PFL Reveals Exciting Lineup for Women’s Flyweight and Bantamweight Tournaments

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Professional Fighters League (PFL) announced its latest tournament fields for the 2025 season, featuring women’s flyweight and bantamweight divisions, during a press release on Friday. The tournaments will debut on April 11 at Universal Studios Florida, marking a shift from the league’s previous season format to a revised structure with eight division tournaments.

The women’s flyweight tournament field includes several notable athletes familiar with high-stakes competition. Among the fighters are former Bellator champions Liz Carmouche (22-8) and Alejandra Velasquez (13-3), who infamously battled in a trilogy where Carmouche handed Velasquez all three of her losses, including two in title fights. The flyweight roster also features former Bellator title challenger Keri Anne (13-3-1) and seven-time UFC competitor Heather Hardy (22-4).

Completing the flyweight field are fighters Karine Silva (12-9), Veta Arteaga (7-2), Juju Chan (7-0), and Calista D’Ambrosio (6-1), with alternates Dellan Reyes (8-2) and Maira Gordon (8-6) ready to step in if necessary.

In the bantamweight division, the competition heats up with recent Bellator title challenger Magomed Magomedov (24-4) leading the lineup, alongside former Bellator standout Patchy Mix (23-6). Unbeaten prospects Gedeon Watanabe (16-0) and Nathan Alphonse (10-0) will put their records on the line against seasoned fighters including Luke Morrison (12-1), Shannon Kelly (16-1), Tyler Mitchell (11-4), and Josh Schmidt (12-3). The bantamweight alternates are Dom Blachowicz (10-1) and Rashad Evans (14-3-1).

This year marks the first time PFL has abandoned its traditional point system, where fighters earned points from two regular season bouts to qualify for the playoffs. Instead, the winner of each tournament will now receive a $500,000 bonus, a significant reduction from past champion prizes of $1 million.

The fighters are gearing up for an adrenaline-filled season ahead, where the stakes couldn’t be higher. Carmouche, who is returning to the flyweight table, hopes to dominate the competition this time around after her previous encounters. “I’ve learned a lot since my last fights with Alejandra,” Carmouche said. “This tournament is my chance for redemption.”

Many fighters are looking forward to the matchup possibilities, with rematches anticipated. Santos, who faced Carmouche in the 2024 semifinals, is looking to reclaim her spot, while newcomers like Dana and Asvaragova aim to make a splash in their PFL debuts.

Seeding for the tournaments is still pending, but excitement builds as fans wait for the April 11 kickoff, streaming live on ESPN2 and ESPN+.