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The PFL recently announced the matchups for the remainder of their 2022 regular season. While there are some exciting bouts coming up, the PFL is still establishing itself as a major player in the MMA world. To do so, they need to put on the biggest fights possible to capture the attention of the global audience.
Fights that were recently announced include the face of the promotion Kayla Harrison taking on former Bellator champion Julia Budd. Additionally, top stars like Anthony Pettis and Rory Macdonald will look to secure a playoff spot in their respective upcoming bouts.
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While these are great, there are still some bigger fighters out there for the promotion. Here are the five biggest fights we could see in the PFL.
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#5. Brendan Loughnane vs. Bubba Jenkins - PFL featherweight division
This might seem like an odd choice at first, but at one point in the PFL's 2021 season this fight was beginning to gain some momentum. The two charismatic featherweights were leading the standings for much of the year and had some fun interactions where they teased a potential bout.
Both men are strong fighters who are capable of selling a fight. Ultimately, in 2021, the pair lost in the post-season finals, spoiling what would have been an intriguing championship battle. If they are able to go one step further this season, these two could build it into a big fight for the promotion.
Bubba Jenkins enjoyed a lengthy run with Bellator earlier in his career and has only lost once in the PFL. The same goes for Loughnane, who previously fought in the UFC and won on Dana White's Contender Series. These two colliding in the finals would be the biggest possible fight for the PFL's featherweight division.
#4. Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens - PFL lightweight division
Anthony Pettis is one of the biggest stars on the PFL roster. The former UFC lightweight champion was immensely popular during his prime in the Dana White-led promotion and he still commands a loyal following to this day. A fight with another former UFC veteran in Jeremy Stephens would likely get a lot of attention.
Pettis was a marquee signing for the PFL but failed to deliver in 2021 losing both of his bouts in the promotion. However, he looked great in a first-round submission win to kick off his 2022 campaign. Stephens will likely need a win to build interest in a fight between the duo, as he hasn't won in his past seven outings.
If Stephens is able to get back to winning ways and finds a way to progress to the promotion's post-season, things could get interesting. Both men have fought a who's who of elite MMA fighters across multiple weight divisions in their careers. Their name-value alone would make this an intriguing lightweight battle.
#3. Ray Cooper III vs. Rory Macdonald 2 - PFL welterweight division
This is a fight we have already seen take place in last season's playoffs. While it wasn't particularly noteworthy that time around, a rematch could be a big deal. Particularly if both men are able to make it to the million dollar championship bout, fans could become invested in their rivalry.
Rory Macdonald is a familiar face to many MMA fans, having fought for the UFC welterweight title and becoming the champion in the same weight class in Bellator. Ray Cooper III has become a much bigger star since the first time these two fought as he won the 2021 season with a devastating KO in the final.
This means both men now possess the name-value to draw in a good amount of interest in their fights. If they can turn in some impressive performances en route to the finals, the rematch will undoubtedly be a bigger deal than the pair's first fight.
#2. Anthony Pettis vs. Clay Collard II - PFL lightweight division
This would be another PFL rematch as the pair met last year in the opening week of the season. On that occasion, Clay Collard spoiled Anthony Pettis' promotional debut when he pulled off the upset in a highly entertaining fight. With both men starting the 2022 season strongly, a second bout could be a big deal.
Collard is an entertaining and talented fighter who made it all the way to the semi-finals of the 2021 season. He's fought the likes of Max Holloway in the UFC and so isn't intimidated when facing big names like Pettis. As mentioned previously, Pettis remains a big star in the sport despite being towards the end of his career.
Given how exciting the first fight between the two was, there would already be significant demand for the rematch. Add in the fact that both men are currently on course to make the playoffs this season, the increased stakes could make this a big-time matchup.
#1. Kayla Harrison vs. Cris Cyborg - PFL women's lightweight division
Kayla Harrison is the face of the promotion. While it was widely speculated that she might fight elsewhere during her window of free agency, she is now back and once again competing in the 2022 season. Unfortunately, there simply aren't too many exciting matchups for her at the moment.
The most intriguing fight for her in the promotion is likely Julia Budd. That fight, however, lost a lot of steam when Budd lost her opening fight for the promotion. That fight doesn't come close to how big a potential bout between Kayla Harrison and Cris Cyborg would be.
Two of the greatest competitors in women's MMA history clashing would be a massive deal. While Cyborg is currently signed to Bellator, her contract is expiring soon and it seems like an agreement could be reached. If that does indeed happen, it would be the biggest fight in the history of the PFL.
