THE REF by Glass Jaw

PFL Heavyweight Championship

🇺🇸Professional Fighters League. The old World Series of Fighting, rebuilt in 2017 as a league with seasons, playoffs and $1 million prizes. It bought Bellator in 2023 and crowns one world champion per division. In July 2026 it merged with Jake Paul's MVP and is becoming MVP MMA.

EST. DEC 31, 2018 · 8 REIGNS · 8 TITLE FIGHTS · 8 CHAMPIONS

From 2018 to 2024 PFL ran seasons: regular season points, playoffs, and a final, with the title and $1 million to the winner. There was no 2020 season.

Season champions did not defend. The next season crowned a new champion, so every reign before 2025 ends when the next final was fought.

In 2025 PFL ran a single elimination World Tournament. On September 24, 2025 new CEO John Martin announced one champion per division, and Vadim Nemkov won the first single heavyweight title in December 2025.

Separate belt: PFL made Francis Ngannou its Super Fights heavyweight champion on October 19, 2024. He never defended it and PFL released him on March 6, 2026.

CHAMPION NOW · NO. 8🇷🇺Vadim NemkovREIGNING SINCE DEC 13, 2025 · 9 MOS0 DEFENSESWON THE VACANT BELT OVER Renan Ferreira AT PFL Lyon: Nemkov vs. FerreiraROLL OF CHAMPIONS ▶
MOST DEFENSESNONE YET
MOST REIGNS1Nobody has won it twice
LONGEST REIGN1 YR 9 MOSAli IsaevNO. 2SHORTEST REIGN3 MOSOleg PopovNO. 7

ROLL OF CHAMPIONS

8 REIGNS · 8 TITLE FIGHTS · SINCE DEC 31, 2018

Newest first. Nobody has defended this belt. Open a reign for how it was won and lost.

NO.NO. 8CHAMPION🇷🇺Vadim NemkovWONDEC 13, 2025TOOK IT FROMRenan Ferreira (VACANT BELT)HOWSUB R1 4:00DEFENSES0HELD9 MOSENDEDREIGNING

HOW IT STARTED · DEC 13, 2025

WON THE VACANT BELT OVER Renan FerreiraPFL Lyon: Nemkov vs. FerreiraPFLDEC 13, 2025SUB (arm-triangle choke) · R1 4:00

Décines-Charpieu, France

For the first single PFL heavyweight world title.

REIGNING

Still the champion. The reign goes on.

  • Former Bellator light heavyweight champion.
  • Booked to defend against Sergei Bilostenniy at PFL Dubai on November 14, 2026.

SOURCES: en.wikipedia.org, sherdog.com

BELT VACANT · DEC 13, 2025Tournament title, never defended. On September 24, 2025 PFL switched to one world champion per division, and Vadim Nemkov won the first one.
NO.NO. 7CHAMPION🇷🇺Oleg PopovWONAUG 21, 2025TOOK IT FROMAlexander Romanov (VACANT BELT)HOWDEC (split)DEFENSES0HELD3 MOSENDEDVACATED

HOW IT STARTED · AUG 21, 2025

WON THE VACANT BELT OVER Alexander RomanovPFL 10: 2025 PFL World Tournament FinalsPFLAUG 21, 2025DEC (split)

Hollywood, Florida, USA

Final of the 2025 single elimination World Tournament.

HOW IT ENDED · DEC 13, 2025

VACATED.

  • Lost the 2024 final to Goltsov, then won the 2025 tournament.

SOURCES: en.wikipedia.org, sherdog.com

BELT VACANT · AUG 21, 2025Season title, never defended. PFL replaced the season with a World Tournament, which Oleg Popov won.
NO.NO. 6CHAMPION🇷🇺Denis GoltsovWONNOV 29, 2024TOOK IT FROMOleg Popov (VACANT BELT)HOWSUB R1 2:55DEFENSES0HELD8 MOSENDEDVACATED

HOW IT STARTED · NOV 29, 2024

WON THE VACANT BELT OVER Oleg PopovPFL 10: 2024 PFL World ChampionshipPFLNOV 29, 2024SUB (triangle choke (technical submission)) · R1 2:55

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

2024 season final.

HOW IT ENDED · AUG 21, 2025

VACATED.

  • Lost the 2023 final, won the 2024 final.

SOURCES: en.wikipedia.org, sherdog.com

BELT VACANT · NOV 29, 2024Season title, never defended. Denis Goltsov won the 2024 season.
NO.NO. 5CHAMPION🇧🇷Renan Ferreira"Problema"WONNOV 24, 2023TOOK IT FROMDenis Goltsov (VACANT BELT)HOWTKO R2 0:26DEFENSES0HELD1 YRENDEDVACATED

HOW IT STARTED · NOV 24, 2023

WON THE VACANT BELT OVER Denis GoltsovPFL 10: 2023 PFL World ChampionshipPFLNOV 24, 2023TKO (punches) · R2 0:26

Washington, D.C., USA

2023 season final.

HOW IT ENDED · NOV 29, 2024

VACATED.

  • Knocked out Bellator champion Ryan Bader in 21 seconds in a non-title champion versus champion bout in February 2024.
  • Lost to Francis Ngannou for the PFL Super Fights heavyweight belt in October 2024.

SOURCES: en.wikipedia.org, sherdog.com

BELT VACANT · NOV 24, 2023Season title, never defended. Renan Ferreira won the 2023 season.
NO.NO. 4CHAMPION🇭🇷Ante DelijaWONNOV 25, 2022TOOK IT FROMMatheus Scheffel (VACANT BELT)HOWTKO R1 2:50DEFENSES0HELD11 MOSENDEDVACATED

HOW IT STARTED · NOV 25, 2022

WON THE VACANT BELT OVER Matheus ScheffelPFL 10: 2022 PFL ChampionshipPFLNOV 25, 2022TKO (punches) · R1 2:50

New York City, New York, USA

2022 season final.

HOW IT ENDED · NOV 24, 2023

VACATED.

SOURCES: en.wikipedia.org, sherdog.com

BELT VACANT · NOV 25, 2022Season title, never defended. Ante Delija won the 2022 season.
NO.NO. 3CHAMPION🇧🇷Bruno CappelozzaWONOCT 27, 2021TOOK IT FROMAnte Delija (VACANT BELT)HOWDEC (unanimous)DEFENSES0HELD1 YRENDEDVACATED

HOW IT STARTED · OCT 27, 2021

WON THE VACANT BELT OVER Ante DelijaPFL 10: 2021 PFL ChampionshipPFLOCT 27, 2021DEC (unanimous)

Hollywood, Florida, USA

2021 season final.

HOW IT ENDED · NOV 25, 2022

VACATED.

  • Beat Delija in the final. Delija won it the next year.

SOURCES: en.wikipedia.org, sherdog.com

BELT VACANT · OCT 27, 2021Season title, never defended. PFL skipped 2020 because of COVID-19, and Bruno Cappelozza won the 2021 season.
NO.NO. 2CHAMPION🇷🇺Ali IsaevWONDEC 31, 2019TOOK IT FROMJared Rosholt (VACANT BELT)HOWTKO R4 4:09DEFENSES0HELD1 YR 9 MOSENDEDVACATED

HOW IT STARTED · DEC 31, 2019

WON THE VACANT BELT OVER Jared RosholtPFL 10: 2019 PFL ChampionshipPFLDEC 31, 2019TKO (punches) · R4 4:09

New York City, New York, USA

2019 season final.

HOW IT ENDED · OCT 27, 2021

VACATED.

SOURCES: en.wikipedia.org, sherdog.com

BELT VACANT · DEC 31, 2019Season title, never defended. Ali Isaev won the 2019 season.
NO.NO. 1CHAMPION🇧🇷Philipe LinsWONDEC 31, 2018TOOK IT FROMJosh Copeland (NEW BELT)HOWTKO R4 0:30DEFENSES0HELD1 YRENDEDVACATED

HOW IT STARTED · DEC 31, 2018

WON THE NEW BELT OVER Josh CopelandPFL 11: 2018 PFL ChampionshipPFLDEC 31, 2018TKO (knees and punches) · R4 0:30

New York City, New York, USA

2018 season final.

HOW IT ENDED · DEC 31, 2019

VACATED.

  • The first PFL heavyweight champion.

SOURCES: en.wikipedia.org, sherdog.com

WHERE THE BELT WENT

The belt is still in play. The PFL is becoming MVP MMA.

On July 30, 2026 the PFL and Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions announced a merger under the MVP name. PFL CEO John Martin was named to run the combined company, then stepped down on September 22, 2026 and handed it to MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. The PFL brand is becoming MVP MMA over the months that follow.

Follow the belt through the line ▶

SOURCES

SHOW ALL 26 SOURCES
  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Professional_Fighters_League_champions
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Fighters_League
  3. https://www.mmamania.com/professional-fighters-league-pfl/391409/pfl-cleans-up-confounding-championship-system-one-champion-one-division
  4. https://pflmma.com/news/heavyweight-gold-on-the-line-as-vadim-nemkov-defends-his-pfl-world-title-against-sergei-bilostenniy-at-pfl-dubai
  5. https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/PFL-announces-release-of-former-heavyweight-king-Francis-Ngannou-200351
  6. https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/49488415/jake-paul-mvp-pfl-team-landmark-combat-sports-merger
  7. https://www.postwrestling.com/2026/07/30/jake-pauls-most-valuable-promotions-and-pfl-announce-merger/
  8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_Daytona
  9. https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/WSOF-to-Become-Professional-Fighters-League-in-2018-Under-New-Ownership-Group-120269
  10. https://pflmma.com/
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_11_(2018)
  12. https://www.sherdog.com/events/Professional-Fighters-League-2018-Season-PFL-Championships-67151
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_10_(2019)
  14. https://www.sherdog.com/events/Professional-Fighters-League-2019-Season-PFL-Championships-81859
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_10_(2021)
  16. https://www.sherdog.com/events/Professional-Fighters-League-2021-Season-PFL-Championships-90187
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_10_(2022)
  18. https://www.sherdog.com/events/Professional-Fighters-League-2022-Season-PFL-Championships-94333
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_10_(2023)
  20. https://www.sherdog.com/events/Professional-Fighters-League-2023-Season-PFL-Championships-98844
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_10_(2024)
  22. https://www.sherdog.com/events/Professional-Fighters-League-2024-Season-PFL-Championships-PFL-MENA-2024-Finals-105106
  23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_10_(2025)
  24. https://www.sherdog.com/events/Professional-Fighters-League-2025-PFL-World-Tournament-10-Finals-106675
  25. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFL_Lyon:_Nemkov_vs._Ferreira
  26. https://www.sherdog.com/events/Professional-Fighters-League-PFL-Lyon-Europe-2025-Finals-108115

EVERY BELT IN THE DIVISION