Australian MMA star Tyson Pedro will look to secure his first victory in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) when he takes on Brazil’s Rafael Xavier in Washington, D.C., on July 26 (AEST).
The PFL announced on Thursday that Pedro (10-6) will face fellow knockout specialist Xavier (14-9) in a light heavyweight bout on the card headlined by Thad Jean versus Shamil Musaev.
The former UFC contender returned to MMA in April following a short stint in professional boxing. In his PFL debut in Belfast, Pedro dropped Turkmen fighter Dovlet Yagshimuradov several times, but Yagshimuradov weathered the storm and earned a unanimous decision victory.
Reflecting on the gruelling contest, Pedro shared photos of his injuries on Instagram and praised his opponent’s power.
“Everyone talking about UFC. This guy punched me harder than I’ve ever been punched,” Pedro wrote.
“Made me love fighting again though. I love getting punched in the face. Who’s next?”
Now Pedro has his answer with a high-stakes showdown against Xavier offering him the chance to claim his first PFL win and re-establish his momentum in the promotion.