New York (September 17, 2024) - The main card of “Battle of the Giants” is nearly complete with the addition of the Bellator Middleweight World Championship, bringing the pay-per-view portion of the event on ESPN+ PPV and DAZN to four.
The PFL PPV Super Fights main card sees the addition of another belt on the line - a Bellator Middleweight World Title rematch between undefeated current champion Johnny Eblen (15-0) and Fabian Edwards (13-3), Eblen’s longtime rival and the clear-cut No. 1 contender at 185-pounds.
At Lightweight, former Bellator Featherweight World Champion AJ McKee (22-1) will serve as the toughest test of Paul Hughes (12-1) young career, when the man with the longest winning streak in Bellator history (18) faces an Irishman who many consider to be the top Lightweight prospect on the planet.
The co-main event will feature another major world title fight featuring the greatest women’s MMA fighter of all-time, Cris “Cyborg” (27-2, 1 NC), whose legacy will be on the line when she squares off against PFL two-division Champion Larissa Pacheco (23-4), who looks to prove she is the greatest women’s MMA fighter on the planet.
The aforementioned bouts join a card headlined by MMA superstar and undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world, Francis Ngannou (17-3) making his highly anticipated return to the sport of MMA, as “The Predator” faces the most-feared PFL fighter, 6-foot-8 2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan “Problema” Ferreira (13-3, 3 NC) for the newly minted PFL Super Fights Championship Belt.
The event will emanate from the state-of-the-art Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A monumental cultural venue that hosts significant national and international events in the heart of Riyadh, it’s the perfect backdrop for “Battle of the Giants” to take place.
In addition to the location, tickets for the second-ever PFL PPV Super Fight are on sale and can be purchased on the WeBook app via this link.
PFL’s “Battle of the Giants” pay-per-view event takes place Saturday, October 19 and can be seen live on ESPN+ PPV in the U.S and DAZN worldwide.
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards - Bellator Middleweight World Title
A rematch from 2023, Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards took each other to the limit during their first encounter in Dublin at Bellator 299, where Eblen finished the fight via TKO in the third round and emotions flew high in the immediate aftermath. Since then, the American Top Team standout went on to pick up a win over Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champs vs. Champs for the Middleweight Super Belt, while Edwards bounced back with a unanimous victory against Canada’s Aaron Jeffery this past March at Bellator Champions Series Belfast to earn his rematch.
“Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact” Main Card:
ESPN+ PPV (U.S.) | DAZN (Worldwide)
Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saturday, October 19
Early Card: 1:30 pm ET / 8:30 pm AST
Main Card: 4:00pm ET / 11:00 pm AST
Heavyweight Main Event: Francis Ngannou (17-3) vs. Renan Ferreira (13-3, 3 NC)
Women’s Featherweight Co-Main Event: Cris “Cyborg” (27-2) vs. Larissa Pacheco (23-4)
Bellator Middleweight World Title Fight: Johnny Eblen (15-0) vs. Fabian Edwards (13-3)
Lightweight Main Card Bout: AJ McKee (22-1) vs. Paul Hughes (12-1)
ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league worldwide. PFL has five live fight franchises, offering year-round content: PFL League Season, PFL PPV Super Fights, PFL Challenger Series, PFL International Leagues, and Bellator. Founded in 2018, PFL is backed by major blue-chip investors including SURJ, Ares, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth sports business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams.
About ESPN
ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the No. 1 sports streaming platform, serving fans in the U.S. with exclusive access to more than 32,000 live sports events each year, an unmatched library of on-demand replays and acclaimed original content, and premium written articles by the top reporters and analysts from ESPN.com. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $10.99 a month (or $109.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or in the ESPN App on mobile and connected devices. For more visit the ESPN+ Press Kit.
About DAZN
DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). DAZN is building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.
For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit dazngroup.com.
