Natan Schulte and Raush Manfio suspended by PFL for substandard fight, Shane Burgos now in playoffs
Raush Manfio and Natan Schulte | Cooper Neill, PFL
Natan Schulte and Raush Manfio have received a harsh penalty from the PFL for a controversial bout that took place Friday in Atlanta.
On the preliminary portion of PFL 6, Schulte and Manfio engaged in a bizarre contest that saw the lightweights rarely initiate any meaningful offense for three rounds, with the encounter feeling more like a sparring session than an important fight where the winner would book themselves a spot in the postseason with $1 million on the line. Schulte defeated Manfio by unanimous decision.
The league announced Saturday morning that Schulte and Manfio have both been suspended for their performances because the bout "did not meet the standards which all PFL fighters agree to uphold in competition," removing Schulte from the postseason.
See the PFL's full statement on the matter below.
Last Night Natan Schulte and Raush Manfio did not meet the standards which all PFL fighters agree to uphold in competition.
All fighters in their PFL Fight Agreements agree to use their "best efforts ... skills and abilities as a professional athlete to compete ... and defeat any opponent."
It was very clear that Natan and Raush did not meet that contractual standard in yesterday's bout.
PFL immediately suspended both fighters from the season and deemed the fight to have 0 points for purposes of League standings.
PFL takes this action in recognition of its responsibility to all PFL fighters and all PFL fans.
With Schulte and Manfio suspended, Shane Burgos now advances to the playoffs as the No. 4 seed where he will face No. 1 Clay Collard in the lightweight semifinals. Olivier Aubin-Mercier, the 2022 tournament champion, fights Bruno Miranda on the other side of the bracket.
What played out between Schulte and Manfio was entirely predictable given that the two have spoken publicly about the closeness of their friendship. Schulte is the godfather of Manfio's daughter and Manfio has praised the two-time PFL champion for helping him financially in the past.
"He's my best friend," Manfio told MMA Fighting in an April 2021 interview. "He has helped me with everything I asked. He had the money of the [previous PFL seasons] and helped me pay for my rent several times when I had no money, he bought something for me to eat. I'm [in the United States] because of him. He's a friend sent by God. On the other side, I felt terrible for having to ask him that."
Manfio also said that while he was aware that he may have to fight Schulte in the PFL, he was "praying we only meet in the final." The two were previously scheduled to fight in the 2021 regular season, but Manfio was rebooked to face Anthony Pettis instead.
MMA Fighting has reached out to Schulte and Manfio for comment.
Natan Schulte and Raush Manfio suspended by PFL for substandard fight, Shane Burgos now in playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports
