As PFL Europe makes their return to Newcastle, England this weekend, there is plenty for fans across the globe to tune in for. The 2024 European season will roll on and the main event will feature world champion Savannah Marshall making her professional MMA debut.
With the aforementioned debut of Marshall taking the spotlight, here are five things to watch for this Saturday when PFL Europe continues the 2024 season.
Savannah Marshall begins her MMA career
A two-division boxing champion hailing from England, Savannah Marshall will get an opportunity to prove what she can do in her move from boxing to MMA. Taking on Brazil’s Mirela Vargas who will be making her promotional debut.
Boxer turned MMA fighter isn’t new for PFL, as they’ve had another women’s champion, Claressa Shields, sign with and compete on their global roster. In her time on the PFL roster, Shields has gone 2-1.
Speaking to the media ahead of her debut, Marshall said she’s not looking to follow in the footsteps in anyone making the move from boxing to MMA, and this is her own journey. With her opponent having just three fights as a professional, there is just a small gap in experience between the two.
With her home crowd behind her and her spot in the main event, Savannah Marshall could send a huge message to the MMA world and show why she’s the next best signing to the PFL roster.
Kane Mousah vs Dylan Tuke
Right before Savannah Marshall makes her professional debut in the main event, Kane Mousah vs Dylan Tuke will take place in the co-main event of the night, which many could consider the “people’s main event” in a fantastic matchup.
Both Mousah and Tuke will come out looking to put on a show, with 12 combined finishes between both men. In their pre-fight media calls, both fighters acknowledged that they’ll be expecting a war out of one another, which should come to the delight of many fans.
The fans are in for a treat when UK‘s Mousah takes on Ireland’s Tuke, with each fighter looking to secure their first win of 2024.
A can’t miss prelim fight
Before the main card action begins, Newcastle has a must-see matchup on the prelim card between featherweights Ibragim Ibragimov and Josh Reed.
The undefeated Ibragimov will look to improve his record to 7-0, while Reed will be looking for his 14th professional win. There is a sizable difference in experience between the two, as this will be Reed’s 22nd professional fight and just the 8th professional fight in Ibragimov’s career.
Finishing fights is a speciality of both men, and if the fight goes to the ground it’ll be very intriguing to see who has the upper-hand. It goes without saying that even though this fight is early on the card, whoever wins this fight could leave a big stamp on the 2024 PFL European season.
Lewis McGrillen loves to fight
Manchester’s Lewis McGrillen is must-see TV whenever he fights. At just 23-years old, McGrillen is one of the best young fighters on the PFL Europe roster and fans can’t blink when he fights.
All 8 of his professional wins have come by way of knockout/TKO and as he looks to get back into the win column, he’ll be looking to make a statement.
Speaking to Calf Kick Sports before his fight, McGrillen discussed his love of fighting and entertaining. Knowing that he’s looking to bounce back from his first professional loss, McGrillen faces Matiss Zaharovs in another UK vs Ireland showdown on the fight card.
A future opponent for Dakota Ditcheva?
Those who have followed the Muay Thai scene have heard the name Shanelle Dyer. A world champion in both kickboxing and Muay Thai, Dyer has traveled a path similar to Dakota Ditcheva who is now on fire as part of the PFL’s Global roster.
Making her second appearance with the PFL, first of 2024, Dyer told Calf Kick Sports she plans to follow the same path as Ditcheva: Win the 2024 Europe tournament, then get on the Global roster in 2025 and pursue a future matchup against Ditcheva.
A veteran in Muay Thai, Dyer is just beginning her MMA career, and at her young age of 23-years old, PFL may have yet another great sensation from the kickboxing and Muay Thai scene.
It will be one step at a time for Dyer, but the fact that she has plans to take on one of PFL’s brightest young stars, it all begins in Newcastle.
Calf Kick Sports 