Paris Showdown: fighters battle for spots in PFL Europe playoffs
After action-packed events in England and Germany, it has reached the crunch stage in PFL Europe as fighters battle it out for a title shot and a potential $100,000 prize in this weekend’s playoffs at a sold out Zenith Paris La Villette in Paris, France.
Semi-final matchups will take place in the bantamweight, lightweight, light heavyweight and women’s flyweight divisions, with the winners booking their spot in the PFLChampionship finals in Dublin, Ireland in December where they could not only win the title, but also $100,000 in prize money.
It’s not just some top-quality semi-finals on the card this weekend though as it’s headlined by the eagerly anticipated PFL debut of kickboxing star Cedric Doumbe who will be hoping to give the home fans something to cheer about.
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Doumbe comes up against compatriot Jordan Zebo, with both fighters unbeaten from their previous 4 MMA bouts.
There is another Frenchman making his PFL debut on the card with exciting prospect Abdoul Abdouraguimov coming up against England’s Brad Wheeler.
The semi-final action kicks off in the light heavyweight division with another home hope in the shape of Anthony Salamone, who will look to get the better of Slovenia’s Jakob Nedoh.
Britain’s unbeaten Simeon Powell contests the other semi-final against the Spaniard, Daniel Ladero.
Another British hope will be hoping to book her spot in the final with Dakota Ditcheva coming up against Sweden’s Cornelia Holm in the women’s flyweight division.
Irishman Dylan Tuke will be hoping to make it through to finals night in Dublin in the lightweight division coming up against Jakub Kaszuba.
At Bantamweight, Sweden’s Ali Taleb and Khrushed Kakhorov will battle it out for a final spot, while the other clash in the division sees Ireland’s Frans Mlambo face Mokhtar Benkaci.
The full list of bouts on the night in Paris:
Welterweight
Cedric Doumbe vs. Jordan Zebo
Light heavyweight semi-finals
Anthony Salmone vs. Jakob Nedoh
Simeon Powell vs. Daniel Ledero
Women’s flyweight semi-finals
Dakota Ditcheva vs. Cornelia Holm
Bantamweight semi-finals
Frans Mlambo vs. Mokhtar Benkaci
Ali Taleb vs. Khurshed Kakhorov
Lightweight semi-finals
Dylan Tuke vs. Jakub Kaszuba;
John Mitchell vs Geysim Derouiche
Catchweight
Laureano Staropoli vs Baba Boundjo Nadjombe
Abdoul Abdouraguimov vs. Brad Wheeler
Lightweight
Yazid Chouchane vs. Henrique Madureira
Women’s flyweight
Luisa Cifuentes vs. Shanelle Dyer