PFL Washington DC has been dealt a major main event shake-up just days before fight night.
The promotion’s vacant welterweight title fight has been thrown into disarray after 2024 PFL tournament winner Shamil Musaev withdrew from his scheduled main event against undefeated 2025 tournament champion Thad Jean. The championship bout was set to headline PFL Washington DC on Saturday at CareFirst Arena.
According to a recent report from MMA Junkie, surging Cuban contender Ernesto Rodriguez is expected to step in as Musaev’s short-notice replacement, though the promotion has yet to make the change official.
The reason behind Musaev’s withdrawal remains unknown. Notably, the Russian had already arrived in Washington and participated in the event’s pre-fight faceoffs earlier this week.
The matchup was expected to crown a new welterweight champion after former titleholder Ramazan Kuramagomedov announced his retirement immediately following his victory over Musaev in February.
His decision left the belt vacant, setting up a showdown between the promotion’s last two welterweight tournament champions, with Jean claiming the 2025 crown and Musaev winning the 2024 tournament.
If the replacement is confirmed, Rodriguez will receive the biggest opportunity of his professional career. The Cuban standout owns an 11-1 record and enters the bout on a nine-fight winning streak, with victories across Tuff-N-Uff, LFA, A1 Combat, and the PFL. Rodriguez earned a majority decision over Masayuki Kikuiri in his promotional debut this past March and was originally scheduled to face Aaron McKenzie on the preliminary card before being elevated to the main event.
