Matches to make after PFL Washington D.C.

The Professional Fighters League concluded the third event of its “Summer Series” after having a troublesome week that saw significant changes to the fight card. The Washington, D.C., event that took place on Saturday, July 25 saw Shamil Musaev withdraw from the welterweight title tilt just a couple of days before due to weight-cut complications. That opened the door for Ernesto Rodriguez, who stepped in to face 2025 PFL welterweight tournament champion Thad Jean for the vacant crown. Following the four-fight main card, four fighters have clear next opponents. Here are the matchups to make after PFL Washington D.C. Thad Jean vs. Shamil Musaev Jean (12-0) overcame adversity in the vacant title fight against Rodriguez (11-2) by earning a third-round TKO victory. After the bout, the new welterweight champion acknowledged that a contest with Musaev still needed to happen, as “Silverback” still had a chip on his shoulder after their matchup fell through this week. The tilt makes sense as the “Silent Assassin” was initially scheduled for the main event. If the league manages to put these welterweight titans together, it could be one of the best scraps to make across all divisions.Rafael Xavier vs. Sullivan Cauley Xavier (15-9) was absolutely ruthless in the co-main event against Pedro (10-7). Using a variety of kicking attacks to break down the Australian, "Kratos" closed the show early in the first round. Despite losing two consecutive fights, Cauley makes for an intriguing next opponent for the veteran. Both light heavyweight fighters’ last defeat came against Rasul Magomedov, and they are looking to cement their place in the division. This match needs to be made just to see which of them has more gas left in their tank. A lightweight title fight headlines PFL NY: Tune on Friday, July 31 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.Rasul Magomedov vs. Rob Wilkinson Although there were questions about his stamina and durability, Magomedov (10-0) extended his winning streak with a victory over Cauley (8-3). The Bahraini fighter is now looking for an opponent, and what’s better than facing the fifth-ranked light heavyweight Wilkinson? “Razor” too had an interesting last outing where he delivered a TKO to win over Abraham Bably. Seeing the current momentum, both these fighters can put together a classic MMA showdown.Eliezer Kubanza vs. Florim Zendeli Kubanza (9-1) kicked off the PFL DC main card with a bang. "King Kong" made Mixan (7-4) tap out in just 2:34 of Round 2. The Matadi-born must have certainly found himself ranked after his second win in the league. However, he must now be eyeing a climb up the ladder in the welterweight division, and Zendeli should be his next step. The Albanian is coming off a forgettable loss against Logan Storley. While he may want to regain momentum, the 28-year-old Congolese can cement his place among the contenders. Also, a fight between them could have significant implications for the division.