Emiliano Sordi may have been gone for a while, but he was not forgotten. The one-time Professional Fighters League tournament winner will return to the promotion for the first time since 2022 when he meets Simeon Powell in a PFL Sioux Falls light heavyweight showcase on Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon in South Dakota. Sordi went 7-4-1 during his first run with the company, which included a five-fight winning streak and million-dollar tournament win in 2019. He comes back to the organization, which has shifted from a tournament-based format to a more traditional rankings system, on the heels of three straight victories. “I’m super excited to be back,” Sordi told Sherdog.com. “There is a new format, but it’s the same exact sport and the same exact cage. My job is to just go in there and fight. I don’t care about whether there’s a tournament or no tournament. I love to fight. I’m so excited to be back inside the PFL.”A world class welterweight clash headlines PFL Sioux Falls: Tune in Saturday, May 2 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. During his time away from the PFL, Sordi competed in the Fusion Fighting Championship, Xtreme Fighting Championships and Fight Nation Championship promotions. He also made a one-fight appearance in Karate Combat. “I love to fight, and I don’t just love to fight, I need to fight,” Sordi said. “I’m not doing this only for money or to be popular. I love to fight, and right now, I get a chance to fight in one of the biggest shows in the world. In my opinion, PFL is one of the biggest shows in the world. I’m so happy now to be back at home with this promotion.” Sordi has fought professionally for almost two decades. He carries a 27-13-1 record into his showdown with Powell, having secured 25 of those 27 wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission. “This is what I’ve done for the last 20 years of my life,” Sordi said. “It’s like if you have a soccer player. You get the ball, what are you going to do? Exactly the same with me. This is what I do, two or three times a day. I’m training two or three times a day. I really just love to fight. I enjoy the moment of the fight. I enjoy the entire fight week, fight night [and] before and after the fight, as well. When I’m at my best, I’m fighting, so I want to keep fighting.”
Powell poses many physical and technical challenges. The Englishman stands 6-foot-4—two inches taller than Sordi—and fights behind 85 inches in reach, giving him an eight-inch advantage. Sordi sees it as a litmus test for where he stands with the company in 2026. “That’s the perfect fight for me because he’s a classic type of guy who comes ready to fight, just like me, so there’s going to be an explosion right in the middle of the SmartCage,” he said. “It’s going to be a great fight for him, a great fight for me and even more of a great fight for the fans. For the fans who really love MMA, it’s going to be a great fight. I don’t care that he’s a younger challenger. I’ve trained with young guys in the gym. I don’t feel a difference. I’m feeling great in my body. I have all the experience, and I’m feeling in great shape, so it’s going to be hard for him.” Those in attendance should know what to expect using a cursory glance at Sordi’s past history. He has only gone the distance five times in his 41-fight career. “You can see my fights,” Sordi said. “Look at my resume. My fights never finish by decision. I’m going to go in there and try to finish the fight in the opening minutes, not even minutes, in the opening seconds. When the referee asks if I’m ready, I’m going to be trying to finish the fight.”