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2018 FIGHTER ROSTERM AY | 2 0 1 8
FEATHERWEIGHT145lbs
3
ALEXANDRE ALMEIDA
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION18-7-0
NICKNAME: “CAPITÃO”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’11” | 71”
FIGHTING OUT OF: MANAUS, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: XTREME COUTURE
AGE | BORN: 29 | 08/21/1988
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Started MMA career fighting for Brazilian regional promotions, most notably for Jungle Fights
˗ Defeated Rafael Miranda to capture the Jungle Fights Featherweight title at Jungle Fight 62
˗ Made his WSOF debut at WSOF24 by defeating fellow Brazilian Saul Almeida via submission
˗ Went 1-1 against perennial title contender Lance Palmer for the WSOF Featherweight belt
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Began fighting professionally at age 18
˗ Was selected to appear on TUF Brazil Season 4 before pre-fight medical exams kept him out
˗ Cleared to compete once updated tests proved his records were mixed up with someone else
4
ANDRE HARRISON
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION17-0-0
NICKNAME: “THE BULL”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | 69”
FIGHTING OUT OF: LONG ISLAND, NY
ASSOCIATION: BELLMORE KICKBOXING MMA
AGE | BORN: 29 | 05/16/1988
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Went 7-0 under the Ring of Combat banner earning the Featherweight title via 1st round TKO˗ Former Titan FC Featherweight Champion who defended his belt 4-times˗ Won the WSOF Featherweight title in his 2nd appearance defeating Lance Palmer at WSOF35˗ Considered one of the top non-UFC Featherweight prospects in the world˗ Notable wins: Lance Palmer, Alexandre Bezerra, Cody Bollinger, Desmond Green and Steven Siler
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Was an All-American wrestler at Nassau Community College & Fort Hays State University˗ Although currently living in New York, Harrison is originally from Trinidad & Tobago˗ Everlast has created a custom gloves for Harrison˗ His MMA idol is Anderson Silva
5
BEKBULAT MAGOMEDOV
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION19-1-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: SPARTA MOSCOW & ATT
AGE | BORN: 27 | 11/05/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
˗ Defeated current UFC Featherweight and top Chinese fighter Guan Wang in RUFF 11
˗ Was signed to the World Series of Fighting riding a 16-fight win streak
˗ Made WSOF debut against Josh Hill and was dealt his only loss via split decision
˗ Awarded the vacant WSOF Bantamweight title by defeating Donavon Frelow at WSOF35
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ If he wins the $1 million prize, he plans to buy an apartment in Moscow for him and his brother
˗ Being able to take care of his parents is what inspires him to fight
˗ Freestyle wrestling is his favorite non-combat sport
˗ Muhammad Ali is his favorite athlete
6
JUMABIEKE TUERXUN
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION20-5-1
NICKNAME: “SNOW LEOPARD”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SANDA / WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’6” | 67”
FIGHTING OUT OF: XI’AN, CHINA
ASSOCIATION: EXTREME SANDA
AGE | BORN: 31 | 04/17/1986
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for several notable promotions including UFC and Kunlun
˗ Former Legend FC Bantamweight Champion and WBK Featherweight Champion
˗ TUF 19 Finale Performance of the Night winner
˗ Notable wins: Paata Robakidze and Yoshiki Nakahara
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ He is an ethnic Kazakh, born and raised in Western China (Xinjiang Province)
˗ Juma competes in a Central Asian traditional sport of wrestling on top of horses when not fighting
˗ Started training to become a pro soccer player, but then realized he had a calling from MMA
˗ Nicknamed after the mystic snow leopard, a sacred animal found in the mountains of Xinjiang
˗ Would put part of the $1 million towards educating kids from his village
7
LANCE PALMER
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION12-3-0
NICKNAME: “THE PARTY”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’6” | 69”
FIGHTING OUT OF: SACRAMENTO, CA
ASSOCIATION: TEAM ALPHA MALE
AGE | BORN: 30 | 02/07/1988
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Defeated veteran Steven Siler at PFL Fight Night via Unanimous Decision
˗ Was the 3rd fighter to become WSOF Featherweight Champion and 1st to successfully defend the title
˗ Won his 2nd Featherweight title via majority decision against Alexandre Almeida at WSOF32
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ 4-time OHSAA State Wrestling Champion (150-6) with a Senior National Championship
˗ His high school wrestling career was documented in the movie "Pinned"
˗ 4-time All-American, Big Ten Champion and NCAA runner-up wrestling for Ohio State
˗ Wife Jessica Schiefer is a Pro Bikini competitor for the International Federation of Body Builders
˗ Working towards becoming a fireman and hopes to start career once his fighting days are over
8
LEE COVILLE
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION4-1-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: MUAY THAI
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND
ASSOCIATION: XTREME COUTURE
AGE | BORN: 40 | 09/12/1977
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ 4-time Thai Boxing World Champion
˗ Has never been to a decision in a fight and has never been knocked out
˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Rumble of the Rock and Cage Warriors
˗ Has had 86 Pro Muay Thai fights winning 70 of them and 4 World Titles (43 by knockout)
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Worked security for bars and clubs in England before going pro
˗ Avid Tottenham Hotspur FC fan
˗ Will buy a nice house and a big Rolex if he wins the $1 million championship prize
9
MAGOMED IDRISOV
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION8-2-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: DAGESTAN, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: GORETS MMA
AGE | BORN: 29 | 03/05/1989
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions ONE Championship and M-1
˗ Knocked out former M-1 Lightweight Champion Alexander Butenko in his 2013 MMA debut
˗ European and National Champion in Ushu Sanda
˗ Notable wins: Herbert Burns, Ivan Buchinger and PFL’s very own Max Coga
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Went to college to become a teacher
˗ Follows soccer closely, especially the English Premier League
˗ If he wins the $1 million prize, he will buy a nice house in Dagestan for his wife and kids
10
NICKNAME: “LORO”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | 65”
FIGHTING OUT OF: MANAUS, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: LONG ISLAND MMA
AGE | BORN: 35 | 06/23/1982
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
MARCOS GALVÃO
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION18-9-1
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Former Bellator Bantamweight Champion and Bellator Season Six Tournament winner
˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Shooto, WEC, Jungle Fight and Bellator
˗ Ranked as high as #2 bantamweight fighter in the world according to Sherdog
˗ Notable wins: Joe Warren, Luis Nogueira and Ed West
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Featured in the sports biopic “Stronger Than the World” done on Jose Aldo, former UFC Champion
˗ First job was teaching BJJ to underprivileged youth in Manaus to get them out of the street life
˗ After having his savings stolen from his house, Loro raised over $25k in 5 days using GoFundMe
˗ His nickname "Loro" means "blonde" in Portuguese because he often dyes his hair this color
11
MAX COGA
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION19-4-0
NICKNAME: “MAD MAX”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JUDO
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | 72”
FIGHTING OUT OF: FRANKFURT, GERMANY
ASSOCIATION: TEAM MMA SPIRIT
AGE | BORN: 28 | 06/24/1989
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently on an 8-fight win streak, 4 via TKO and 3 by submission
˗ 4-time Superior FC Featherweight Champion
˗ Fought for major international promotions such as M-1 and Europa MMA
˗ Ranked as the #1 Featherweight in Western Europe by Tapology
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Studied economics and physical education while in college
˗ Max wants to buy his mom her dream car (Mercedes-AMG SLC 43) since he totaled her car as a teen
˗ His walkout song is the theme song for Mad Max Fury Road
12
NAZARENO MALEGARIE
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION28-4-0
NICKNAME: “EL TIGRE”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | 70”
FIGHTING OUT OF: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
ASSOCIATION: TEAM TAVARES
AGE | BORN: 31 | 05/16/1986
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, Bellator, Pancrase and Jungle Fight
˗ Has never been knocked out nor submitted
˗ 2-time BJJ World Champion and 2-time Argentine Judo Champion
˗ Notable BJJ win over 4-time BJJ World Champion Gilbert “Durinho” Burns
˗ Won Pancrase and SMASH Fight Featherweight Championship
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Moved from Argentina to Brazil at age 16 and began training with PFL Lightweight Thiago Tavares
˗ Prior to becoming a fighter, he was a waiter in Brazil and Argentina
˗ Avid soccer fan and loyal supporter of Argentine team, Independiente
˗ His idol is Diego Maradona
13
STEVEN SILER
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION29-17-0
NICKNAME: “SUPER”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING/ JUDO
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’10” | 69”
FIGHTING OUT OF: OGDEN, UT
ASSOCIATION: THE PIT ELEVATED FIGHT TEAM
AGE | BORN: 31 | 02/15/1987
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ After his time on TUF 14, Siler had a successful 9-fight stint in the UFC
˗ Post-UFC, went on a 5-0 run before falling to future WSOF Champion Andre Harrison at Titan FC 37
˗ Of his 29 wins, 15 have come via submissions and 6 from KOs
˗ Notable Wins: Josh Clopton, Cole Miller, Joey Gambino, Kurt Holobaugh and Mike Brown
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Has a part-time job doing credit repair from home
˗ Loves to fight and says he’d punch his best friend in the face if you paid him enough money
˗ Originally got into MMA so he could be on a local TV show
14
TIMUR VALIEV
2018 FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION12-2-0
NICKNAME: “THE LUCKY”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 145 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’6” | 68”
FIGHTING OUT OF: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: RICARDO ALMEIDA ACADEMY
AGE | BORN: 28 | 01/19/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ 3-time Russian style Unifight Champion and European Pankration Champion
˗ Dagestan and New Jersey Grappling Champion
˗ After losing in his MMA debut, went on 10-fight win streak including his first 4 with the WSOF
˗ Fought in WSOF28 co-main event against Chris Gutierrez and was dealt his 2nd loss via split decision
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Competed in soccer throughout high school
˗ At the age of 19 began to train in mixed martial arts with the Dag-fighter team
˗ Left Dagestan to train in New Mexico with the famed Jackson Wink MMA team
˗ Valiev has been a sparring partner to friend and UFC Champion Frankie Edgar
LIGHTWEIGHT155lbs
16
BRIAN FOSTER
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION27-10-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: KICKBOXING
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’9” | 71”
FIGHTING OUT OF: GRANITE CITY, IL
ASSOCIATION: FAMILY COMBAT MMA/ FACTORY X
AGE | BORN: 34 | 04/03/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Foster owns 13 submissions and 13 KOs in his 27 career wins
˗ Fought 3 times in a single night to win the Lightweight Tournament at the historic WSOF25 event
˗ Awarded UFC Fight of the Night vs. Rick Story and UFC Knockout of the Night vs. Forrest Petz
˗ Notable wins: Joao Zeferino, Matt Brown and Luiz Firmino
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Began his professional MMA career in 2006, after his brother died, using MMA to cope
˗ Carries a photo of his brother with him to every fight
˗ Underwent successful brain surgery to correct a brain hemorrhage that sidelined him
˗ Has four kids: Alex, Breanna, Ashton and Austin
˗ Walk out song is Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd
17
CHRIS WADE
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION12-3-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’10” | 70”
FIGHTING OUT OF: ISLIP, NY
ASSOCIATION: LONG ISLAND MMA
AGE | BORN: 30 | 09/30/1987
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, WSOF and Ring of Combat
˗ Suffolk County Wrestling Champion and New York State High School Wrestling Champion
˗ Former Ring of Combat Lightweight Champion
˗ Undefeated amateur kickboxing and MMA career
˗ Notable wins: Mehdi Baghdad and Frankie Perez
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Competed in amateur kickboxing where he was undefeated and held titles
˗ Was a standout wrestler for SUNY Oneonta
˗ Worked for a Budweiser distributor in Long Island before transitioning into fighting full time
18
ISLAM MAMEDOV
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION14-1-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 73”
FIGHTING OUT OF: JERSEY CITY, NJ
ASSOCIATION: CHAMPION DERBENT
AGE | BORN: 28 | 02/10/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently on a 12-fight win streak including 6 by submission and 3 via TKO
˗ He returned at WSOF23, earning another first-round TKO over Jimmy Spicuzza
˗ Was on the cusp of a world title shot at WSOF25 after defeating Jorge Patino
˗ Suffered a torn ACL that kept him out of the final rounds of the one-night lightweight tournament
˗ 7 of his 8 submission wins have come by armbar
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ He was about to quit MMA before he signed with WSOF in 2015
˗ Loves to play video games when not training and his favorite game is Battleground
˗ Claims he can eat M&Ms all day long
19
JASON HIGH
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION21-6-0
NICKNAME: “HIGHWALKER”, “KANSAS CITY BANDIT”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’9” | 71”
FIGHTING OUT OF: KANSAS CITY, MO
ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 36 | 10/12/1981
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Competed in notable promotions such as UFC, Strikeforce, Titan FC, WSOF and currently PFL˗ Defeated Caros Fodor via Unanimous Decision at PFL’s inaugural event in Daytona˗ Defeated Mike Ricci at WSOF31 via KO at WSOF31 which made ESPN’s “Top Plays of the Day”˗ Earned a gold medal at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation World Championship in 2012˗ Notable wins: Andre Galvao, Jordan Mein, Hayato Sakurai, Mike Ricci and Caros Fodor
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ In an effort to ensure he gets the proper nutrients, High grows his own vegetables and other food˗ Walked on to the U. of Nebraska Lincoln wrestling team, eventually earning 3 varsity letters˗ Avid book reader who routinely seeks recommendations from his social media followers˗ Was an EMT and bartender prior to fighting
20
LUIZ FIRMINO
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION20-8-0
NICKNAME: “BUSCAPÉ”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’8” | 69”
FIGHTING OUT OF: COCONUT CREEK, FL
ASSOCIATION: JACKO HYBRID TRAINING CENTER
AGE | BORN: 36 | 3/18/1982
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Shooto, Pride Bushido, Dream and WSOF˗ Was ahead on the scorecards after 3 rounds against Justin Gaethje before the fight was stopped˗ He was a cast member for the Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians˗ Former CFA Lightweight Championship
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His nickname comes from a type of Brazilian firework that runs in all sorts of directions ˗ He earned the nickname by rushing towards his opponents and finishing them with little effort˗ A Brazilian cowboy in his spare time, Firmino enjoys riding horses in traditional Brazilian Vaquejada˗ Claims to have the biggest sweet tooth in all of MMA˗ Passionate skateboarder
21
NATAN SCHULTE
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION11-3-0
NICKNAME: “RUSSO”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JUDO
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’10” | 69”
FIGHTING OUT OF: COCONUT CREEK, FL
ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 26 | 2/20/1992
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for the first time outside of Brazil at WSOF35 where he had his 10-fight winning streak
˗ Fought in multiple amateur tournaments, including a Muay Thai tournament in Serbia
˗ Has fought for NFC (Nitrix Champion Fight), PEC (Paranagua Extreme Combate), XFCI and WSOF
˗ Notable wins: Henerson Duarte, Glaucio Elizario and Sergio Barbosa
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Was a bouncer at a club in his hometown of Joinville
˗ Started training Muay Thai as a kid so he would stop being bullied
˗ Big fan of The Walking Dead and anything that involves zombies
˗ Went to extracurricular art school as a kid as his parents thought he would be a sculptor
22
RAMSEY NIJEM
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION9-6-0
NICKNAME: “STRIPPER RAMSEY”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | 74”
FIGHTING OUT OF: OREM, UT
ASSOCIATION: THE PIT
AGE | BORN: 30 | 04/01/1988
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Went 5-5 during 4-year career with the UFC
˗ TUF 13 finalist where he fought former Lightweight interim Champion Tony Ferguson
˗ Was also a member of TUF: Redemption (25th season), competing on Team Dillashaw
˗ Notable wins: Beneil Dariush and Justin Edwards
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Was part of his high school’s soccer, cross country and wrestling teams
˗ Attended Utah Valley University as a collegiate wrestler
˗ Ramsey is a Palestinian American born in California and raised in Washington
23
RASHID MAGOMEDOV
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION20-2-0
NICKNAME: “HIGHLANDER”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’9” | 71”
FIGHTING OUT OF: DAGESTAN, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 33 | 5/14/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ His only two losses in MMA have come via decisions˗ Former M-1 Global Welterweight Champion˗ Russian Combat Sambo Federation: Dagestan Combat Sambo Runner Up˗ Russia Union of Martial Arts: Russian National Champion “Hand to Hand”˗ Russian Kickboxing Federation (RKF): 2006 Bronze Medalist- 70kg
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Engaged in various types of martial arts as a child including karate, boxing and kickboxing ˗ He won national competitions in each discipline˗ Served in the Russian military˗ His favorite post fight meal are hamburgers and his favorite non-combat sport is basketball
24
ROBERT WATLEY
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION10-1-0
NICKNAME: “CONTACT”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’9” | 75”
FIGHTING OUT OF: CHARLOTTE HALL, MD
ASSOCIATION: ROYAL MARTIAL ARTS
AGE | BORN: 28 | 08/23/1989
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently on a 10-fight win streak
˗ Former LFA Lightweight Champion (defending it 5-times)
˗ Has never been knocked out
˗ Had over 10 amateur bouts before transitioning to the professional level
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Watley’s nickname, Contact, comes from having trouble keeping his contacts in his eyes
˗ Prior to MMA, he was an oil change technician
˗ If not an MMA fighter, he would’ve loved to have grown to become a world class chef
25
THIAGO TAVARES
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION21-7-1
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’7” | 70”
FIGHTING OUT OF: FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: TEAM TAVARES
AGE | BORN: 33 | 11/08/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Won UFC awards for Fight of the Night (4x), Submission of the Night (1x), Performance of the Night (2x)
˗ MMAjunkie’s 2015 June Fight of the Month vs. Brian Ortega
˗ Held an undefeated record of 10-0 in his first 3 years in the sport before being signed by the UFC
˗ Notable wins: Clay Guida, Manny Gamburyan, Michihiro Omigawa, Sam Stout, and Justin Salas
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Began training Judo when he was only 5 years old and began his Jiu Jitsu training at age 9
˗ Ran as a Communist Party member for a state election in Brazil, which he lost
˗ Goes to med school while training MMA
˗ If crowned winner of the $1 million, he dreams of to transferring to an American university
26
WILL BROOKS
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION18-4-0
NICKNAME: “ILL WILL”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: FREESTYLE WRESTLING, KICKBOXING
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’10” | 72”
FIGHTING OUT OF: COCONUT CREEK, FL
ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 31 | 10/08/1986
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Won his UFC debut vs. Ross Pearson at TUF 23 Finale˗ Defeated Michael Chandler at Bellator 120 to become the Interim Lightweight Champion˗ Beat Chandler in a rematch at Bellator 131 to become undisputed Lightweight Champion ˗ Bellator Season 9 Lightweight Tournament Winner˗ Ranked as the #25 Best Lightweight Fighter in the world by Tapology
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Took up wrestling in high school but went on to play college football at Harper College˗ Became estranged from his parents as a youth in Chicago, but was taken in by a friend's family˗ Lost his adopted mother after a long battle with cancer, inspiring him to become an MMA star˗ Fights for his wife and 2-year old daughter
27
YUKI KAWANA
2018 LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION14-1-5
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JUDO
WEIGHT: 155 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’7” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: YOKOSUKA, JAPAN
ASSOCIATION: Y&K MMA ACADEMY
AGE | BORN: 28 | 02/04/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has been fighting with Shooto Japan for 10 bouts
˗ Only loss as a pro came at Shooto Mobstyles: Fight and Mosh against Koshi Matsumoto
˗ Currently riding a 4-fight win streak
˗ Knocked out Shingo Suzuki in 21 seconds with a punch
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Yuki enjoys reading comic books, fishing and driving in his spare time
˗ His favorite movie is gladiator and his favorite actor is Russell Crowe
˗ Traditionally eats a big plate of sushi after every fight
˗ Him and his wife are currently expecting their first child
WELTERWEIGHT170lbs
29
ABUBAKAR NURMAGOMEDOV
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION14-1-0
NICKNAME: “DAGESTANI GANGSTER”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO/ FREESTYLE WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’11” | 73”
FIGHTING OUT OF: DAGESTAN, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN KICKBOXING ACADEMY
AGE | BORN: 28 | 11/13/1989
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began his pro career with an 8-fight win streak and is currently on a 6-fight win streak
˗ Of his 14 wins, 7 came by way of knockout and 3 by submissions
˗ Notable wins: Matthew Frincu, Vladimir Gindzhu, Richard Totrav and Magomed Shakhbanov
˗ Was named to Bleacher Report’s Top 25 MMA Prospects for 2017
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ He has represented the KHK MMA Team of the Kingdom of Bahrain
˗ Combat Sambo World Championships bronze medalist and Russian National Combat Sambo Champion
˗ Abubakar is cousins with UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov
˗ Grew up being trained by the legendary Sambo/wrestling practitioner Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov
30
BOJAN VELICKOVIC
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION15-6-1
NICKNAME: “SERBIAN STEEL”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JUDO
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 76”
FIGHTING OUT OF: DENVER, CO
ASSOCIATION: ELEVATION FIGHT TEAM
AGE | BORN: 29 | 12/18/1988
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Gold medalist in amateur MMA before making his professional debut in 2010
˗ Former Resurrection Fighting Alliance (Welterweight) and Tesla FC (Middleweight) Champion
˗ Awarded UFC’s Performance of the Night after defeating Nico Musoke via KO
˗ Notable wins: Nico Musoke and Alessio Di Chirico
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Born and raised in Novi Sad, Serbia, Bojan moved to the USA to elevate his MMA training
˗ Holds a 14-2 record in Muay Thai
˗ Went to college for 3 years in Serbia, studying tourism and hotel management
˗ Grew up during the Bosnian-Serb conflicts, forcing him into a very rough childhood
31
HERMAN TERRADO
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION15-3-1
NICKNAME: “THE HITMAN” / “TITAN”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’9” | 69”
FIGHTING OUT OF: CHULA VISTA, CA
ASSOCIATION: GAMEBRED TRAINING CENTER
AGE | BORN: 28 | 9/27/1989
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Knocked out A.J. Matthews in the 1st round of his promotional debut with Strikeforce
˗ Scored 3 consecutive 1st round stoppages – 2 submissions and 1 TKO
˗ Defeated Joao Zeferino at PFL Daytona via split decision in his promotional debut
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Began body building at the age of 11
˗ Began his MMA journey on his home island of Guam where he was a standout high school wrestler
˗ First job was as a telemarketer
˗ His favorite post-fight meal is pizza and pasta
˗ Married to his wife Rosana and has 2 sons
32
JAKE SHIELDS
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION32-9-1
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: AMERICAN JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 72”
FIGHTING OUT OF: SAN FRANCISCO, CA
ASSOCIATION: CESAR GRACIE FIGHT TEAM
AGE | BORN: 39 | 01/19/1979
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ A former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and EliteXC Welterweight Champion˗ International Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Federation - 2007 Gracie Open Superfight Champion˗ Went on an impressive 15-fight win streak before falling to Georges St-Pierre˗ One of the best grapplers to step foot in MMA, Shields has won 12 fights via submission˗ Notable wins: Carlos Condit, Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler and Tyron Woodley
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His patented "American jiu-jitsu" is proven as one of the most effective grappling systems in MMA˗ Starred in and co-produced Fight Life, an award-winning documentary on the sport of MMA˗ Appeared in both print and video ads for PETA, touting his vegetarian lifestyle˗ Single father raising his 17 year-old daughter Maddie
33
JOÃO ZEFERINO
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION21-9-0
NICKNAME: “THE BRAZILIAN SAMURAI”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’9” | 69”
FIGHTING OUT OF: FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: RENZO GRACIE MMA ACADEMY
AGE | BORN: 28 | 9/27/1989
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ BJJ World Champion and champion on Brazilian regional stage all the way up to Middleweights
˗ Started his career at 1 -3 but then went 12-1 in his next 13 appearances, earning a call from the UFC
˗ Earned his way to the WSOF Lightweight Tournament Final before falling to Brian Foster
˗ All 15 of Zeferino's career submissions have come in the opening round
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Duke Roufus Kickboxing brown belt
˗ Zeferino practices Yoga in order to help his mobility in MMA
˗ Enjoys skiing in his downtime
˗ Plays country music while training and teaching his classes, claim his students don’t like him as a DJ
34
JONATAN WESTIN
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION10-2-0
NICKNAME: “THE BLIZZARD”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’11” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
ASSOCIATION: ALLSTARS TRAINING CENTER
AGE | BORN: 27 | 05/20/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Victory FC, Cage Warriors and Scandinavian Fight Nights
˗ Has never been submitted
˗ Currently on a 6-fight win streak
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Trains with UFC stars such as Alexander Gustafsson and Ilir Latifi
˗ Has a short movie produced about him and his journey to become a pro MMA fighter
˗ Nicknamed “Blizzard” due to the crazy combos he starts fights with to catch his opponent off guard
˗ Hobbies include cooking and baking for him and his family
˗ Will buy a summer house in the Swedish countryside for him and his wife if he wins the $1 million
35
MAGOMED MAGOMEDKERIMOV
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION18-5-0
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as ACB, Abu Dhabi Warriors, WSOF and Kunlun
˗ Defeated Bobby Cooper at WSOF33 in his most recent professional fight
˗ Riding a three-fight win streak, all with different promotions
˗ Notable wins: Bobby Cooper, Artem Shokalo and German Yakubov
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Trains at Eagles MMA in Makhachkala with fellow PFL Russian athletes
˗ Was with Khabib helping him prepare for UFC 223, where he went on to win the lightweight belt
NICKNAME: NA
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” |NA
FIGHTING OUT OF: DAGESTAN, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: CHAMPION / EAGLES MMA
AGE | BORN: 28 | 1/10/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
36
PAUL BRADLEY
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION23-8-0
NICKNAME: “THE GENTELMAN”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’9” | 72”
FIGHTING OUT OF: SAN DIEGO, CA
ASSOCIATION: ALLIANCE MMA
AGE | BORN: 34 | 6/13/1983
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Bradley has also fought in WSOF, Bellator MMA, UFC, Strikeforce, Shark Fights and King of the Cage ˗ He was a contestant on UFC’s TUF: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest˗ Recorded an 11-fight win streak to begin his MMA career˗ Scored a 40 second TKO against previously undefeated fighter Chris Honeycutt at Bellator 148˗ Notable wins: Chris Honeycutt, Keith Smetana, Anton Tomash, Kenneth Allen and Ted Worthington
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Competed in wrestling in high school where he was a State Champion˗ Wrestled for the University of Iowa and was a 2-time All-American˗ Has a degree in Health and Sports Studies from University of Iowa˗ After graduating, he coached wrestling at the University of Buffalo and Indiana University
37
PAVLO KUSCH
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION22-5-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 75.5”
FIGHTING OUT OF: KIEV, UKRAINE
ASSOCIATION: COMBAT DOBRO
AGE | BORN: 29 | 8/22/1988
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently riding a 9-fight win streak with his last loss coming back in 2013
˗ All of his victories have come from finishes with 19 of his 22 wins ending with submissions
˗ Kusch is ranked #1 of 234 active Ukraine Pro Welterweights by Tapology
˗ Kusch is ranked #4 of 665 active Europe Eastern Pro Welterweights by Tapology
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Wants to buy a yacht with $1 million if crowned winner of the Welterweight division
˗ Favorite non-combat sport is chess
˗ Avid supporter of Dinamo Kiev
˗ Loves any and all Tarantino movies
38
RAY COOPER III
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION13-5-0
NICKNAME: “BRADDAH BOY”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’7” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: WALANAE, HI
ASSOCIATION: 808 TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 25 | 02/07/1993
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Cooper is the #1 ranked Welterweight fighter in Hawaii according to Tapology
˗ Achieved a 100% finish rate with 8 KOs and 5 submissions
˗ Went on a 8-fight win streak while competing in US regional MMA organizations
˗ Notable wins: Charles Bennett, Gabe Rivas, Adrian Bartee and Dave Mazany
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His father was one of the first professional Hawaiian MMA fighters
˗ His dream fight is to battle PFL’s Jake Shields, who also fought his father
˗ Trained by his Uncle Kai and Uncle Ronald at 808 Top Team
˗ Has a wife named Kelly and three kids named Kalia, Kara and Raynald IV
39
RICK STORY
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION19-9-0
NICKNAME: “THE HORROR”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’10” | 71”
FIGHTING OUT OF: PORTLAND, OR
ASSOCIATION: GRACIE BARRA
AGE | BORN: 33 | 08/28/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ A veteran of the sport with 19 fights (12-7 record) during his 7-year UFC career
˗ Won Submission of the Night and Fight of the Night awards while with the UFC
˗ Former Elite Warriors Welterweight Champion
˗ Notable wins: Tarec Saffedine, Gunnar Nelson, Johny Hendricks, Thiago Alves and Brian Foster
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Played football and baseball as a kid, as well as track (pole vault) and of course, wrestling
˗ Runner-up in the 2006 NAIA National Championship while wrestling at Southern Oregon University
˗ Graduated with a Health Education major and a Military Science minor
˗ Took 19-months off from fighting post-UFC to focus his efforts on becoming a firefighter
40
YURI VILLEFORT
2018 WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION11-5-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU/MUAY THAI
WEIGHT: 170 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 73”
FIGHTING OUT OF: BRASILIA, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: JACKO HYBRID TRAINING CENTER
AGE | BORN: 27 | 3/23/1991
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began pro career 6-0 fighting for Florida-based promotions before signing with Strikeforce
˗ After a brief stint in UFC and a 1-year hiatus, he’s riding a 5-fight winning streak
˗ He has an extensive fighting background in Judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Muay Thai
˗ Was the youngest pro fighter on American Top Team at age 18
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Yuri’s older brother Danillo is currently a PFL fighter in the Middleweight division
˗ His father, BJJ black belt Francisco Silva, was a jiu-jitsu legend, reportedly winning 300 fights
˗ At the age of 3, Villefort’s Father enrolled him in his first Judo class and he began competing at 16
˗ Briefly ventured into soccer before moving to Rio de Janeiro to begin BJJ training at Brazilian Top Team
MIDDLEWEIGHT185lbs
42
ABUSUPIYAN MAGOMEDOV
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION18-3-0
NICKNAME: “ABUS”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’2” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: DUSSELDORF, GERMANY
ASSOCIATION: UFD GYM
AGE | BORN: 27 | 09/02/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Former Superior FC 18 Middleweight Champion
˗ Rarely goes the distance; 9 out of his 10 last wins came by way of knock out or submission
˗ Currently on a 6-fight win streak
˗ Never been knocked out
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Huge soccer fan and an avid supporter of Manchester United
˗ Has two sons at the ages of 5 and 6
˗ His favorite superhero is Spiderman and would love to live his life for a day
˗ Favorite music genre is Hip Hop and believes 50 Cent is the best rapper in the world
43
ANDERSON GONÇALVES
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION11-1-0
NICKNAME: “BIG BONES”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’5” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: JOINVILLE, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: ASTRA FIGHT TEAM
AGE | BORN: 31 | 02/20/1987
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Jungle Fight, Rebel FC and Aspera
˗ Currently on an 11-fight win streak
˗ Has never been knocked out
˗ Currently ranked #7 of 378 active Middleweights in Brazil according to Tapology
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Worked for a car and truck parts company in Brazil
˗ Served the Brazilian Army for many years
˗ His nickname comes from his extremely long limbs and skinny frame
44
ANDRÉ LOBATO
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION25-7-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’11” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: BELEM, BRASIL
ASSOCIATION: LOBATO TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 33 | 11/27/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Former Jungle Fight Middleweight Champion
˗ Was riding an 11-fight win streak before losing to Yushin Okami in Everett during his PFL debut
˗ Out of his 25 victories, 23 have come via KO or submission
˗ Has one of the highest yearly fight averages in the sport, competing around 4-times every year
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Graduated college with a degree in Physical Education
˗ Worked as a bodyguard before becoming a full time fighter
˗ Became an MMA fighter after his father's death as a way to support his fathers dream
˗ Began his training in BJJ in 1999 and became a professional mixed martial artist in 2009
45
BRUNO SANTOS
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION16-2-0
NICKNAME: “CARIOCA”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’9” | 72”
FIGHTING OUT OF: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: MMA MASTERS
AGE | BORN: 30 | 07/17/1987
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Santos opened his career with 13 consecutive wins fighting largely in his native country of Brazil
˗ Has has success when fights go the distance with 14 of his 16 wins coming via decisions
˗ Former WFE Middleweight Champion
˗ Notable wins: Vagab Vagabov and Chris Camozzi
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ He has 7 dogs and 3 birds
˗ His nickname, Carioca, is what they call people that come from the city of Rio de Janeiro
˗ He always wanted to be a soccer player
˗ Says that his inspiration has always been his mother
46
DANILLO VILLEFORT
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION15-5-0
NICKNAME: “INDIO”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | 76”
FIGHTING OUT OF: BRASILIA, BRASIL
ASSOCIATION: INDIO DOJO
AGE | BORN: 34 | 05/08/1983
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made professional MMA debut 13 years ago
˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as WEC, UFC and Strikeforce
˗ Won his first WSOF bout beating former Ultimate Fighter Contestant Kris McCray at WSOF2
˗ Has never been submitted in MMA competition
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Danillo’s younger brother Yuri is currently a PFL fighter in the Welterweight division
˗ His father, BJJ black belt Francisco Silva, was a jiu-jitsu legend, reportedly winning 300 fights
˗ Earned a bronze medal at the Judo Veterans World Championships in 2016
˗ Became Champion at the Judo U.S. Open in the Light Heavyweight division in 2017
47
EDDIE GORDON
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION8-4-0
NICKNAME: “TRUCK”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 77”
FIGHTING OUT OF: FREEPORT, NY
ASSOCIATION: SERRA-LONGO JIU JITSU
AGE | BORN: 34 | 07/22/1983
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Started MMA after running into old friend Chris Weidman, former UFC Middleweight Champion
˗ Was the Middleweight Tournament Winner of UFC’s TUF19 Finale via 1st round KO
˗ Former Ring of Combat Middleweight Champion
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica
˗ Attended Fordham University, graduating with a degree in Finance, Marketing and Communications
˗ He worked as a finance director and then a sales consultant before pursuing MMA
˗ Best Selling Author of "Forever TRUCKIN: Mastering the Will to Win”
˗ Works as a motivational speaker in his spare time
48
GASAN UMALATOV
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION17-4-2
NICKNAME: “COBRA”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: SAMBO
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’11” | 73”
FIGHTING OUT OF: ASTRAKHAN, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: EAGLES MMA
AGE | BORN: 35 | 11/3/1982
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, M-1 and Fight Nights
˗ While with UFC, won TUF Brazil 3 Finale by defeating Wernei Cardoso via decision
˗ World Champion in Uni fighting and Champion in Russian grappling and ushu sanda
˗ Notable wins: Gregor Herb and Paulo Thiago
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Used to be a member of the Russian Navy
˗ Graduated from two universities (Astrakhan State Technical University and Astrakhan State University)
˗ Graduated in both Law and Sports Science
˗ He is a devout Sunni Muslim
49
JOHN HOWARD
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION25-13-0
NICKNAME: “DOOMSDAY”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’7” | 72”
FIGHTING OUT OF: BOSTON, MA
ASSOCIATION: WAI KRU
AGE | BORN: 35 | 03/01/1983
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ UFC veteran with a 7-7 record during his 6-year career with the promotion˗ Earned a victory in WSOF debut by defeating Michael Arrant via decision˗ Former CES and Ring of Combat Middleweight Champion˗ Notable wins: Siyar Bahadurzada, Charlie Brenneman, Uriah Hall, Dennis Hallman and Cathal Pendred
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Born and raised by single mother in Dorchester, MA, one of the roughest neighborhoods in the state˗ Played football and basketball before learning the electrical trade after high school˗ His nickname "Doomsday" is from the infamous villain who killed Superman˗ Was diagnosed as having Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of 33˗ Diehard New England Patriots fan and enjoys playing video games in his downtime
50
LOUIS TAYLOR
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION14-4-0
NICKNAME: “HAND GUNS”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 5’11” | 74”
FIGHTING OUT OF: CHICAGO, IL
ASSOCIATION: CHICAGO FIGHT TEAM
AGE | BORN: 38 | 05/12/1979
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made his WSOF debut with a victory at WSOF29, taking just 29 seconds to choke out Cory Devela
˗ He brought a 6-fight win streak to the cage, featuring 6 stoppages, including 5 in the 1st round
˗ Was in the tryouts for TUF 13
˗ Notable wins: Joe Vedepo, Jason Louck, Brian Houston, Phil Hawes and Zach Conn
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Nickname addresses gun violence, “I want people to find a better way then killing to solve issues”
˗ Was a talented wrestler at Eastern Illinois University before transitioning into MMA career
˗ Before fighting professionally, he was a wrestling coach and a stock person at a liquor store
˗ Listens to Lauren Hill, Bruno Mars and Boys to Men during workouts to keep it “soft and relaxed”
51
REX HARRIS
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION10-3-0
NICKNAME: “T-REX”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: GRAPPLING
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 74.5”
FIGHTING OUT OF: WEST PITTSTON, PA
ASSOCIATION: WORLD CLASS BOXING
AGE | BORN: 35 | 12/21/1982
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made his WSOF debut with a victory at WSOF24, defeating Justin Torrey via decision
˗ Had 6-fight win streak before his lost to Bruno Santos at PFL Everett via unanimous decision
˗ 7 of Harris’ 10 career wins have come by way of stoppage, including 4 by knockout
˗ Former GOTC Middleweight ChampION
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Featured on a 2012 cover of the "Weekender" magazine
˗ Talented Division III Wrestler with 56-10 Record
˗ Has been wrestling since the 4th grade with between 300-400 wrestling matches under his belt
52
SADIBOU SY
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION6-2-0
NICKNAME: “SADI”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: MUAY THAI
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: N/A | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
ASSOCIATION: WASA KICKBOXING
AGE | BORN: 31 | 11/27/1986
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for promotions such as Scandinavian Fight Nights, IRFA and Superior Challenge
˗ Finished his last 2 fights by 1st round knockout, including the 2016 Knockout of the Year
˗ Has a heavy background in Muay Thai, having competed professionally for many years
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Started working at the age of 12 to support his family
˗ When not training for fights, Sadi teaches MMA classes as well as personal trainer sessions
˗ Worked with a specialist to develop a pair of lenses that allow his vision to be between 80-100%
˗ Only had 20% of his vision during all of his fights except the last one
˗ If not a fighter, Sadi would have pursued a career as an actor
53
SHAMIL GAMZATOV
2018 MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION11-0-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: COMBAT SAMBO/ KICKBOXING
WEIGHT: 185 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’2” | 75.5”
FIGHTING OUT OF: DAGESTAN, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: TATAEM TEAM
AGE | BORN: 27 | 08/09/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Gamzatov is ranked #21 of 300 active Russia Pro Light Heavyweights by Tapology
˗ 10 of his 11 victories have come via finishes, 5 KO/TKOs and 5 submissions
˗ Defeated Teddy Holder via 1st round KO at WSOF27
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Born in the city of Kizlyar in a Muslim family of Avar origin
˗ Was a Dagestani amateur kickboxing and grappling champion
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT205lbs
55
BOZIGIT ATAEV
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION17-1-0
NICKNAME: “VOLK”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: KICKBOXING
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: TULA, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: RUSSIAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 39 | 12/03/1979
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
˗ A known finisher with 15 in the 1st round, and only 1 of 17 wins coming by way of decision
˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as Pride, Shooto, K-1 and Kunlun
˗ Opponent Alistair Overeem describes their Pride 24 fight as the most important win one of his career
˗ Notable wins: Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Roman Zentsov and Aaron Brink
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Born Russian and of Kumyk ethnicity
˗ Represented Russia in RINGS
˗ Gold medalist in the 2013 World Wushu Championships
56
BRANDON HALSEY
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION10-3-0
NICKNAME: “BULL”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JUDO
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 72”
FIGHTING OUT OF: LONG BEACH, CA
ASSOCIATION: Body shop
AGE | BORN: 31 | 09/16/1986
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Won his 2nd professional fight against UFC veteran Shonie Carter via unanimous decision
˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, Bellator and M-1
˗ Former Bellator Middleweight Champion and Bellator Season 10 Middleweight Tournament winner
˗ Notable wins: Alexander Shlemenko and Kendall Grove
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Holds his high school’s best wrestling record in history (150-16 / 80 pins) and was State Champion
˗ Played football in high school and earned First Team All-San Diego County honors as a linebacker
˗ Wrestled collegiately at California State University, Bakersfield
˗ Finished 7th at the NCAA D-1 National Championships and earned All-American honors
57
DAN SPOHN
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION16-5-0
NICKNAME: “DRAGON”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’4” | 77”
FIGHTING OUT OF: COLUMBUS, OH
ASSOCIATION: RONIN TRAINING CENTER
AGE | BORN: 33 | 10/12/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Won titles in 3 different regional MMA promotions˗ Owns one of the fastest knockouts in Bellator history with a flying knee KO in just 9 seconds˗ Earned a spot on UFC’s TUF Season 19 following regional fight success˗ Captured the CFFC Light Heavyweight title by knocking out Azunna Anyanwu in 2015˗ Defeated former WSOF fighter Angel DeAnda on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Holds a 3rd degree black belt in Kachido Aikijitsu, studying for 17 years under Sensei Tim McConahay˗ Enjoys to draw in his spare time˗ Received his nickname by his sensei and mentor as a symbol of his well-rounded skill set˗ Wife is a 3rd degree brown belt
58
JAMIE ABDALLAH
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION8-2-0
NICKNAME: “THE REAL DEAL”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | 75”
FIGHTING OUT OF: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
ASSOCIATION: XFC AUSTRALIAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 27 | 10/26/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Turned pro in 2011 and went on a 7-0 run to begin MMA career
˗ Captured the vacant Australian FC Light Heavyweight belt with a 35 second KO of Daniel Almeida
˗ Defended the title once before dropping the belt to eventual UFC fighter Rob Wilkinson
˗ Notable wins: Daniel Almeida and Randall Rayment
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Recently cast in season 1 of an Australian television series, Romper Stomper
˗ Has ambitions to expand acting career beyond season 1 of the TV series
˗ Enjoys fried chicken and french fries as a cheat meal
˗ Has been sponsored by Mama’s BBQ Chicken & Salad Bar in Victoria, Australia
59
JASON BUTCHER
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION11-2-0
NICKNAME: “BUTCHER”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’3” | 74”
FIGHTING OUT OF: HUNTINGTON, WV
ASSOCIATION: GROUND ZERO HUNTINGTON
AGE | BORN: 33 | 10/23/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began MMA career 7-0 fighting in Spartan FC and Bellator
˗ Current King of the Cage Light Heavyweight Champion
˗ Made his debut at Bellator 71 against Duane Bastress, winning via submission early in the 1st round
˗ Notable wins: Jesse Murray, Giva Santana and William Hill
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Lives off the grid in his van in West Virginia and likes to blend chicken breast to drink as a meal
˗ Describes his personal style as “barbaric”
˗ His favorite superhero is Master Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
˗ Claims that mixed martial arts saved his life
60
MAXIM GRISHIN
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION26-7-0
NICKNAME: “MAXIMUS”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: KICKBOXING
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’3” | 76”
FIGHTING OUT OF: TAMBOV OBLAST, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: AKHMAT FIGHT CLUB
AGE | BORN: 33 | 05/02/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began his pro MMA career in 2008, competing for M-1 Global in just his 3rd professional bout˗ Defeated former Bellator Heavyweight Champion and current UFC top contender Alexander Volkov˗ Went on a dominating 12-0 run in MMA from 2012 to 2016˗ Grishin is Tapology’s #2 ranked Light Heavyweight in Russia˗ Notable wins: Alexander Volkov, Joachim Christensen and Trevor Prangley
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Defeated MMA veteran Ramon Thierry Sokoudjou in a kickboxing bout in 2013
˗ Utilizes Omegawave system in fight camp to ensure he’s reaching ideal levels in training sessions
˗ Has had time training with MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko
61
RAKIM CLEVELAND
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION18-9-1
NICKNAME: “THE BOOGEYMAN”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’3” | 77”
FIGHTING OUT OF: COCONUT CREEK, FL
ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 28 | 04/25/1989
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has fought professionally for VFC, Primus FC, and Titan FC
˗ Amateur: 5-time Heavyweight Champion, Top 5 Heavyweight in the Midwest
˗ Notable wins: Houston Alexander, Calley Kruger, and BJ Lacey
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Was hit by a drunk driver at the age of 6 and broke many bones in his leg
˗ His fans created the Boogeyman persona because he was “scaring” all of his opponents away
˗ Played college football at Grandview University in Des Moines, IA
62
RASHID YUSUPOV
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION9-1-0
NICKNAME: N/A
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: DAGESTAN, RUSSIA
ASSOCIATION: GORETS MMA
AGE | BORN: 25 | 05/15/1992
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Only loss in MMA was due to an injury situation
˗ Defeated MMA veteran Viktor Nemkov to capture the M-1 Global Light Heavyweight title
˗ Defended the M-1 belt in resounding fashion against Stephan Puetz and recently had a 1st round KO
˗ Notable wins: Charles Andrade, Martin Zawada, Viktor Nemkov, and Stephan Puetz
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Feels as though he’s only reached 50% of his potential thus far in his career
˗ Former amateur MMA Champion in Dagestan
˗ Studying English to help his MMA career in America
63
RONNY MARKES
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION18-5-0
NICKNAME: “BEBEZÃO”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | 75”
FIGHTING OUT OF: LAS VEGAS, NV
ASSOCIATION: XTREME COUTURE
AGE | BORN: 29 | 04/21/1988
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has fought at Middleweight, Light Heavyweight and Super Heavyweight
˗ Fought for promotions such as M-1, WSOF, UFC, Shooto, King of the Cage and PFL
˗ Former King of the Cage Super Heavyweight Champion
˗ Notable wins: Smealinho Rama, Paulo Filho and Aaron Simpson
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Used to sell mixed drinks at the beach at the beginning of his fighting career
˗ His main goal is to win the $1 million prize and pay for his daughter’s dream to become a doctor
˗ Self-proclaimed all-time great Natal (his hometown in Brazil) Futvolley player
˗ His nickname means Big Baby, as he was over 200 pounds at 17 years of age
64
SEAN O’CONNELL
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION17-9-0
NICKNAME: “THE REAL OC”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: KICKBOXING
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | 74”
FIGHTING OUT OF: SALT LAKE CITY. UT
ASSOCIATION: JEREMY HORN’S ELITE PERFORMANCE
AGE | BORN: 34 | 09/02/1983
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ He won his first two fights by KO in 36 & 37 seconds, and his third fight by TKO in 84 seconds
˗ Went 2-5 in his UFC career but did earn three post-fight bonuses
˗ Notable wins: Trevor Carlson, Marvin Eastman, Matt van Buren and Anthony Perosh
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Wrestled in high school and played collegiate football as a walk-on at the University of Utah
˗ Graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in psychology
˗ Host of MMA Tonight on Sirius XM radio
˗ Well known radio personality that routinely provides hilarious moments during weigh-ins
65
SMEALINHO RAMA
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION10-3-0
NICKNAME: “THE PRINCE”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | 76”
FIGHTING OUT OF: ALBERTA, CANADA
ASSOCIATION: RENZO GRACIE ACADEMY
AGE | BORN: 25 | 04/30/1992
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made WSOF debut at WSOF14, ending the unbeaten record of former Olympic wrestler Steve Mocco
˗ Earned 1st round TKO win over 5-time UFC veteran Tim Hague
˗ Crowned inaugural WSOF Heavyweight Champion, with 51 second TKO victory over Derrick Mehmen
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Was born in Greece (to a Greek mother and Albanian father) but moved to Canada as a teenager
˗ Inspiration for MMA came from watching Anderson Silva vs. Chris Leben
˗ Father was a professional soccer player in Albania
˗ Former Canadian 108kg National Wrestling Champion
66
VINNY MAGALHÃES
2018 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION14-9-0
NICKNAME: “VINNY”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 205 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’3” | 75”
FIGHTING OUT OF: LAS VEGAS, NV
ASSOCIATION: XTREME COUTURE
AGE | BORN: 33 | 07/02/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as UFC, M-1, Titan FC and ACB
˗ He was a cast member for TUF: American Top Team vs Blackzilians
˗ Former M-1 and Titan FC Light Heavyweight Champion as well as TUF Runner Up
˗ Grappling record of 31-18, including wins over former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Fabricio Werdum
˗ Notable wins: Jake Heun, Matt Hamill and Viktor Nemkov
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His nickname, Vinny is short for his actual name, Vinicius
˗ He is brothers with famous Brazilian celebrity singer, Sidney Magal
˗ Vinny was (and still is) a BJJ instructor prior to competing in MMA
˗ Will use the 1 million dollars to pay for his kids college tuition
HEAVYWEIGHT265lbs
ALEX NICHOLSON
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION11-5-0
NICKNAME: “THE SPARTAN”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’4” | 78”
FIGHTING OUT OF: APOPKA, FL
ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM ORLANDO
AGE | BORN: 27 | 02/05/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has competed as a Middleweight, Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight
˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as LFA and UFC
˗ 10 out of his 11 wins came in the 1st round
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Recently had his first son, Odin
˗ Married to Hannah Goldy, an MMA fighter herself
˗ Proposed to his wife right before weighing in for his UFC debut
69
CAIO ALENCAR
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION11-2-0
NICKNAME: “CAIÃO”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’4” | 80”
FIGHTING OUT OF: NATAL, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: KIMURA / NOVA UNIÃO
AGE | BORN: 39 | 12/02/1978
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Former Shooto Heavyweight Champion and Finalist in Jungle Fights Heavyweight tournament
˗ Defeated former UFC contender Jared Rosholt via 1st round TKO at WSOF NYC
˗ Has stoppage wins in all but 1 of his MMA victories
˗ Ranked as the #2 Heavyweight in Brazil by Tapology
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Became a MMA manager during off time, starting Bitetti Combat with Amaury Bitetti
˗ Attended law school but decided to pursue other opportunities in the US
˗ Moved from Brazil to Oregon in order to train with Chael Sonnen & Fabiano Scherner
70
DANIEL GALLEMORE
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION7-4-0
NICKNAME: “BIG KANSAS”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’5” | 77”
FIGHTING OUT OF: EMPORIA, KS
ASSOCIATION: ELEVATION FIGHT TEAM
AGE | BORN: 32 | 06/14/1985
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Gallemore compiled an amateur record of 12-3 before turning pro in 2011
˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as Victory FC, Bellator and Titan FC
˗ Former Victory FC Heavyweight Champion
˗ All 7 professional MMA wins have come via knockout or submission
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Competed in wrestling and football while in high school
˗ Began training MMA after graduation simply to stay in shape
˗ Gallemore is an undefeated boxer, with a 4-0 record
71
FRANCIMAR BARROSO
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION19-7-0
NICKNAME: “BODÃO”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | 75”
FIGHTING OUT OF: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: TEAM BODÃO
AGE | BORN: 38 | 02/28/1980
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Signed with PFL after 9 bouts in the UFC over a 5-year span
˗ Former Shooto and WOCS Light Heavyweight Champion
˗ Finished a Desert FC fight in 5 seconds with a head kick against Abhijeet Petkar
˗ Notable UFC wins: Ednaldo Oliveira, Ryan Jimmo, Elvis Mutapcic and Darren Stewart
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ His nickname means “big goat” because in Brazil, the goat is seen as a crazy/unpredictable animal
˗ As 1 of the oldest of 8 siblings, he was responsible for taking care of the house and family
˗ Would have turned out to be a a cop or a member of the Brazilian army if MMA wasn’t an option
72
JACK MAY
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION9-3-0
NICKNAME: “THE OUTLAW”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’8” | 78”
FIGHTING OUT OF: CHINO HILLS, CA
ASSOCIATION: CSW
AGE | BORN: 36 | 04/14/1981
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for several top MMA promotions including UFC, Bellator, and Titan FC
˗ Started MMA career 7-0 with 6 KOs before losing to Derrick Lewis at UFC on FOX 11
˗ Has never loss by way of submission
˗ Defeated Dave Cryner via KO at Bellator 170 in his last professional fight
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Went to 4 different colleges on a full basketball scholarship before playing professionally overseas
˗ Led the country in technical fouls his Sophomore year, establishing himself as “The Outlaw”
˗ Worked as a nightclub bouncer and personal trainer before fighting professionally
˗ Started MMA training 5 years ago when he watched the UFC on TV and fell in love with the sport
73
JAKE HEUN
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION11-6-0
NICKNAME: “THE HONEY BEAR”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: KICKBOXING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’2” | 76”
FIGHTING OUT OF: Palmer, AK
ASSOCIATION: TIGER MUAY THAI
AGE | BORN: 30 | 08/24/1987
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Selected to appear on UFC’s TUF 17 and TUF 19˗ Made WSOF debut at WSOF11 and defeated Kendrick Miree via unanimous decision˗ Of his 11 wins, 8 have come via knockout or submission˗ Has competed in Muay Thai bouts in Thailand to hone his skills before returning to MMA˗ Notable wins: Kendrick Miree, Davin Clark, Clinton Williams and Mu Bae Choi
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Has trained and lived in Thailand for the past few years˗ One of the most active PFL fighters across social media˗ Previously trained at the world-renowned American Top Team˗ Was given the nickname “The Honey Bear” by former UFC contender, Chris Leben
74
JARED ROSHOLT
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION15-4-0
NICKNAME: “THE BIG SHOW”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’2” | 75”
FIGHTING OUT OF: ARLINGTON, TX
ASSOCIATION: TEAM TAKEDOWN
AGE | BORN: 31 | 08/04/1986
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for Titan FC in his 3rd professional fight and earned a victory via TKO
˗ Debuted in the UFC at TUF 18 Finale, defeating Walt Harris via unanimous decision
˗ Impressive 6-2 run during 2-years with UFC before making debut at WSOF34
˗ Notable wins: Soa Palelei, Josh Copeland, Timothy Johnson and Stefan Struve
BEYOND THE CAGE
˗ Won 4 state wrestling titles in high school and was a 3-time All-American at Oklahoma State
˗ His brother, Jake, was a 4-time All-American and 2-time National Champion with Oklahoma State
˗ Lunatic Fringe by Red Rider is his walkout song to help get him in a competitive state of mind
˗ Enjoys spending spare time outdoors fishing and hunting
75
JOSH COPELAND
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION16-4-0
NICKNAME: “CUDDLY BEAR”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: STRIKING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’1” | 75”
FIGHTING OUT OF: DENVER, CO
ASSOCIATION: ELEVATION FIGHT TEAM
AGE | BORN: 35 | 10/20/1982
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Began MMA career 9-0 while winning a regional MMA title along with the RFA heavyweight title˗ Following a brief stint in the UFC, Copeland went on to capture the Prize FC Heavyweight title˗ Made a successful WSOF debut at WSOF29, defeating Mike Hayes via unanimous decision˗ Defeated Mike Kyle at PFL Everett by unanimous decision˗ Notable wins: Jan Jorgenson, DJ Linderman and Mike Kyle
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Prior to getting into MMA, he attended Dallas Baptist University to study youth ministry˗ Loves to inspire others and gave one of his titles to a kid with cancer while visiting a local hospital˗ Trained at the same gym as former WSOF Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje˗ Best friends with Bellator’s Justin Wren, who routinely travels to the Congo for humanitarian work
76
KELVIN TILLER
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION8-1-0
NICKNAME: “THE MAMA’S BOY”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: BOXING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 77”
FIGHTING OUT OF: TOPEKA, KS
ASSOCIATION: UNITED MARTIAL SCIENCES
AGE | BORN: 27 | 06/26/1990
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Has fought for notable promotions such as WSOF and Bellator
˗ Rarely goes the distance, having won 7/8 of his bouts by submissionor KO
˗ Has never been KO’ed or submitted, only loss came by judges scorecards
˗ Tiller holds wins over PFL’s very own Dan Spohn at Bellator 56
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Growing up, Tiller was often involved in street fights. He started training boxing to let go of stress
˗ Tiller ran track while in High School and won the city championship on the 100-meter dash as a senior
˗ Had a son at age 18 and said that was the turning point in his life and his choices
77
PHILIPE LINS
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION10-3-0
NICKNAME: “MONSTRO”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: JIU JITSU
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’2” | 79”
FIGHTING OUT OF: NATAL, BRAZIL
ASSOCIATION: KIMURA/ NOVA UNIÃO/ AMERICAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 32 | 08/17/1985
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Fought for notable promotions such as Bellator and Bitteit Combat
˗ Made it to the semifinals of Bellator’s Light Heavyweight tournament in 2014
˗ 8 of his 10 wins came by knockout or submission
˗ After not fighting from 2006-2011, Lins entered the Bellator cage and finished the fight in 40 seconds
˗ Was ranked by Bloody Elbow as the second best Light Heavyweight prospect in 2012
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Is lifelong friends with fellow PFL fighters Ronny Markes and Caio Alencar
˗ He is married and has a daughter, the three of them live between Coconut creek, FL and Natal, Brazil
˗ When not training, he loves surfing and swimming
˗ Is known for creating a playlist with heavy metal, gospel and reggae to listen before fighting
78
SHAWN JORDAN
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION19-8-0
NICKNAME: “THE SAVAGE”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: WRESTLING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’0” | 75”
FIGHTING OUT OF: BATON ROUGE, LA
ASSOCIATION: AMERICAN TOP TEAM
AGE | BORN: 33 | 10/21/1984
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Made professional MMA debut at Bellator 9 with 30-second submission victory˗ Competed in every major US MMA promotion including UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce, and WSOF ˗ Went 6-4 with UFC where he was 2-time Performance of the Night and Knockout of the Night winner˗ Made WSOF debut at WSOF33 with a first-round TKO finish against Ashley Gooch˗ Knockout specialist with finishes in 95% of fights won
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Ranked as one of the top 10 fullback prospects coming out of high school˗ Former LSU football player and member of the 2003 & 2007 BCS National Championship teams˗ At LSU, Jordan set school records in the bench press (610lbs), power clean (440) & split jerk (440)
79
VALDRIN ISTREFI
2018 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION12-1-0
NICKNAME: “THE BEAST”
SPECIALTY/FOUNDATION: KICKBOXING
WEIGHT: 265 LBS.
HEIGHT | REACH: 6’3” | N/A
FIGHTING OUT OF: ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLAND
ASSOCIATION: PLANET EATER
AGE | BORN: 27 | 03/03/1991
2018 PFL PAY: N/A
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS˗ Currently on a 5-fight win streak while fighting for various international promotions
˗ Finished 10 fights via submission or KO
˗ Has never been knocked out nor submitted
˗ Ranked as the #2 Heavyweight in Western Europe by Tapology
BEYOND THE CAGE˗ Worked as a local bouncer before transitioning into MMA full time
˗ Avid basketball fan and used to play in high school before transitioning to kickboxing
˗ Would choose to fight Kristijan Golubović, notorious Serbian gangster (Albanian’s arch rivals)