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UFC veteran Javid Basharat headlines 18-man PFL signing class as league expands international talent
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Sports/The Apex Times/Jun 24, 11:27 PM EDT

UFC veteran Javid Basharat headlines 18-man PFL signing class as league expands international talent

The Professional Fighters League announced the addition of 18 athletes across nine weight divisions, with UFC experience among the most notable newcomers.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Professional Fighters League has added 18 new fighters across nine weight classes, a roster expansion that includes UFC veterans Javid Basharat and Daniel Marcos. The announcement positions the PFL to keep building toward its seasonal title path while sharpening depth in divisions that feature both established contenders and younger international prospects.

Basharat, who earned his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series, is set to make the jump from the UFC to PFL. According to the PFL announcement reported by Yahoo Sports, Basharat previously went 4-2 with one no contest across seven Octagon appearances and last competed at UFC Fight Night 266 on Feb. 7, taking a unanimous verdict over Gianni Vazquez.

Marcos, another UFC veteran included among the league’s most notable additions, was also referenced in the same reporting as already having been covered as a PFL signing. The PFL described the overall group as spanning multiple countries, with the June announcement naming additions from 14 countries, underscoring the league’s emphasis on international recruiting and regional scouting.

PFL CEO John Martin framed the move as part of a broader strategy to keep the product competitive. In the league’s statement included in the report, Martin said the organization is “constantly growing and evolving” its roster and is intent on continuing to scout, build, and match elite fighters to determine who is best in the world.

What makes this kind of signing window significant is how it affects matchups inside a PFL season. The organization runs an ecosystem where new arrivals can influence who gets placed into title-leaning trajectories, reshape division depth, and create new stylistic matchups for fans who follow the sport across promotions.

For Basharat in particular, the transition is a shift in competitive pacing and tournament structure, as PFL’s format differs from the one-off challenges typical of UFC matchmaking. Fans will likely watch how quickly he establishes himself in his assigned weight-class picture and whether PFL can translate his recent UFC momentum into the kind of tournament consistency the promotion demands.

The full list of the 18 signees across nine divisions matters because it determines where PFL’s competitive bottlenecks will form. While the reporting highlights Basharat and Marcos as prominent additions, the league’s broader goal appears to be balancing UFC-tested talent with up-and-coming fighters, giving it options for future playoff and title-round matchups. The next step for fight fans is to see where each newcomer lands in PFL’s internal division plans and who they are matched against first.

Why It Matters

  • Roster depth is a direct driver of how PFL structures its season, particularly for who can credibly challenge for playoff and title-round positions.
  • Adding UFC-tested fighters like Basharat and Marcos can speed up the learning curve for PFL’s style of competition and increase the perceived competitiveness of matchups.
  • The emphasis on international additions from 14 countries highlights PFL’s recruiting strategy beyond traditional North American pipelines.
  • How quickly Basharat and other signees are slotted into their divisions will determine whether PFL accelerates contenders toward its title picture early in the cycle.

Sources

Key Facts

  • The PFL announced the addition of 18 athletes across nine weight divisions.
  • The additions include Javid Basharat, a UFC veteran who previously earned his UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
  • Basharat’s UFC record was reported as 4-2 with one no contest across seven Octagon appearances.
  • Basharat’s most recent UFC bout was reported as a Feb. 7 win via unanimous decision over Gianni Vazquez at UFC Fight Night 266.
  • The PFL announcement reported that the new class includes fighters from 14 countries.
  • Daniel Marcos was also cited in the reporting as one of the most notable UFC veterans among the signings.