PFL heads to Newcastle tonight to host the inaugural event of the European season where fighters across four weight classes compete for the chance to win $100,000.
Tonight's event at the Vertu Motors Arena will feature light-heavyweight Simeon Powell in the main event whilst Dakota Ditcheva stars in the co-main event, with both British fighters boating unbeaten professional records of 7-0. Powell takes on Glory Kickboxing veteran Mohamed Amine whilst Dakota takes on Malin Hermansson after her original opponent Clara Ricignuolo withdrew due to injury.
PFL boss Peter Murray is excited to host the promotion's first event in North East England as he told Mirror Fighting: "We're happy to be up here in Newcastle and launch the inaugural season of PFL Europe. When we launched the company five years ago it was always with a global vision, the first three or four years we focused on the premium product and season format before we could begin expansion.
"Last year as it relates to expanding the live event offerings and international expansion, we executed our first International events in UK with one in Cardiff and one in Wales. This year we will have 24 global events, including PFL Europe, which is the first of several International PFL regional leagues that we will be launching over the next three years."
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PFL Europe will head to Berlin on July 8 for the second round of the regular season before visiting Paris in September for the playoffs, with the season finale taking place on December 8 at the 3Arena in Dublin. Powell isn't looking past his opponent Amine, who holds an MMA record of 5-1, but insists the Dutch fighter hasn't fought anyone like him throughout his veteran career.
"When you look deep into his MMA record, he hasn't fought the opponents I have," Powell said. "The one opponent he faced in a cage he lost, all the others took place in the ring against cab drivers. There's two ways I feel like this fight can go, he can try and get me out of there quick or he can be patient. I think he might try lure me into something, but I'm smarter than that.
"I'm taking it all in and embracing the moment. I know I've got a job to do, the fight is very real and there is a man opposite me who is hungry. I give him respect in the kickboxing department, Mohamed has $100,000 in his face too. Once I'm in the final I can think about the prize but first I've got to get through this."
Former British muay thai champion Ditcheva is 2-0 inside the PFL SmartCage with both of her wins coming by first round knockout. Having previously competed on the undercard for the promotion, Ditcheva admitted there has been added pressure ahead of the Newcastle event as she competes in the co-headliner.
"There's been a lot of pressure, I've felt loads of new emotions with my face being everywhere and it being a tournament format that I've got to go through to the next round. It's surreal to be honest, even back home loads of new people have got behind me and realised this event is quite big," she said.
"With the tournament being for $100k people realise that is massive and they want a Manchester girl to win it, so it's nice to have people backing me. The next round isn't till September which surprised me a bit, but I'm excited to have a test of what it's going to be like on Saturday. To be offered so much money at this stage is crazy, but I'm trying to not think about the money and just take it one step at a time."
