List of Professional Fighters League champions

Professional Fighters League ("PFL") is an American mixed martial arts promotion company, and the following is a history of its super fights champions in each weight class. This list also includes championship histories for their international partners PFL Europe and PFL MENA, as well as the championship histories for their predecessor World Series of Fighting ("WSOF") and its international partners WSOF: Canada and WSOF Global.

PFL

Men's World Super Fights Championship History

Super Fights World Heavyweight Championship

206 to 265 lbs (93 to 120 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Francis Ngannou
def. Renan Ferreira 		PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 		Oct 19, 2024 262 days
(incumbent)

Women's World Super Fights Championship History

Super Fights Women's World Featherweight Championship

135 to 145 lbs (61 to 66 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Cris Cyborg
def. Larissa Pacheco 		PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 		Oct 19, 2024 262 days
(incumbent)

World Championship Tournament winners

Event Date Division Winner Runner-up
PFL 11 (2018) Dec 31, 2018 Heavyweight Philipe Lins Josh Copeland
Light Heavyweight Sean O'Connell Vinny Magalhães
Middleweight Louis Taylor Abus Magomedov
Welterweight Magomed Magomedkerimov Ray Cooper III
Lightweight Natan Schulte Rashid Magomedov
Featherweight Lance Palmer Steven Siler
PFL 10 (2019) Dec 31, 2019 Heavyweight Ali Isaev Jared Rosholt
Light Heavyweight Emiliano Sordi Jordan Johnson
Welterweight Ray Cooper III David Michaud
Lightweight Natan Schulte (2) Loik Radzhabov
Featherweight Lance Palmer (2) Alex Gilpin
Women's Lightweight Kayla Harrison Larissa Pacheco
PFL 10 (2021) Oct 27, 2021 Heavyweight Bruno Cappelozza Ante Delija
Light Heavyweight Antônio Carlos Júnior Marthin Hamlet
Welterweight Ray Cooper III (2) Magomed Magomedkerimov
Lightweight Raush Manfio Loik Radzhabov
Featherweight Movlid Khaybulaev Chris Wade
Women's Lightweight Kayla Harrison (2) Taylor Guardado
PFL 10 (2022) Nov 25, 2022 Heavyweight Ante Delija Matheus Scheffel
Light Heavyweight Rob Wilkinson Omari Akhmedov
Welterweight Sadibou Sy Dilano Taylor
Lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier Stevie Ray
Featherweight Brendan Loughnane Bubba Jenkins
Women's Lightweight Larissa Pacheco Kayla Harrison
PFL 10 (2023) Nov 24, 2023 Heavyweight Renan Ferreira Denis Goltsov
Light Heavyweight Impa Kasanganay Josh Silveira
Welterweight Magomed Magomedkerimov (2) Sadibou Sy
Lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier (2) Clay Collard
Featherweight Jesus Pinedo Gabriel Alves Braga
Women's Featherweight Larissa Pacheco (2) Marina Mokhnatkina
PFL 10 (2024) November 29, 2024 Heavyweight Denis Goltsov Oleg Popov
Light Heavyweight Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov Impa Kasanganay
Welterweight Shamil Musaev Magomed Umalatov
Lightweight Gadzhi Rabadanov Brent Primus
Featherweight Timur Khizriev Brendan Loughnane
Women's Flyweight Dakota Ditcheva Taila Santos

European Championship Tournament winners

Event Date Division Winner Runner-up
PFL Europe 4 (2023) Dec 8, 2023 Light Heavyweight Jakob Nedoh Simeón Powell
Lightweight Jakub Kaszuba John Mitchell
Bantamweight Khurshed Kakhorov Frans Mlambo
Women's Flyweight Dakota Ditcheva Valentina Scatizzi
PFL Europe 4 (2024) Dec 14, 2024 Welterweight Florim Zendeli Daniele Miceli
Lightweight Jakub Kaszuba (2) Connor Hughes
Bantamweight Lewis McGrillen-Evans Alexander Luster
Women's Flyweight Paulina Wiśniewska Valentina Scatizzi

MENA Championship Tournament winners

Event Date Division Winner Runner-up
PFL 10 (2024) Nov 29, 2024 Welterweight Omar El Dafrawy Mohammad Alaqraa
Lightweight Mohsen Mohammadseifi Georges Eid
Featherweight Abdullah Al-Qahtani Maraoune Bellagouit
Bantamweight Ali Taleb Rachid El Hazoume

WSOF

Men's Championship History (defunct)

All WSOF Championships were retired and vacated on June 7, 2018, when the PFL league format began at PFL 1. The PFL crowns seasonal champions as an alternative to recognizing a single lineal champion.

Heavyweight Championship

206 to 265 lbs (93 to 120 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Smealinho Rama
def. Derrick Mehmen 		WSOF 14
Edmonton, AB, Canada 		Oct 11, 2014 237 days
2 Blagoy Ivanov WSOF 21
Edmonton, AB, Canada 		Jun 5, 2015 3686 days

1. def. Derrick Mehmen at WSOF 24 on Oct 17, 2015
2. def. Josh Copeland at WSOF 31 on Jun 17, 2016
3. def. Shawn Jordan at WSOF 35 on Mar 18, 2017
4. def. Caio Alencar at PFL Fight Night on Nov 2, 2017

Ivanov vacated title on April 25, 2018, after becoming free agent and signing with the UFC.

Light Heavyweight Championship

186 to 205 lbs (84 to 93 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 David Branch
def. Teddy Holder 		WSOF 23
Phoenix, AZ, U.S. 		Sep 18, 2015 507 days

1. def. Vinny Magalhães at WSOF 33 on Oct 7, 2016

Branch vacated title on February 6, 2017, after becoming free agent and signing with the UFC.

Middleweight Championship

171 to 185 lbs (77 to 84 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 David Branch
def. Jesse Taylor 		WSOF 10
Las Vegas, NV, U.S. 		June 21, 2014 961 days

1. def. Yushin Okami at WSOF 15 on Nov 15, 2014
2. def. Clifford Starks at WSOF 30 on Apr 2, 2016
3. def. Louis Taylor at WSOF 34 on Dec 31, 2016

Branch vacated title on February 6, 2017, after becoming free agent and signing with the UFC.

Welterweight Championship

156 to 170 lbs (70 to 77 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Steve Carl
def. Josh Burkman 		WSOF 6
Coral Gables, FL, U.S. 		Oct 26, 2013 154 days
2 Rousimar Palhares WSOF 9
Las Vegas, NV, U.S. 		Mar 29, 2014 492 days

1. def. Jon Fitch at WSOF 16 on Dec 13, 2014
2. def. Jake Shields at WSOF 22 on Aug 1, 2015

Palhares was stripped of the title on August 3, 2015.
3 Jon Fitch
def. João Zeferino 		WSOF 30
Las Vegas, NV, U.S. 		Apr 2, 2016 698 days

1. def. Jake Shields at WSOF 34 on Dec 31, 2016
2. def. Brian Foster at PFL Daytona on Jun 30, 2017

Fitch vacated title on March 1, 2018, after signing with Bellator.

Lightweight Championship

146 to 155 lbs (66 to 70 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Justin Gaethje
def. Richard Patishnock 		WSOF 8
Hollywood, FL, U.S. 		Jan 18, 2014 1196 days

1. def. Nick Newell at WSOF 11 on July 5, 2014
2. def. Luis Palomino at WSOF 19 on Mar 28, 2015
3. def. Luis Palomino at WSOF 23 on Sep 18, 2015
4. def. Brian Foster at WSOF 29 on Mar 12, 2016
5. def. Luiz Firmino at WSOF 34 on Dec 31, 2016

Gaethje vacated title on April 27, 2017, after signing with the UFC.

Featherweight Championship

136 to 145 lbs (61 to 66 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Georgi Karakhanyan
def. Lance Palmer 		WSOF 7
Vancouver, BC, Canada 		Dec 7, 2013 196 days
2 Ricky Glenn WSOF 10
Las Vegas, NV, U.S. 		Jun 21, 2014 176 days
3 Lance Palmer WSOF 16
Sacramento, CA, U.S. 		Dec 13, 2014 371 days

1. def. Chris Horodecki at WSOF 21 on June 5, 2015

4 Alexandre Almeida WSOF 26
Las Vegas, NV, U.S. 		Dec 18, 2015 226 days
5 Lance Palmer (2) WSOF 32
Everett, WA, U.S. 		Jul 30, 2016 231 days
(602 days)
6 Andre Harrison WSOF 35
Verona, NY, U.S. 		Mar 18, 2017 446 days

1. def. Steven Rodriguez at PFL Everett on Jul 29, 2017

The WSOF Featherweight championship was retired on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1.[1][2]

Bantamweight Championship

126 to 135 lbs (57 to 61 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Marlon Moraes
def. Josh Rettinghouse 		WSOF 9
Las Vegas, NV, USA 		March 29, 2014 1,011 days

1. def. Josh Hill at WSOF 18 on Feb 12, 2015
2. def. Sheymon Moraes at WSOF 22 on Aug 1, 2015
3. def. Joseph Barajas at WSOF 28 on Feb 20, 2016
4. def. Josh Hill at WSOF 32 on Jul 30, 2016
5. def. Josenaldo Silva at WSOF 34 on Dec 31, 2016

Moraes vacated title on January 3, 2017, after becoming a free agent and signing with the UFC.
2 Bekbulat Magomedov
def. Donavon Frelow 		WSOF 35
Verona, NY, USA 		March 18, 2017 446 days
The WSOF Bantamweight championship was retired on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1.[1][2]

Flyweight Championship

116 to 125 lbs (53 to 57 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Magomed Bibulatov
def. Donavon Frelow 		WSOF 24
Mashantucket, CT, USA 		October 17, 2015 446 days
Bibulatov vacated title on January 5, 2017, after joining the UFC.

Women's Championship History (defunct)

All WSOF Championships were retired and vacated on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1. The PFL crowns seasonal champions as an alternative to recognizing a single lineal champion.

Women's Strawweight Championship

106 to 115 lb (48 to 52 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Jessica Aguilar
def. Alida Gray 		WSOF 8
Hollywood, FL, USA 		January 18, 2014 484 days

1. def. Emi Fujino at WSOF 10 on June 21, 2014
2. def. Kalindra Faria at WSOF 15 on Nov 15, 2014

Aguilar vacated title on May 18, 2015, after joining the UFC.

International Championship History (defunct)

All WSOF International Championships were retired and vacated on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1. The PFL crowns seasonal champions as an alternative to recognizing a single lineal champion.

Canadian Welterweight Championship

156 to 170 lbs (70 to 77 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Ryan Ford
def. Joel Powell 		WSOF Canada 1
Edmonton, AB, Canada 		February 21, 2014 472 days
Ford vacated title on June 8, 2015, after retiring from the sport of MMA.

Global Heavyweight Championship

206 to 265 lbs (93 to 120 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Evgeny Erokhin
def. Brandon Cash 		WSOF Global Championship 2: Japan
Tokyo, Japan 		February 7, 2016 851 days 1. def. Richard Odoms at WSOF Global Championship 3: Philippines
All WSOF International championships were retired and vacated on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1.[1][2]

Global Flyweight Championship

125 lbs (57 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Yusaku Nakamura
def. Lawrence Diguilio 		Deep Cage Impact 2016: DEEP vs. WSOF-GC
Tokyo, Japan 		December 17, 2016 537 days
All WSOF International championships were retired and vacated on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1.[1][2]

Tournament winners

Event(s) Division Champion Runner-up Final
WSOF 5, WSOF 7 e WSOF 10 Middleweight David Branch Jesse Taylor June 21, 2014
WSOF 20 e WSOF 23 Light Heavyweight David Branch Teddy Holder September 18, 2015
WSOF 25 Lightweight Brian Foster João Zeferino November 20, 2015

Records

Most wins in title bouts

The following includes all fighters with three or more championship and/or interim championship title fights. Fighters with the same number of title wins are arranged in order of most title bouts. Tournament championships are not included.

Title wins

 Champion

 Weight class

 W D NC L
6 Justin Gaethje Lightweight 6 0 0 0
Marlon Moraes Bantamweight 6 0 0 0
David Branch Light Heavyweight
Middleweight 		2
4 		0
0 		0
0 		0
0
5 Blagoy Ivanov Heavyweight 5 0 0 0
3 Lance Palmer Featherweight 3 0 0 3
Jessica Aguilar Women's Strawweight 3 0 0 0
Rousimar Palhares Welterweight 3 0 0 0

Most consecutive title defenses

The following includes all WSOF champions who were able to consecutively defend their title two times or more. Fighters with the same number of title defenses are listed chronologically.

Defenses Champion Weight class Span
5 Justin Gaethje Lightweight January 18, 2014 - April 27, 2017
Marlon Moraes Bantamweight March 29, 2014 - January 3, 2017
4 Blagoy Ivanov Heavyweight June 5, 2015 - April 25, 2018
3 David Branch Middleweight June 21, 2014 - February 6, 2017
2 Jessica Aguilar Women's Strawweight January 18, 2014 - May 18, 2015
Rousimar Palhares Welterweight March 29, 2014 - August 4, 2015

Multi-division champions

Interim title

Fighters who have won championships in multiple weight classes.[3] Tournament champions are not included.

No. Champion Division Won Lost Defenses Reign Total Reign
1 David Branch Light Heavyweight September 18, 2015
(WSOF 23) 		February 6, 2017
(Vacated) 		1 507 days 1468 days
Middleweight June 21, 2014
(WSOF 10) 		February 6, 2017
(Vacated) 		3 961 days

Simultaneous two division champions

This table, different from the previous one, only counts the periods in which the fighter loaded the titles simultaneously and the defenses in that period of time.

No. Champion Division Span Defenses Simultaneous Reign
1 David Branch Light Heavyweight September 18, 2015 – February 6, 2017 1 507 days
Middleweight 2

Champions by nationality

Fighters with multiple title reigns in a specific division will be counted once in the Division champions. Interim champions who have never become linear champions will be listed as interim champions.

Country Tournament
champions		 Division
champions		 International
champions		 Total
 United States 8 8 - 16
 Russia 7 3 1 10
 Brazil 6 3 - 9
 Canada 1 - 1 1
 Argentina 1 - - 1
 Bulgaria - 1 - 1
 Greece - 1 - 1
 Mexico - 1 - 1
 Japan - - 1 1

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Staff (2018-08-31). "Playoff matchups set for PFL's first season of $1 million winners". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-08-31.
  2. ^ a b c d "Fight Card - PFL 11". PFL.
  3. ^ "MMA All-time Record Holders". sportsillustrated. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012.
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