Stand-out Bellator names, regional champs and a former UFC fighter are among the grid for PFL’s first major bantamweight tournament.
Eight fighters were announced Friday for PFL’s upcoming single-elimination tournament at 135 pounds, the first in the weight class since launching a year-long season format in 2018.
The roster leans heavily on Bellator talent the PFL acquired in late 2023, with more than half of the grid consisting of fighters who previously fought in the organization. A few other additions to the lineup have different stories: One came up through PFL’s first-ever Middle East and North Africa (MENA) tournament, one is emerging from the Spanish regional scene, and another is getting the call after just recently exiting the UFC roster.
The full lineup for the upcoming tournament includes: Magomed Magomedov, Leandro Higo, Sarvarjon Khamidov, Ali Taleb, Jake Hadley, Kasum Kasumov, Ciaran Clarke, and Zebenzui Ruiz.
Here’s a breakdown of the full lineup:
Magomed Magomedov: Long-time Bellator contender who is coming back after losing a split decision to 135-pound champ Patchy Mix last year. With impressive wins over Danny Sabatello and Enrique Barzola, Magomedov is likely one of the favorites for this tournament. He’s no stranger to competing in a bracket, having previously participated in the 2022 Bellator Bantamweight Grand Prix.
Leandro Higo: Coming over to the PFL following a 10-fight Bellator run, previously meeting top names like Darrion Caldwell, Aaron Pico and Danny Sabatello. The former LFA champ is coming off a pair of wins, most recently defeating James Gallagher last March.
Sarvarjon Khamidov: This Tajikistan-based fighter boasts an impressive 16-fight undefeated record, with three past Bellator wins since 2022. After victories over names like now-UFC talent You Su-young and Marcirley Alves, Khamidov steps into his biggest career opportunity yet with the upcoming bracket.
Ali Taleb: A PFL fighter since 2022 who is receiving his first run as part of a tournament in the promotion’s main tour. After being eliminated from the 2023 PFL Europe bracket he appeared in the first-ever PFL MENA series, scoring a trio of victories—including a 95-second win over Rachid Haz in the finals—to claim bantamweight gold.
Jake Hadley: A former UFC fighter making the move over to the PFL following a seven-fight run in the top MMA promotion. The ex-Cage Warriors champ will be looking to turn around recent struggles, as he has lost three of his past four.
Ciaran Clarke: An Irish prospect who has spent his entire 10-fight pro career in Bellator, slowly gaining relevance by putting together impressive performances. He earned win #10 in September, getting past short-notice opponent Toumas Gronvall.
Kasum Kasumov: After building up a stellar 14-1 record on the regionals, Kasumov joined Bellator in 2023. He has beaten a pair of experienced names since his promotional debut two years back, defeating “The Ultimate Fighter” alum Josh Hill and Brazilian vet Matheus Mattos on scorecards.
Zebenzui Ruiz: Most of Ruiz’s 15 pro fights have taken place in the Spanish regional scene since his pro debut in 2014. He made his PFL debut back in 2022, winning a non-tournament fight against Raphael Uchegbu. After capturing regional gold in La Laguna, he comes back to PFL in hopes of earning his biggest achievement yet.
Knockdown News 