PFL Signs Olympic Wrestler Cynthia Vescan To Roster

The Professional Fighters League continues to add high-level athletes to the ever-growing roster, with the latest signing being that of Cynthia Vanessa Vescan.

A two-time Olympic wrestler, Vescan will make her mixed martial arts debut for the PFL, which returns in April on ESPN2 with PFL 1 featuring Anthony Pettis vs. Clay Collard. 

“My goal at the PFL is to be the best, compete for the one million dollar prize, and to continue making positive changes in my life,” Vescan said. “I still have things to do in sport! I am excited to make my debut in MMA with the Professional Fighters League.” 

Vescan, a 29-year-old, competed in both the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics in freestyle wrestling. She was 12th in 2012 in the heavyweight category and 16th four years later. 

In 2018, Vescan claimed bronze at the European Championships. 

From an early age, Vescan has focused on wrestling, following in the family footsteps. In 2015, she took a liking to MMA, as the Strasbourg native has focused her attention in recent months to that sport.

“I am excited to announce that the PFL has signed Cynthia Vescan, a two-time Olympic freestyle wrestler,” said Ray Sefo, President of PFL Fighter Operations. “Adding a fighter of Olympic caliber in Cynthia Vescan further elevates PFL’s  global reach and international expansion.”

The PFL roster currently includes former Olympic gold medalists Kayla Harrison and Claressa Shields. Harrison is a reigning champion while Shields is set to make her MMA debut later this year. 

PFL has added fighters Fabricio Werdum, Anthony Pettis and Rory MacDonald to a roster that includes the likes of Ray Cooper III, Lance Palmer and Natan Schulte.