Zain Bando: XFC 50 and PFL Las Vegas Go Head-to-Head, Prelude UFC 300
Special to Sports News Highlights
(SNH) — On the eve of UFC 300, two marquee MMA events will occur Friday night to serve as a so-called appetizer for MMA’s unofficial Super Bowl.
In Lakeland, Fla., XFC 50 will be a star-studded affair featuring renowned Bellator and UFC veterans like Pearl Gonzalez and Monica Medina. The co-main event in the women’s bantamweight division promises to be a showstopper. Heavyweight Tim Johnson will face off against Darion Abbey in the main event as Johnson strives to reclaim his status as a global heavyweight contender.
In a press release, Doug Kuiper, President of Xtreme One Entertainment, was pleased with how quickly the deal came together and how the ease of access will benefit the fans.
“A leader in combat sports streaming, Triller TV provides yet another fantastic way for MMA fans to watch XFC 50, from any device, anywhere,” Kuiper said. “Triller TV’s outstanding content promotion capabilities will help more fans discover the XFC as we continue to grow our reputation for highly entertaining and dynamic live events.”
On the western side of the U.S., the Professional Fighters League (PFL) is back for its second straight week of action, as The Theater at Virgin Hotels plays host to an 11-fight card from Las Vegas. The main event will see Impa Kasanganay, PFL’s 2023 light heavyweight champion, take on Bellator veteran Alex Polizzi, who makes his PFL debut.
This isn’t the first time two combat sports have gone head-to-head on the same night, as the UFC and boxing have had their fair share of TV dustups. Most notably, in September 2009, Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s fight against Juan Manuel Marquez went up against UFC 103, which featured a then-important middleweight clash between former champions Rich Franklin and Vitor Belfort.
Chances are that Friday night’s scenario won’t be the last time MMA fans decide where to spend their hard-earned money and which event they should purchase.
What is a constant, however, is there is no off-season minus Christmas in combat sports (unless its Japan as the backdrop), meaning there will always be something for fight fans to enjoy, regardless of promotion, who is fighting and what the stakes are.
At press time, neither PFL nor XFC has commented on one event clashing with another, as it is the first time both promotions have been in such a situation. Nevertheless, April 12 marks a pre-cursor to a historic combat sports weekend, headlined by 26 fighters, 12 current or former champions, three title fights, and a familiar venue: T-Mobile Arena.
Ultimately, UFC 300 is MMA’s main attraction thus far in 2024, as the promotion is eight years removed from UFC 200 and seven years from UFC 100, both of which were monumental cards in their respects.
But, for now, the MMA calendar moves forward as spring is full force before a busy summer awaits the masses.
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