PFL Lyon: Four titles to be decided as full fight card confirmed

The PFL returns to action in Lyon, France, with a packed fight card featuring two world championships, and two European titles.

PFL Lyon is scheduled to take place on Saturday, December 13 at LDLC Arena, and streams live in the UK on DAZN, and in the United States on the ESPN App.

Heavyweight title headlines in France

The main event will see the PFL heavyweight title on the line, as Russia’s former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov and 2024 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira.

Nemkov hasn’t lost a fight since his split-decision loss to Karl Albrektsson in 2016. Since then, the protegé of the great Fedor Emelianenko has won 13 fights, with one no contest, and has triumphed in five Bellator title fights, winning the light heavyweight title in August 2020, then defending the belt four times before Bellator was acquired and absorbed by the PFL.

Nemkov’s most recent performance saw him finish former Bellator heavyweight veteran Tim Johnson via first-round submission to put himself in line for a shot at PFL championship gold.

He’ll take on someone who knows all about winning a PFL belt. Ferreira blasted his way to the 2024 PFL heavyweight championship, and has finished 11 of his 13 wins by knockout.

The Brazilian won four straight inside the PFL SmartCage, but his last competitive outing saw that run come to an abrupt end when he was finished in the first round by Francis Ngannou for the PFL heavyweight superfights title in October 2024.

Cris Cyborg goes for another belt

The co-main event will see women’s MMA icon Cris Cyborg fight for another championship as she takes on Australia’s Sara Collins for the PFL women’s featherweight title.

Cyborg has one of the most decorated resumés in women’s MMA history, having won championship belts in Strikeforce, Invicta FC, Bellator and the UFC. Her unanimous decision victory over Larissa Pacheco at the PFL Super Fights event in October 2024 continued her record of capturing championship gold in every major promotion she’s fought for.

Standing in her way is Collins, whose experience is dwarfed by Cyborg’s fighting CV, but she’ll arrive in France with an undefeated record, including a first-round rear-naked choke finish of Northern Ireland’s Leah McCourt in September 2024.

PFL Europe finals set to feature in France

The event will also see two PFL Europe champions crowned, with the promotion’s bantamweight and lightweight titles up for grabs.

The 135-pound crown will be contested by Baris Adiguzel and Dean Garnett, with Adiguzel set to get the lion’s share of the crowd support when he takes on England’s Garnett.

And at 155 pounds, England’s Connor Hughes will to head to head with Austria’s Aleksandr Chizov for the honour of becoming the PFL Europe champion at lightweight.