Rakim Cleveland Replaces Smealinho Rama on PFL Roster, Meets Viktor Nemkov on June 6

The Professional Fighters League light heavyweight division is already undergoing some changes ahead of its second full season.

Sherdog.com has learned from sources close to the situation that Rakim Cleveland will replace Smealinho Rama on the light heavyweight roster and will meet Viktor Nemkov at PFL 3 on June 6. A reason for Rama’s exit is currently unknown, but he is not expected to compete during the upcoming campaign.

The 29-year-old Cleveland competed for PFL last year, posting a 1-1 mark in the regular season before falling to eventual finalist Vinny Magalhaes via submission in the playoffs on Oct. 13. “The Boogeyman” owns a 19-11-1 record with one no contest over the course of a professional career that began in 2010.

A veteran of the M-1 Challenge promotion, Nemkov will make his promotional debut on June 6. The 32-year-old Russian owns a 28-7 career mark that includes triumphs over the likes of Ronny Markes, Attila Vegh and Gadzimhurad Antigulov.

PFL 3 takes place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, N.Y., and will feature a heavyweight showdown between last years’s champion, Philipe Lins and Satoshi Ishii. The main card will air on ESPN+.