PFL Lightweight Division: Who Will Take That Next Step Forward?

The PFL lightweight division will be featured when the promotion returns later this month.

PFL 4 is set for June 17 in Atlanta from the Overtime Elite Arena. The main card airs live on ESPN and ESPN+ with three lightweight bouts featured.

Clay Collard meets Alexander Martinez, Raush Manfio battles Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Jeremy Stephens tackles Myles Price and Natan Schulte takes on Marcin Held.

At the moment, Anthony Pettis, Manfio, Collard and Martinez are in the driver’s seat as the Top-4 to advance to the playoffs. Pettis, who fights later this year, has six points, Manfio four and both Collard and Martinez three.

Aubin-Mercier is right on the outside looking in with three points.

Obviously, the winner of the Collard-Martinez bout should be in unless something crazy happens. That leaves three spots up for grabs.

Manfio is a former champion and should understand what is in front of him. The 30-year-old topped both Pettis and Collard last year before besting Loik Radzhabov for the title in the tournament final.

He has reeled off five consecutive wins since joining the PFL.

Aubin-Mercier, though, will not be an easy out. A former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter and UFC contender, OAM has picked up three consecutive wins, including a split decision over former champion Schulte earlier this year.

Stephens is also a long-time contender in the UFC who joined the ranks of the PFL. He lost his debut with the promotion to Collard in April.

Held has fought some of the top fighters in the world and spent the early portion of his career with Bellator.

All in all, the lightweight season is shaping up for quite the finish as the playoffs approach.