PFL Championship: Title fighters face off ahead of end-of-season finale in New York

The 2019 PFL season comes to a close on Dec. 31 as the organization hosts its end-of-year finale in New York, with six championship belts – and six $1 million prize checks – up for grabs.

The fighters sounded off, then faced off, at the recent pre-fight press conference ahead of their respective bouts at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, as the fighters set for action in the six title fights, plus one featured preliminary bout went eye-to-eye for the cameras.

Headlining the event is a battle for the PFL women’s lightweight title, with two-time Olympic judo champion Kayla Harrison (6-0, 6-0 PFL) looking to pick up her first championship gold as an MMA fighter when she takes on Brazil’s Larissa Pacheco (13-3, 2-1 PFL).

Their bout tops a seven-fight card that features five more championship matchups as the season-long PFL tournaments come to a conclusion with each division’s final championship bout.

Returning 2018 champions Natan Schulte and Lance Palmer both made it all the way through to their respective finals once again as they bid to become two-time PFL tournament champions. Schulte (19-3-1, 8-0-1 PFL) takes on Loik Radzhabov (13-1-1, 2-1-1 PFL) for the 155-pound strap, while Palmer (21-3, 10-0 PFL) faces off against Alex Gilpin (14-3, 2-2 PFL) in the 145-pound final.

The heavyweight belt will be contested between Russian powerhouse Ali Isaev (8-0, 4-0 PFL) and gritty American veteran Jared Rosholt (20-7, 6-3 PFL), while the 205-pound title will see Argentina’s Emiliano Sordi (21-8, 5-1 PFL) take on America’s Jordan Johnson (12-1-1, 2-1 PFL). Also up for grabs is the PFL welterweight title, with former UFC veteran David Michaud (18-5, 3-1 PFL) taking on 2018 runner-up Ray Cooper III (19-7-1, 6-2-1 PFL).

The six title fights will be preceded by a featured featherweight preliminary bout, as England’s Brendan Loughnane (18-3, 1-0 PFL) takes on Brazil’s David Valente (11-4, 0-0 PFL).

PFL Finals 2019 confirmed fight card includes:

• Kayla Harrison vs. Larissa Pacheco – for women’s lightweight title
• Ray Cooper III vs. David Michaud – for welterweight title
• Ali Isaev vs. Jared Rosholt – for heavyweight title
• Champion Natan Schulte vs. Loik Radzhabov – for lightweight title
• Champion Lance Palmer vs. Alex Gilpin – for featherweight title
• Jordan Johnson vs. Emiliano Sordi – for light heavyweight title
• Brendan Loughnane vs. David Valente