Former Bellator champion Sergio Pettis will face undefeated contender Mitch McKee in a bantamweight main event at PFL Chicago on April 11 from Wintrust Arena. The winner will move directly into title contention for the promotion’s still-vacant 135-pound championship.
PFL CEO John Martin confirmed the matchup on Thursday, calling it “a divisional inflection point” for the bantamweight division. Pettis currently sits atop PFL’s bantamweight rankings, while McKee brings a perfect 10-0 record into the biggest fight of his career.
Pettis Riding Momentum After Highlight-Reel KO
Pettis (25-7) enters on a two-fight win streak in 2025, including a Knockout of the Year contender over Magomed Magomedov at PFL Dubai in October. The former Bellator bantamweight champion was being dominated on the scorecards before uncorking a devastating spinning back elbow that flatlined Magomedov in the second round.
Prior to that, Pettis defeated former teammate and ex-Bellator interim champion Raufeon Stots by decision at PFL Chicago in June 2025. Pettis has previously expressed ambitions to capture PFL gold and pursue a Rizin title in 2026.
McKee: Undefeated Prospect Making the Leap
McKee (10-0) is a former University of Minnesota wrestling All-American who turned pro in MMA in 2021. The 28-year-old Minnesota native trains at Kill Cliff FC in South Florida and boasts six knockouts in his 10 career victories. He was most recently seen headlining LFA 217 in September 2025, where he scored another knockout win.
This represents a significant step up in competition for McKee, who has primarily competed in LFA throughout his professional career. A win over the PFL’s top-ranked bantamweight would immediately establish him as a legitimate title contender.
Newman vs. Silveira in Middleweight Co-Main
The PFL also announced a middleweight co-main event between undefeated prospect Jordan Newman (8-0) and veteran Josh Silveira (15-5). Newman, who fights out of Roufusport in Milwaukee, competed in the 2025 PFL World Tournament, while Silveira is a former 2023 PFL light heavyweight finalist who has transitioned to middleweight.
The PFL’s bantamweight, featherweight, and women’s flyweight world championships all remain vacant as the promotion continues building its divisional hierarchies. With the winner of Pettis vs. McKee heading straight into championship contention, PFL Chicago could prove pivotal in determining when and how the 135-pound title picture takes shape.