Unbeaten former Hexagone champion Bafode Gassama makes his PFL debut against Coby Bradford, a light heavyweight bout added to PFL Lyon on Dec. 19, the PFL confirmed.
From 4 reports by 4 outletsLatest PFL announces Gassama vs. Bradford for PFL Lyon on Dec. 19 4 outlets
What we know
- The PFL added Gassama vs. Bradford to PFL Lyon on Saturday, Dec. 19, at LDLC Arena in Lyon-Décines, France.
Reported, not confirmed
- RMC Sport Combat reported Gassama's PFL signing and the Bradford matchup on Oct. 23, a day before the PFL's announcement. X: @RMCSportCombat
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The bout is at light heavyweight, which MiddleEasy says the PFL's artwork lists as 205 pounds.
MiddleEasy
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Taylor Lapilus and Mitch McKee headline PFL Lyon for the inaugural PFL bantamweight world championship.
MiddleEasy
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PFL Lyon is the last PFL event before shows move under the Most Valuable Promotions name on Jan. 1, 2027.
MiddleEasy
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RMC Sport is the French broadcaster of PFL Lyon and the ESPN app the U.S. outlet, according to the original event release.
MiddleEasy
A French champion with a clean record gets his first PFL fight at home, and he draws an opponent who already knows the promotion. Bafode Gassama, the former Hexagone light heavyweight titleholder, faces Coby Bradford at LDLC Arena in Lyon-Décines.
Gassama, 32, is listed by Hexagone at 4-0, with three knockout or TKO wins and one decision. He won the title by unanimous decision over Lajos Papp at Hexagone MMA 43 in Paris on April 11, his first five-round fight. Before that he beat Stéphane Coignon, Valik Potyrlyu and Moussa Ndiaye. He is also an amateur world championship runner-up and is based in the Paris region.
Bradford, an American, is listed on his PFL profile at 6-4 overall and 1-0 in the promotion. His last PFL fight ended by submission at 1:57 of the second round on July 26. That time inside the organization is the main edge he holds on paper, since Gassama has never fought in a PFL cage. Bradford is listed at six feet with a 75.5-inch reach, while Hexagone lists Gassama at 187 centimeters.
The fight is a supporting piece on a card headlined by Taylor Lapilus and Mitch McKee for the inaugural PFL bantamweight world championship. Lyon is also the final PFL event before shows move under the Most Valuable Promotions name following the companies' merger.
Where Gassama-Bradford sits on the card, early or main, has not been announced. The PFL lists the early card at and the main card at . Watch for the placement, and for how a home-country debutant handles a rival with a PFL win already behind him.
Gassama, 32, is listed by Hexagone at 4-0, with three knockout or TKO wins and one decision. He won the title by unanimous decision over Lajos Papp at Hexagone MMA 43 in Paris on April 11, his first five-round fight. Before that he beat Stéphane Coignon, Valik Potyrlyu and Moussa Ndiaye. He is also an amateur world championship runner-up and is based in the Paris region.
Bradford, an American, is listed on his PFL profile at 6-4 overall and 1-0 in the promotion. His last PFL fight ended by submission at 1:57 of the second round on July 26. That time inside the organization is the main edge he holds on paper, since Gassama has never fought in a PFL cage. Bradford is listed at six feet with a 75.5-inch reach, while Hexagone lists Gassama at 187 centimeters.
The fight is a supporting piece on a card headlined by Taylor Lapilus and Mitch McKee for the inaugural PFL bantamweight world championship. Lyon is also the final PFL event before shows move under the Most Valuable Promotions name following the companies' merger.
Where Gassama-Bradford sits on the card, early or main, has not been announced. The PFL lists the early card at and the main card at . Watch for the placement, and for how a home-country debutant handles a rival with a PFL win already behind him.
- Summary
- Unbeaten former Hexagone champion Bafode Gassama makes his PFL debut against Coby Bradford, a light heavyweight bout added to PFL Lyon on Dec. 19, the PFL confirmed.
- Key points (one per line)
- Bafode Gassama, former Hexagone light heavyweight champion, debuts in the PFL against Coby Bradford on Dec. 19 in Lyon.
RMC Sport Combat broke the signing on Oct. 23; the PFL confirmed the bout on Oct. 24.
Gassama is listed at 4-0; Bradford at 6-4 with a 1-0 PFL record.
Lyon is the last PFL event before the Most Valuable Promotions rebrand on Jan. 1, 2027.
- Official source URL
- https://x.com/PFLMMA/status/2114128315850354926
- Official source name
- PFL
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- X: @RMCSportCombat | https://x.com/RMCSportCombat/status/2113616442046513518
MiddleEasy | https://middleeasy.com/mma-news/bafode-gassama-coby-bradford-pfl-lyon-debut/
Sherdog | https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Unbeaten-French-champ-Bafode-Gassama-to-make-PFL-debut-in-Lyon-203358
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Sources
- PFL Official
- X: @RMCSportCombat
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MiddleEasy
- Sherdog
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