Kicking off the main card, No. 9-ranked bantamweight and undefeated Lazaro “The Hunter” Dayron (9-0-1) of Cuba faces PFL newcomer Jacob Thrall (15-7-1) of Kansas. Dayron looks to extend his unbeaten run, while Thrall aims to make an immediate impact in his promotional debut.
Anchoring the preliminary card is a compelling bantamweight matchup featuring three-time NCAA Division I All-American Bryce Meredith (7-1), who holds a 71% finish rate. Meredith returns to action following the first loss of his professional career, a setback to Lazaro Dayron last August, and looks to rebound against England’s well-rounded Jack Cartwright (13-2), a former Cage Warriors Bantamweight Champion coming off a unanimous decision victory over Caolan Loughran.
A pivotal lightweight bout will also take place as No. 6-ranked and two-time PFL Lightweight Champion Natan Schulte (25-5-1) returns to the PFL Cage for the first time in three years. Schulte looks to reassert himself against No. 5-ranked and undefeated Jakub Kaszuba (15-0), the two-time PFL Europe Lightweight Champion. Kaszuba enters riding the momentum of a unanimous decision win over Sergio Cossio last August.
Opening the night, featherweights collide as Pennsylvania’s Ethan Goss (12-8) meets Canada’s Fred Dupras (9-2). Goss, one of the state’s most accomplished regional standouts, is the first and only double champion in 247 Fighting Championships history, holding both the featherweight and lightweight titles simultaneously. Dupras, a jiu-jitsu standout, owns a 100% submission rate across all nine of his victories, including seven first-round finishes.
Additional bouts include No. 9-ranked Masayuki Kikuiri (11-3-1) versus Ernesto Rodriguez (10-1) at welterweight, Robert Watley (16-3) against Dakota Bush (15-4) at lightweight, and an undefeated women’s flyweight clash between Tatiana Postarnakova (6-0) and Elora Dana (8-1). At middleweight, Jarrah Al-Silawi (21-7) faces Josh Fremd (11-6).
The main card airs live in the U.S. on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT. The preliminary card begins at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT on the ESPN App.
Updated PFL Pittsburgh Main Card:
UPMC Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
March 28 | 10 pm ET
ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes (US)
Middleweight Main Event: #1-Johnny Eblen (16-1) vs. #7-Bryan Battle (12-2, 1 NC)
Middleweight Co-Main Event: #5-Dalton Rosta (11-2) vs. #3-Impa Kasanganay (19-6)
Women’s Flyweight Main Card Bout: #8-Ariane Lipski da Silva (17-11) vs. #4-Sumiko Inaba (8-2)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: #8-Alexei Pergande (7-0) vs. #9-Julio Arce (21-6)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: #9-Lazaro Dayron (9-0-1) vs. Jacob Thrall (15-7-1)
PFL Pittsburgh Prelims:
March 28 | 7 pm ET
ESPN App & ESPN Deportes (US)
Bantamweight Bout: Bryce Meredith (7-1) vs. Jack Cartwright (13-2)
Lightweight Bout: #6-Natan Schulte (25-5-1) vs. #5-Jakub Kaszuba (15-0)
Lightweight Bout: Robert Watley (16-3) vs. Dakota Bush (15-4)
Welterweight Bout: Ernesto Rodriguez (10-1) vs. #9-Masayuki Kikuiri (11-3-1)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Tatiana Postarnakova (6-0) vs. Elora Dana (8-1)
Middleweight Bout: Josh Fremd (11-6) vs. Jarrah Al Salawi (21-7)
Featherweight Bout: Ethan Goss (12-8) vs. Fred Dupras (9-2)