Renan Ferreira Blasts ‘Shady’ PFL Matchmaking After Not Getting Fabricio Werdum Rematch

Renan Ferreira is not happy with Professional Fighters League’s recent matchmaking decisions.

Ferreira’s first promotional appearance ended in controversy when he defeated Fabricio Werdum via technical knockout 2:32 into the opening round at PFL 3 after briefly appearing to tap out to a triangle choke from “Vai Cavalo.”

The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board ultimately overturned Ferreira’s victory to a no contest after an extensive review of the bout. As a result, both Ferreira and Werdum received one point in the PFL’s regular season standings. The promotion recently announced the heavyweight matchups for PFL 6, which is the organization’s last regular season event before the playoffs, and Ferreira was booked against 2019 champion Ali Isaev instead of getting a desired rematch with Werdum, who is instead facing Brandon Sayles on the June 25 card.

Ferreira ripped the PFL’s practices in a press release on Tuesday.

“All this is very shady,” Ferreira said. “Ray Sefo told my management team that the Werdum rematch was the fight that made sense to do next. PFL had social media posts asking people if they wanted to see it and they said yes. Now we find out on social media I’m facing the last champion while Werdum faces Sayles.”

“I find it interesting how all this is happening,” he continued. “First we have them interviewing Werdum after our fight but they didn’t interview me. They only showed the replay in slow motion that made it seem I tapped. After that, the Commission changed the result of our fight over the weekend in a decision so fast a lot of people have questioned their procedure.”

A former UFC champion, Werdum is among the PFL’s biggest free-agent signings. In the release, Ferreira questions the promotion’s matchmaking after Werdum received what he believes is an easier road to the playoffs.

“What’s their criteria? We have no idea how the matchmaking works here but some things look kind of fishy,” Ferreira said. “Isaev is a very good fighter, and I knew we would cross paths eventually. I’ll be ready for him and I’m gonna go in there to finish him so I move on in the tournament.

“They won’t be able to protect Werdum forever. I would be embarrassed to be in his place after all the shit he said after our fight. I’d be calling PFL to make the rematch happen. But he knows he’d get finished again, he doesn’t want anything to do with me.”