Two-time PFL champ Natan Schulte meets Olivier Aubin-Mercier at 2022 PFL 1

Natan Schulte vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier has been rebooked for PFL’s 2022 season opener.

Schulte (21-4-1) faces Aubin-Mercier (13-5) at 2022 PFL 1, which takes place April 20 at Esports Arena in Arlington, Texas, and streams on ESPN+ and ESPN, promotion officials announced Monday.

The pair were originally scheduled to square off this past August at 2021 PFL Playoffs 1, but Schulte withdrew and was replaced by Darrell Horcher. Aubin-Mercier won the bout via unanimous decision, notching his second win as a PFL fighter.

Back-to-back lightweight tournament winner Schulte was upset by Marcin Held in the first bout of his 2021 PFL campaign, but was able to rebound with a split decision win over Alex Martinez last June. The 30-year-old recently inked a new deal with PFL in March.

The 2022 PFL 1 lineup includes:

• Clay Collard vs. Jeremy Stephens
• Raush Manfio vs. Don Madge
• Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Delan Monte
• Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Natan Schulte
• Josh Silveira vs. Emiliano Sordi
• Alex Martinez vs. Stevie Ray
• Teodoras Aukstuolis vs. Marthin Hamlet
• Omari Akhmedov vs. Viktor Pesta
• Bruce Souto vs. Rob Wilkinson
• Cory Hendricks vs. Clinton Williams