PFL DC title fight reshuffled after Musaev weight cut issue

The PFL welterweight title fight scheduled for Saturday in Washington has been overhauled after Shamil Musaev withdrew due to weight cut complications, MMA Junkie first reported Thursday.

Ernesto Rodriguez will replace the Russian on short notice to face Thad Jean for the vacant strap at CareFirst Arena. Rodriguez, who was originally slated to meet Aaron McKenzie lower on the card, broke the news on social media Wednesday night before the promotion made it official. Jean confirmed the new matchup on Instagram Stories shortly after.

Multiple PFL DC scratches force card reshuffle

The Musaev pullout caps a brutal fight week for the promotion. Magomed Umalatov, Jack Cartwright, Denis Goltsov, Bruno Cappelozza and Mando Gutierrez were all pulled from the card at various points, with Cappelozza reportedly encountering visa issues. The heavyweight bout between Cappelozza and Valentin Moldavsky has been pushed to PFL Charlotte in August. Eight fights remain on the current lineup, though the promotion has not ruled out late additions.

Jean was set to become the first U.S.-born PFL champion outside the seasonal tournament format. The unbeaten welterweight won the final PFL tournament in 2025, stopping Mukhamed Berkhamov before outpointing Jason Jackson and Logan Storley to claim $500,000 and a title shot. Rodriguez earned his spot with a majority decision over Masayuki Kikuiri in March, though observers felt he dropped a 10-8 third round in a close fight.

PFL DC goes down Saturday, July 25, with prelims at 8 p.m. ET on the ESPN app and the main card at 10 p.m. ET.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — PFL DC event, title tilt restructured after multiple fight-week scratches