Cross-Promotion MMA Bout Set for May
Ex-Bellator interim welterweight champion Logan Storley will face the 2024 PFL Europe champion in the main event on May 2 in Sioux Falls. The cross-promotion bout has drawn some criticism about mismatched cards, with fighters having limited ranked wins headlining events.
- Logan Storley's opponent is Florim Zendeli, who became the 2024 PFL Europe Welterweight Champion by submitting Daniele Miceli with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their championship bout. - The event in Sioux Falls marks a homecoming for Storley, a South Dakota native who has had seven of his professional fights in his home state, including his professional debut in 2015. - A four-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler for the University of Minnesota, Storley (18-4) is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Thad Jean in the 2025 PFL welterweight tournament finals. - Florim Zendeli (11-1-1) enters the bout on a seven-fight unbeaten streak and has won all four of his fights since joining the PFL promotion in 2024. - As of the fight announcement, Storley is ranked #4 in the PFL welterweight division, while Zendeli holds the #6 spot. - Historically, major MMA promotions have been hesitant to engage in cross-promotional events due to the risk of their star fighters losing to competitors from a rival organization, which can negatively impact a promotion's brand and narrative of having the world's best fighters.
