PFL Washington D.C. loses one half of main event, replacement stepping into title fight

The PFL's Washington D.C. card on Saturday has been reshuffled at the last minute after welterweight title challenger Shamil Musaev was forced off the event. PFL officials confirmed the withdrawal on Thursday with no details released on the reason. In his place, 11-1 prospect Ernesto Rodriguez will step up from the undercard to face undefeated champion Thad Jean for the welterweight title in the main event.

Jean, who runs an 11-0 record, earned his title shot by winning the 2025 welterweight tournament and now seeks to cap that run with championship gold. The matchup will serve as his first title defence, while Rodriguez gets an unexpected opportunity to derail the undefeated fighter's momentum.

Last-minute fighter withdrawals during fight week are not uncommon in combat sports. The UFC experienced a similar scenario when lightweight champion Islam Makhachev was forced to switch opponents in 2025 after Arman Tsarukyan suffered an injury, leading to Renato Moicano stepping in on short notice. Even Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev's coach and mentor, faced a comparable situation when he took on Al Iaquinta on late notice after his original opponent Tony Ferguson became unavailable.

The PFL Washington D.C. main card begins at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, with the Jean versus Rodriguez welterweight title bout now headlining the evening.