and $1 million in prize money are handed out to six names on the main card.