Friday, September 26th; the date of a pivotal PFL Europe lightweight semifinal.
Aleksandr Chizov
1.76
1.91
Claudio Pacella
Latvia’s Aleksandrs “Pretty Boy” Čižovs will meet Italy’s Claudio Pacella at the Zenith Nantes Métropole, France, in PFL Europe 3. This card features both remaining lightweight semifinals: Pacella vs. Čižovs and Connor Hughes vs. Gino van Steenis. The winners advance to the tournament final later this year. All fighters earned their spots by quarterfinal wins and now stand one victory away from the PFL Europe title fight.
After going 1–2 in previous PFL Europe seasons (losing his opening-round fights in 2023 and 2024), Aleksandrs Čižovs (11–3) made his plans for this year very clear in Belfast. Čižovs floored Ewen with a left hook 1:33 into Round 1 and finished him by TKO, breaking his two-fight PFL skid. Because of this victory, he now stands one win away from becoming the first Latvian ever to reach a PFL Europe final.
Aleksandrs Čižovs celebrates after knocking out Scotland’s Mark Ewen in the first round of their PFL Europe quarterfinal on May 10th.
Claudio Pacella (6–2), Čižovs’ upcoming opponent, scored a unanimous decision over Gavin Hughes on May 10th to reach this PFL Europe semifinal. Pacella is a 10-year MMA veteran and a judo black belt who trains out of Dublin’s famed SBG gym. The Italian rebounded from a 2024 quarterfinal loss to win three of his next four fights, including decision wins over Mark Ewen and Oscar Ownsworth. Pacella handed Mark Ewen his first professional defeat last year.
PFL Europe 3 will be airing live on DAZN and the PFL app. The event’s main card contains two lightweight semifinals, as well as a bantamweight semifinal in the headliner.
In total, eight lightweights entered the tournament in May; with the quarterfinals complete, only four remain and each semifinal winner will reach the 2025 PFL Europe lightweight final for the championship belt, a PFL Europe title and a $100,000 prize for the tournament champion.
Aleksandr Chizov
1.76
1.91
Claudio Pacella
