The Professional Fighters League launches its pay-per-view Super Fight series in a big way when it pits PFL champions against Bellator champions on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The event at Kingdom Arena features two matchups of current PFL champs against the titleholders from newly acquired Bellator, along with several other matchups between former champs from both promotions. The fights will be on ESPN+ pay-per-view starting at 3 p.m. ET, with prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+ at 12:30 p.m.
In the main event, heavyweight titleholders collide when PFL's Renan Ferreira (12-3) meets Bellator's Ryan Bader (31-7). Prior to that, PFL light heavyweight champ Impa Kasanganay (15-3) drops to middleweight to face the undefeated Bellator titlist at that lower weight class, Johnny Eblen (14-0).
In addition, Bellator welterweight titleholder Jason Jackson (17-4) takes on ex-PFL champ Ray Cooper III (25-9-1) and ex-Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov (17-2) moves up to heavyweight to face former PFL belt-holder Bruno Cappelozza (16-6).
What are the storylines behind the top fights at the PFL champs vs. Bellator champs event? How are experts breaking them down? What do the fighters have to say? Here is the fight card, how to watch it and a collection of all of the essentials.
PFL champs vs. Bellator champs fight card
ESPN+ PPV, 3 p.m. ET
Heavyweight: Renan Ferreira (c) vs. Ryan Bader (c)
Middleweight: Impa Kasanganay (c) vs. Johnny Eblen (c)
Featherweight: Gabriel Braga vs. Patricio Freire (c)
Catchweight (182 pounds): Ray Cooper III* vs. Jason Jackson (c)
Heavyweight: Bruno Cappelozza* vs. Vadim Nemkov*
Light heavyweight: Thiago Santos vs. Yoel Romero
Men's lightweight: Clay Collard vs. AJ McKee*
ESPNews/ESPN+, 12:30 p.m.
Men's lightweight: Aaron Pico vs. Henry Corrales
Men's lightweight: Biaggio Ali Walsh vs. Emmanuel Palacio
Women's lightweight: Claressa Shields vs. Kelsey DeSantis
Featherweight: Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. Edukondala Rao
Flyweight (amateur): Malik Basahel vs. Vinicius Pereira
(c) = current champion | * = former champion
How to watch the fights
Watch the PPV and all other fights on ESPN+: Get ESPN+ here.
Watch the prelims on ESPN News and ESPN+. Download the ESPN App | WatchESPN | TV schedule
Don't have ESPN News? Get instant access.
There's also FightCenter, which offers live updates for every PFL and Bellator card.
MMA Roundtable: Title fights, PFL vs. Bellator, and UFC 300
Which PFL vs. Bellator champs fight intrigues you most?
We tapped Jeff Wagenheim, Marc Raimondi and Brett Okamoto to provide insight and analysis on this question and more, along with a bold prediction on what's to come in the world of MMA.
Mike Tyson to give custom belts to PFL vs. Bellator winners
Mike Tyson will present three winners a custom championship belt Saturday at the PFL vs. Bellator: Champs card in Saudi Arabia, PFL chairman Donn Davis told ESPN on Wednesday.
"I called Mike two weeks ago, because I thought there was nobody more fitting to award the first ever in combat sports belt that goes to a champion beating a champion than the greatest champion of all time in Mike Tyson," Davis said.