PFL scraps women's featherweight division, replaces it with women's flyweight

PFL CEO Peter Murray announced a change to the promotion's female weight class, which will coincide with five men's weight classes in 2024.

The women’s division featured in the PFL league season format has changed.

PFL CEO Peter Murray announced Wednesday at a news conference in Davie, Fla. the promotion will officially implement a women’s flyweight division instead of a women’s featherweight division during the 2024 PFL season. The shift in weight class was previously mentioned to be in consideration, but now appears to be locked in.

Women’s flyweight joins men’s divisions of featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight in the PFL league format, pending other changes.

While rosters for the 2024 league season have not yet been announced, Murray revealed approximately 50 percent will be comprised of athletes coming over from Bellator following the brand merger.

2023 PFL Europe winner Dakota Ditcheva (10-0) is the only confirmed member of the 2024 women’s flyweight season.

As for women’s featherweight stars Larissa Pacheco and Cris Cyborg, Murray said fans should expect to see those athletes compete in out-of-season events – potentially against one another.

The Bellator series of events will also maintain a women’s featherweight division.

“We have the opportunity to sort of expand our focus with women’s (divisions), and that was the goal,” Murray said.

The promotion will hold its first event of 2024 in a PFL vs. Bellator pay-per-view on Feb. 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card will feature a host of inter-promotional matchups, including four champion vs. champion fights.