PFL 2021, Week 2: Rory MacDonald set for debut as welterweight, light heavyweight seasons begin

Hot on the heels of the PFL’s announcement of this season’s curtain-raiser, the promotion has confirmed its lineup for its second round of bouts.

PFL 2021, Week 2 takes place on Thursday, April 29 and features a 10-fight card headlined by one of the promotion’s biggest new signings.

Former Bellator welterweight champion and UFC title challenger Rory MacDonald will make his promotional debut in the night’s main event against 2019 welterweight season runner-up David Michaud.

MacDonald (21-6-1) won and twice defended the Bellator 170-pound title during a six-fight stint with the promotion, but he lost his belt in a rematch with Douglas Lima in his final bout with the organization at Bellator 232.

MacDonald subsequently explored free agency and signed a deal with PFL, and he will kick off the latest chapter in his career against Michaud (18-6), who has lost just twice since the summer of 2017.

His 2019 PFL campaign started with a 17-second body-kick knockout loss to Sadibou Sy, but he bounced back to register three successive wins over Handesson Ferreira, John Howard, and Glaico Franca to earn a spot in the welterweight season final. He lost out to Ray Cooper III via second-round TKO and will be looking to bounce back with a statement win over MacDonald.

The PFL’s 2019 welterweight and light heavyweight champions are both set for action on the card, with 170-pound champion Cooper (20-7-1) facing French contender Jason Ponet (20-12-1) in the co-main event, while 205-pound champion Emiliano Sordi (22-8) will kick off the defense of his crown against former UFC veteran Chris Camozzi (25-14) in the main card opener.

The main card also features a light heavyweight battle between 2019 205-pound runner-up Jordan Johnson (12-2-1) and promotional newcomer Tom Lawlor (10-7), while 2018 welterweight champion Magomed Magomedkerimov (27-5) will look to establish his championship credentials in 2021 after injury curtailed his title defense in the 2019 season. He will take on Brazil’s Joao Zeferino (24-9) in the night’s featured preliminary card bout.

PFL 2 takes place at a venue to be confirmed. The event will air on ESPN2 following prelims on ESPN+. Further regular season events will follow on May 6, and June 10, 17, and 25.

The full PFL 2 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN 2)

• Rory MacDonald vs. David Michaud
• Ray Cooper III vs. Jason Ponet
• Jordan Johnson vs. Tom Lawlor
• Chris Camozzi vs. Emiliano Sordi

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+)

• Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Joao Zeferino
• Smealinho Rama vs. Jordan Young
• Cezar Ferreira vs. Nick Roehrick
• Aleksei Kunchenko vs. Gleison Tibau
• Nikolai Aleksakhin vs. Sadibou Sy
• Marthin Hamlet vs. Daniel Spohn