Emiliano Sordi is set to make his return to the PFL Smart Cage at PFL Sioux Falls on May 2nd, where he will face Simeon Powell in a light heavyweight bout. The former PFL champion has been away from the promotion for nearly five years, competing in other organizations such as Karate Combat and Gamebred Bare Knuckle MMA.
Reflecting on his comeback to the PFL after almost four years, Sordi expressed his contentment and a renewed sense of self. “I’m feeling my home now in PFL and I’m so happy there,” he stated. “But now 100% I’m a different fighter because it’s like I’m a new version, you know? I’m a 2.0 here and now I come with new energy, more experience because I lost a lot of fights after my PFL season before. So that’s it. I’m excited to get back and put on a show on May second.”
Sordi boasts an impressive PFL legacy, having been crowned the 2019 PFL light heavyweight champion and achieving the most dominant season in the promotion’s history. When asked about the prospect of adding to his PFL achievements, Sordi conveyed his ambition: “Yeah, I want to try to repeat exactly the same, but now it’s not a tournament, but I’m the same fighter, same style. I have to put all my powers on my punches, try to finish the fight quick, put on a show for the people, and make everyone happy.”
Discussing the PFL’s evolution, including its shift away from the tournament format, Sordi shared his perspective. “Now it’s different because when I won the tournament was; that’s the first, no second tournament,” he explained. “When I won in ’19 was different. We did five fights in six months. In one night, we fought two times, but now it’s different. It’s fight to fight. To be honest, I don’t know how they pick the fights but I’m going to try to get the belt quickly. That’s the goal for me. Tournament or no tournament, it’s about trying to get the title very quickly.”
Emiliano Sordi anticipates his bout at PFL Sioux Falls will be his “best fight”
Looking ahead to his upcoming fight, Sordi offered his assessment of his opponent, Simeon Powell. “I think he’s a real fighter, too. He fought with good guys before on PFL in Europe. He fought with ‘Shoe Face’ in his last fight. He has a spring fight, too. So I think he’s a real fighter. He’s a good fighter, in my opinion. He’s a very good striker. He has ground game too. He always shows up in good condition. He’s in shape. So I think the best fight on May 2nd is going to be our fight, 100%.”