Fall River’s Yorgan De Castro to fight PFL World Champion on ESPN 2, other fighters announced

NEW YORK (February 2, 2023) – The Professional Fighters League Thursday announced that its 2023 Regular Season will begin on Saturday, April 1 in the “Fight Capital of the World” at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. The PFL Regular Season features a true sports-season format, where elite fighters from around the world compete in a Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship, with each winner of the six weight divisions receiving a $1 million prize.

The first of three consecutive Regular Season events hosted at the venue will feature some of the world’s best Featherweight and Light Heavyweight fighters, headlined by 2022 PFL World Champions Brendan Loughnane and Rob Wilkinson facing off against Marlon Moraes and Thiago Santos, respectively.

The second event of the PFL Regular Season will take place on April 7 and showcase some of the world’s top Heavyweight and Women’s Featherweight MMA fighters. Croatian Ante Delija, who rose to the top of the division last year to claim the PFL World Championship, will take on Yorgan De Castro who previously fought for UFC and Eagle FC. Larissa Pacheco, who defeated MMA superstar Kayla Harrison to claim the 2022 PFL World Championship, makes her season debut against Julia Budd.

The 6’0″ Mad Titan (9-3) had back-to-back victories in Eagle FC 44 and 47 and a three-fight professional win streak overall since leaving the UFC. In his last victory he defeated Junior Dos Santos by way of TKO. De Castro was supposed to challenge Rizvan Kuniev for the Eagle FC heavyweight title late last year, however, the fight never took place and he has now signed with PFL.

The third event from The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on April 14 will feature the league’s world-class roster of Lightweight and Welterweight stars. The show’s main card will feature Olivier Aubin-Mercier, the 2022 PFL Lightweight World Champion, taking on Shane Burgos in his highly-anticipated PFL debut. In the co-main, last season’s Welterweight winner Sadibou Sy will face off in the SmartCage across from Jarrah Al-Silawi.

PFL 1 – April 1, 2023 (ESPN)
Main: Brendan Loughnane vs. Marlon Moraes (FW)
Co-Main: Robert Wilkinson vs. Thiago Santos (LHW)

PFL 2 – April 7, 2023 (ESPN2)
Main: Ante Delija vs. Yorgan De Castro (HW)
Co-Main: Larissa Pacheco vs. Julia Budd (WFW)

PFL 3 – April 14, 2023 (ESPN2)
Main: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Shane Burgos (LW)
Co-Main: Sadibou Sy vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi (WW)

“The Professional Fighters League is excited to return this April to Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world, to kick off the 2023 PFL Regular Season with a three-event residency at the reimagined The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “The PFL’s extensive roster of world-class fighters will be on display for all US events live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+, along with international distribution to 160 countries globally for MMA fans around the world.”

“With all six of last year’s PFL World Champions returning to the SmartCage, along with the league debuts of MMA stars Shane Burgos and Thiago Santos, fans across the world will see the best this sport has to offer when the 2023 PFL Regular Season kicks off from Last Vegas on April 1,” said PFL President of Fighter Operations Ray Sefo.