List of Professional Fighters League champions explained

Professional Fighters League (formerly the World Series of Fighting, or "WSOF") is an American mixed martial arts promotion, and the following is a history of its champions in each weight class. As well as championship history for their International promotions WSOF: Canada and WSOF Global Championship.

PFL Tournament winners

Event Date Division Winner Runner-up
PFL 11 (2018)Dec 31, 2018Heavyweight Philipe Lins Josh Copeland
Light Heavyweight Sean O'Connell Vinny Magalhães
Middleweight Louis Taylor Abus Magomedov
Welterweight Magomed Magomedkerimov Ray Cooper III
Lightweight Natan Schulte Rashid Magomedov
Featherweight Lance Palmer Steven Siler
PFL 10 (2019)Dec 31, 2019Heavyweight Ali Isaev Jared Rosholt
Light Heavyweight Emiliano Sordi Jordan Johnson
Welterweight Ray Cooper III David Michaud
Lightweight Loik Radzhabov
Featherweight Alex Gilpin
Women's Lightweight Kayla Harrison Larissa Pacheco
PFL 10 (2021)Oct 27, 2021Heavyweight Bruno Cappelozza Ante Delija
Light Heavyweight Antônio Carlos Júnior Marthin Hamlet
Welterweight Magomed Magomedkerimov
Lightweight Raush Manfio Loik Radzhabov
Featherweight Movlid Khaybulaev Chris Wade
Women's Lightweight Taylor Guardado
PFL 10 (2022)Nov 25, 2022Heavyweight Ante Delija Matheus Scheffel
Light Heavyweight Rob Wilkinson Omari Akhmedov
Welterweight Sadibou Sy Dilano Taylor
Lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier Stevie Ray
Featherweight Brendan Loughnane Bubba Jenkins
Women's Lightweight Larissa Pacheco Kayla Harrison
PFL 10 (2023)Nov 24, 2023Heavyweight Renan Ferreira Denis Goltsov
Light Heavyweight Josh Silveira
Welterweight Sadibou Sy
Lightweight Clay Collard
Featherweight Gabriel Alves Braga
Women's Featherweight Marina Mokhnatkina
PFL 10 (2024)TBAHeavyweight
Light Heavyweight
Welterweight
Lightweight
Featherweight
Women's Flyweight

PFL Europe Tournament winners

Event Date Division Winner Runner-up
PFL Europe 4 (2023)Dec 8, 2023Light Heavyweight Jakob Nedoh Simeón Powell
Lightweight Jakub Kaszuba John Mitchell
Bantamweight Khurshed Kakhorov Frans Mlambo
Women's Flyweight Dakota Ditcheva Valentina Scatizzi
PFL Europe 4 (2024)Dec 14, 2024Welterweight
Lightweight
Bantamweight
Women's Flyweight

Men's Championship history (defunct)

All WSOF Championships were retired and vacated on June 7, 2018, when the PFL league format began at PFL 1. The PFL crowns seasonal champions as an alternative to recognizing a single lineal champion.

Heavyweight Championship

206 to 265 lbs (93 to 120 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1
align=center WSOF 14
align=center Oct 11, 2014 align=center 237 days
2 Blagoy Ivanovalign=center WSOF 21
align=center Jun 5, 2015align=center days



Ivanov vacated title on April 25, 2018, after becoming free agent and signing with the UFC.

Light Heavyweight Championship

186 to 205 lbs (84 to 93 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1
align=center WSOF 23
align=center Sep 18, 2015align=center 507 days
Branch vacated title on February 6, 2017, after becoming free agent and signing with the UFC.

Middleweight Championship

171 to 185 lbs (77 to 84 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1
align=center WSOF 10
align=center June 21, 2014 align=center 961 days

Branch vacated title on February 6, 2017, after becoming free agent and signing with the UFC.

Welterweight Championship

156 to 170 lbs (70 to 77 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1 Steve Carl
def. Josh Burkman
align=center WSOF 6
align=center Oct 26, 2013align=center 154 days
2align=center WSOF 9
align=center Mar 29, 2014align=center 492 days
Palhares was stripped of the title on August 3, 2015.
3 Jon Fitch
def. João Zeferino
align=center WSOF 30
align=center Apr 2, 2016align=center 698 days
Fitch vacated title on March 1, 2018, after signing with Bellator.

Lightweight Championship

146 to 155 lbs (66 to 70 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1 Justin Gaethje
align=center WSOF 8
align=center Jan 18, 2014align=center 1196 days



Gaethje vacated title on April 27, 2017, after signing with the UFC.

Featherweight Championship

136 to 145 lbs (61 to 66 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1
def. Lance Palmer
align=center WSOF 7
align=center Dec 7, 2013align=center 196 days
2 Ricky Glennalign=center WSOF 10
align=center Jun 21, 2014align=center 176 days
3 Lance Palmeralign=center WSOF 16
align=center Dec 13, 2014align=center 371 days
4 Alexandre Almeidaalign=center WSOF 26
align=center Dec 18, 2015align=center 226 days
5 Lance Palmer (2)align=center WSOF 32
align=center Jul 30, 2016align=center 231 days
(602 days)
6 Andre Harrisonalign=center WSOF 35
align=center Mar 18, 2017align=center 446 days
The WSOF Featherweight championship was retired on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1.[1] [2]

Bantamweight Championship

126 to 135 lbs (57 to 61 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1 Marlon Moraes
def. Josh Rettinghouse
align=center WSOF 9
align=center March 29, 2014align=center 1,011 days



2 Bekbulat Magomedov
def. Donavon Frelow
align=center WSOF 35
align=center March 18, 2017align=center 446 days

Flyweight Championship

116 to 125 lbs (53 to 57 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1 Magomed Bibulatov
def. Donavon Frelow
align=center WSOF 24
align=center October 17, 2015align=center 446 days

Women's Championship history (defunct)

All WSOF Championships were retired and vacated on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1. The PFL crowns seasonal champions as an alternative to recognizing a single lineal champion.

Women's Strawweight Championship

106 to 115 lb (48 to 52 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1 Jessica Aguilar
def. Alida Gray
align=center WSOF 8
align=center January 18, 2014align=center 484 days

Symbolic Titles

All WSOF International Championships were retired and vacated on June 7, 2018 when the PFL league format began at PFL 1. The PFL crowns seasonal champions as an alternative to recognizing a single lineal champion.

Canadian Welterweight Championship

156 to 170 lbs (70 to 77 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1 Ryan Ford
def. Joel Powell
align=center WSOF Canada 1
align=center February 21, 2014align=center 472 days

Global Heavyweight Championship

206 to 265 lbs (93 to 120 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1 Evgeny Erokhin
def. Brandon Cash
align=center
align=center February 7, 2016align=center 851 days

Global Flyweight Championship

125 lbs (57 kg)

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=15%Eventwidth=17%Datewidth=8%Reignwidth=40%Defenses
1 Yusaku Nakamura
def. Lawrence Diguilio
align=center Deep Cage Impact 2016: DEEP vs. WSOF-GC
align=center December 17, 2016align=center 537 days

WSOF Tournament champions

Event(s)DivisionChampionRunner-upFinal
WSOF 5, WSOF 7 e WSOF 10Middleweight David Branch Jesse TaylorJune 21, 2014
WSOF 20 e WSOF 23Light Heavyweight David Branch Teddy HolderSeptember 18, 2015
WSOF 25Lightweight Brian Foster João ZeferinoNovember 20, 2015

Records

Most wins in title bouts

The following includes all fighters with three or more championship and/or interim championship title fights. Fighters with the same number of title wins are arranged in order of most title bouts. Tournament championships are not included.

Title wins

Champion

Weight class

WDNCL
6 Justin GaethjeLightweight6 000
Marlon MoraesBantamweight6 000
David BranchLight Heavyweight
Middleweight
2
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
5 Blagoy IvanovHeavyweight5000
3 Lance PalmerFeatherweight3003
Jessica AguilarWomen's Strawweight3 000
Rousimar PalharesWelterweight3 000

Most consecutive title defenses

The following includes all WSOF champions who were able to consecutively defend their title two times or more. Fighters with the same number of title defenses are listed chronologically.

DefensesChampionWeight classSpan
5 Justin GaethjeLightweightJanuary 18, 2014 - April 27, 2017
Marlon MoraesBantamweightMarch 29, 2014 - January 3, 2017
4 Blagoy IvanovHeavyweightJune 5, 2015 - April 25, 2018
3 David BranchMiddleweightJune 21, 2014 - February 6, 2017
2 Jessica AguilarWomen's StrawweightJanuary 18, 2014 - May 18, 2015
Rousimar PalharesWelterweightMarch 29, 2014 - August 4, 2015

Multi-division champions

Interim title

Fighters who have won championships in multiple weight classes.[3] Tournament champions are not included.

No.ChampionDivisionWonLostDefensesReignTotal Reign
1align=left rowspan=2align=center rowspan=1Light HeavyweightSeptember 18, 2015
(WSOF 23)
February 6, 2017
(Vacated)
1507 daysalign=center rowspan=21468 days
align=center rowspan=1MiddleweightJune 21, 2014
(WSOF 10)
February 6, 2017
(Vacated)
3961 days

Simultaneous two division champions

No. Champion Division Span Defenses Simultaneous Reign
1align=left rowspan=2align=center rowspan=1Light Heavyweightalign=center rowspan=2September 18, 2015 – February 6, 20171align=center rowspan=2507 days
align=center rowspan=1Middleweight2

Champions by nationality

Fighters with multiple title reigns in a specific division will be counted once in the Division champions. Interim champions who have never become linear champions will be listed as interim champions.

Country Tournament
champions
Division
champions
International
champions
Total
8 8 - 16
6 3 - 9
3 31 7
1 - 1 1
1- -1
- 1 - 1
- 1 - 1
- 1 - 1
- - 1 1

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Playoff matchups set for PFL's first season of $1 million winners. mmajunkie.com. Staff. 2018-08-31. 2018-08-31.
  2. Web site: Fight Card - PFL 11. PFL.
  3. Web site: MMA All-time Record Holders . sportsillustrated.