20-1 Former Champion Pulls Out as PFL Scrambles to Put Together a New Main Event on 2 Days' Notice

20-1 former champion pulls out as PFL scrambles to put together a new main event on 2 days' notice

Saturday's PFL Washington DC main event has undergone a late change after Shamil Musaev pulled out of his fight against the 11-0 Thad Jean.

PFL Washington D.C. main event fighter withdraws hours before fight

WASHINGTON D.C. (JULY 23, 2026) – PFL Washington D.C. on Saturday, July 25 at the CareFirst Arena will be headlined by #3 Thad “The Silverback” Jean (11-0) against #8 Ernesto “Starboy” Rodriguez (11-1) for the PFL Welterweight World Championship as Shamil Musaev withdraws due to complications during his weight cut. Rodriguez was given the opportunity on short notice and accepted immediately. Riding a nine-fight win streak, the Xtreme Couture-bas…

PFL Washington D.C. main event fighter withdraws hours before event

PFL Washington D.C. on Saturday, July 25 at the CareFirst Arena will be headlined by #3 Thad “The Silverback” Jean (11-0) against #8Ernesto “Starboy” Rodriguez (11-1) for the PFL Welterweight World Championship as Shamil Musaev withdraws due to complications during his weight cut.Rodriguez was given the opportunity on short notice and accepted immediately. Riding a nine-fight win streak, the Xtreme Couture-based welterweight has a wrestling pedi…

PFL Washington Gets Late Main Event Change

Thad Jean will no longer be facing Shamil Musaev in the main event of PFL Washington this Saturday. With Musaev withdrawing due to weight cut complications, Jean (11-0) will instead take on short-notice replacement Ernesto Rodriguez (11-1). The promotion’s vacant welterweight title remains on the line. An ex-Tuff-N-Uff champ, Rodriguez made a successful PFL debut back in March. League officials announced the news on Thursday. And Jean, for one, …

PFL Washington D.C. loses one half of main event, replacement stepping into title fight

Thad Jean will still seek to become the PFL welterweight champion but he’ll have a new opponent on Saturday.

Nkosi Ndebele starts PFL global run in Washington D.C.; eyes vacant bantamweight title

PFL Africa bantamweight champion Nkosi Ndebele will make his global PFL debut in Washington D.C. against Brandon Davis on July 25, and believes he is destined to claim the promotion’s vacant bantamweight title. Ndebele is making the step up despite currently sitting outside the PFL’s top-10 bantamweight rankings; according to the organisation’s list, Mitch McKee […] The post Nkosi Ndebele starts PFL global run in Washington D.C.; eyes vacant ban…