Injuries force two PFL Austin card changes as Pettis and Marroquin withdraw

Two late injury withdrawals have reshaped the PFL Austin card ahead of the July 18 event at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, with Sergio Pettis and Levy Saul Marroquin both ruled out.

Pettis’ exit from the co-main event has brought in Rafael do Nascimento, who will now face 2024 PFL Europe bantamweight champion Lewis McGrillene-Evans. Separately, Marroquin’s removal from the card means Joey Ruquet steps in to meet former PFL featherweight champion Jesus Pinedo in a 145-pound bout that closes out the main card’s televised portion.

The main event remains intact: former Bellator MMA middleweight champion Johnny Eblen rematches 2023 PFL light heavyweight tournament winner Impa Kasanganay for the interim PFL middleweight title. That interim bout was necessitated after undisputed champion Costello van Steenis was sidelined by injury.

Elsewhere on the main card, Caolan Loughran meets Julio Arce in a featherweight contest.

The preliminary card features a lightweight bout between Biaggio Ali Walsh and Gamid Khizriev, Andrea Vazquez against Aleksandra Savicheva, unbeaten prospect Mia Grawe squaring off with Ashley Thiner, Jackson Glass facing Zak Flessas at featherweight, and Victoria Alba taking on Borena Tsertsvadze in women’s flyweight action.

PFL Austin takes place on Saturday, July 18, at 8 p.m. ET.