PFL/Bellator

PFL Europe Newcastle: Debuting Savannah Marshall to headline at home

Boxing world champion switches codes to MMA, and will make her PFL debut in her home town.

by
Simon Head
April 23, 2024

PFL Europe

The full fight card has been announced for PFL Europe’s upcoming stop in Newcastle, England, with a returning hero set to play a starring role in the main event.

Women’s world champion boxer Savannah Marshall captured the super-middleweight titles under the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring banners, and is now ready to start her quest for championship glory in a second sport.

After her high-profile signing by the PFL, Newcastle’s Marshall will make her professional mixed martial arts debut in the main event of PFL Europe Newcastle, which takes place on June 8 at the Utilita Arena.

Marshall will take on Brazil’s Mirela Vargas, who is also early in her MMA career, and has one win and two defeats to her name. Marshall’s bout tops the card in Newcastle, ahead of a stacked lineup of bouts that will see a host of notable European names in action.

The co-main event also features a showcase bout, with lightweights Kane Mousah and Dylan Tuke set to face off in what should be an action-packed matchup at 155 pounds, while Jack Grant and Charlie Leary face off in an all-English welterweight season clash.

Another English contender, Dean Garnett, will look to progress at bantamweight when he takes on Ayton De Paepe, and flyweight starlet Shanelle Dyer kicks off her season against 9-2 Mariam Torchinava.

Further down the card, there’s a cracking bantamweight clash between Frans Mlambo and Luke Shanks, while last season’s PFL Europe bantamweight champ Khurshed Kakhorov begins the defense of his crown when he faces Georgia’s Bondo Kikadze in a tough opening test for the German champion.

The 2024 PFL Europe Season kicked off in Paris, with the second leg taking place in Newcastle on June 8. The playoffs will take place in Glasgow, Scotland on September 28 before the championship finale at an event to be announced in due course.