6 fights we want to see in light of PFL-Bellator deal

There are many ways to look at the PFL's acquisition of Bellator. Does it make the PFL a viable No. 2 option for MMA fighters - at least in the United States - alongside the UFC? What does this mean for the Bellator brand? Is the deal good or bad for MMA? How monumental is it?

To be honest, we won't know the answers to these questions for years.

However, one thing is immediately certain: The PFL has a lot more talent at its disposal than it did 48 hours ago. The promotion absorbed Bellator's entire roster, so the likes of Usman Nurmagomedov, Vadim Nemkov, Patricio "Pitbull" Freire, Cris Cyborg, and many more are now under the same umbrella as PFL fighters. This means a lot of fresh - and exciting - matchups can be made in 2024 and beyond.

It remains to be seen exactly how Bellator fighters will be utilized in their new home. According to PFL chairman Donn Davis, some will fight in the new "Bellator International Champions Series," while others will join the PFL season format.

Without giving much thought as to who will be where - because we just don't know - here are six of the most compelling potential matchups between PFL and Bellator fighters.

Kayla Harrison vs. Cris Cyborg

We've dreamed of this bout for years, and now, with Harrison and Cyborg doing business under the same roof, it's closer than ever before to being a viable matchup.

Harrison is the two-time PFL women's lightweight champion, and Cyborg is the reigning Bellator women's featherweight champ. They are two of the best fighters in women's MMA right now - and, with Amanda Nunes' retirement, this is the biggest fight in women's MMA. Of course, it would've been more marketable before Harrison suffered her first career loss to Larissa Pacheco in the 2022 PFL finals. But it's still big, and it's a tough test for each of them.

Harrison, who's scheduled to return to action at the 2023 PFL Championship on Friday, needs to get past former UFC fighter Aspen Ladd first. But if she bounces back with the kind of dominant performance we've come to expect from the Olympic gold medalist, a fight against Cyborg would do huge business in 2024.

Larissa Pacheco vs. Cris Cyborg

There's a lot of history behind Harrison-Cyborg. It feels like a real superfight and the matchup we need to see. However, booking Cyborg against the woman who beat Harrison last year - reigning PFL champ Pacheco - might be just as intriguing, if not more.

Pacheco is looking to repeat as PFL champ this weekend in Washington - this time in the promotion's new featherweight division. The 29-year-old bulldozed her competition to reach the final, dominating former Bellator champ Julia Budd and then knocking out Amber Leibrock and Olena Kolesnyk in a combined 59 seconds. With Harrison sitting out of the PFL season this year, Pacheco has become the new boogeywoman and only looks to be improving.

In a way, she's the new Cyborg - the woman who is one step ahead of her competition and hits like a truck. That was Cyborg during her Invicta FC days. The thought of pairing Pacheco up with an all-timer in women's MMA gets the blood flowing.

Francis Ngannou vs. Vadim Nemkov

OK, to be clear, this isn't the No. 1 fight we want to see for Ngannou. Ideally, the former UFC heavyweight champion's next appearance will come inside the boxing ring, potentially against Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua.

However, Ngannou is almost guaranteed to make his PFL debut at some point in 2024. And let's be real: Friday's heavyweight title fight between Renan Ferreira and Denis Goltsov just isn't exciting enough to make fans clamor to see the winner square off against the baddest man on the planet.

Enter Nemkov, the Bellator light heavyweight champion. Nemkov is, arguably, the top 205-pound fighter in the world and has expressed interest in competing at heavyweight moving forward (he holds a win over Bellator heavyweight champ Ryan Bader). This is the most competitive MMA fight available for Ngannou if we're just going by the PFL roster. Nemkov would be undersized, but his technical striking ability and movement would make the fight at least somewhat sellable.

Derek Brunson vs. Gegard Mousasi

How about a couple of longtime UFC middleweight contenders meeting in the PFL SmartCage?

Brunson parted ways with the UFC to sign with the PFL just two months ago and is scheduled to make his debut against Ray Cooper III on Friday. Meanwhile, Mousasi enjoyed two reigns as Bellator middleweight champion after leaving the UFC in 2017.

Brunson plans to compete in the light heavyweight season in 2024 - the middleweight bout against Cooper is a one-off - but the PFL should still find a way to make this fight happen. Though Brunson and Mousasi are both past their prime, they're two of the most recognizable names in the promotion.

Brendan Loughnane vs. Aaron Pico

Loughnane, the 2022 PFL featherweight champ, is coming off a loss and missed this year's playoffs. A matchup against Pico, the winner of eight of his last nine fights, might not immediately make sense. But boy, would it be fun. Loughnane uses a high volume of punches and kicks to pick apart his opponents on the feet. Pico, on the other hand, is good everywhere - he has devastating knockout power but has gone back to his wrestling roots in recent Bellator appearances.

Pico burst onto the MMA scene in 2017 as one of the most hyped prospects ever. There have been ups and downs, but the 27-year-old has come into his own in the last two years and finally seems ready for a championship opportunity. Loughnane-Pico could easily be a playoff bout in 2024.

Shane Burgos vs. AJ McKee

Olivier Aubin-Mercier - the 2022 PFL lightweight champ and 2023 finalist - is teasing retirement after his upcoming title fight, which could pave the way for AJ McKee to make some waves in next year's tournament.

McKee, the former Bellator featherweight champion, is 3-0 since moving up to 155 pounds. Shane Burgos would be a great opponent for his PFL debut. Burgos left the UFC in 2022 and is one of the PFL's major free-agent signings. A fight between them would be action-packed, competitive, and potentially very important with regard to the standings of the PFL lightweight division.