UFC veteran Marc Diakiese signs exclusive contract with PFL

Marc Diakiese’s days with the UFC have come to an end, and has landed a new deal with the PFL.

After debuting in the UFC in 2016 and fighting 15 times with the promotion, Diakiese (17-7) will continue his pro career under a new banner. The England-based fighter is expected to compete once in 2024, and then enter the 2025 PFL regular season to compete for a $1 million championship prize. The promotion announced Diakiese’s signing during the 2024 PFL Europe 2 event in Newcastle, England.

“I am proud to call PFL my new home, and I can’t wait to get started,” Diakiese said in a press release. “I plan to debut in the SmartCage later this year to announce my arrival to the roster, and then I will enter the regular season where I’m coming for that one million dollar prize money.”

Busting onto the UFC scene with a second-round knockout in his debut, Diakiese, 31, turned a lot of heads as an exciting prospect. He would go on to experience mixed results after winning his first three UFC bouts, exiting the promotion with an 8-7 record. His last appearance was a split decision victory over Kaue Fernandes at UFC Fight Night 231 in November.

Now, “Bonecrusher” looks forward to taking on 155-pound competition under the PFL banner.

“I back myself at Lightweight, and I’m coming for everyone,” Diakiese said. “This weight class is mine for the taking, and I feel the PFL Championship has my name all over it in 2025.”

Diakiese will be keeping a close eye on competitors in the 2024 tournament, which includes current playoff qualifiers Michael Dufort, Clay Collard, Brent Primus and Elvin Espinoza. Fighters still in the playoff hunt include Gadzhi Rabadanov, Solomon Renfro, Adam Piccolotti, Bruno Miranda, Patricky Freire, and Mads Burnell.