PFL Announces First Fighters for 2025 Tournament Era

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is ushering in a new era in 2025, abandoning its signature season format for a more traditional tournament structure. The first three fighters confirmed for these tournaments are Impa Kasanganay, Taila Santos, and Marc Diakiese, with a roster of 59 additional participants to be announced soon.

The 2025 tournaments, reminiscent of early Bellator events, will feature single-elimination brackets across multiple weight divisions, including men’s bantamweight through heavyweight and women’s flyweight. Each of the eight tournament winners will take home a $500,000 prize. Full brackets are expected to be unveiled in February.

Confirmed Fighters for 2025 Tournaments:

• Impa Kasanganay (18-5): Kasanganay dominated the 2023 light heavyweight season with a perfect 5-0 run under the PFL banner, securing the championship title. He returned to the finals in 2024 but fell short against Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov. Now, Kasanganay is ready for another chance to showcase his talent in the revamped tournament format.
  

• Taila Santos (22-4): A former UFC title challenger against Valentina Shevchenko, Santos transitioned to PFL in 2024 and made an immediate impact. She reached the finals in her debut season but lost to Dakota Ditcheva in the million-dollar match. With a 3-1 PFL record, Santos will aim to climb to the top in the 2025 women’s flyweight tournament.
  

• Marc Diakiese (18-7): A veteran of 15 UFC bouts, Diakiese exited the organization in 2023 after securing a win over Kaue Fernandes in Brazil. Known for his victories over Joe Duffy and Lando Vannata, the 31-year-old also made a successful Bellator debut in September, defeating Tim Wilde. Now, Diakiese looks to make his mark in the PFL.
  

PFL’s decision to pivot to a tournament-style format has sparked significant excitement among fans and fighters alike. The organization promises an action-packed 2025 season, with fierce competition across all divisions.