The upcoming PFL 5 fight in Atlanta between Brazilian heavyweights Renan Ferreira and Matheus Scheffel is set to be a thrilling encounter, as both fighters aim to qualify for the 2023 playoffs and win a $1 million prize. Despite losing their first bouts in April to Rizvan Kuniev and Bruno Cappelozza, respectively, their opponents tested positive for banned substances, resulting in Ferreira and Scheffel earning PFL points.

Although Cappelozza’s win was overturned to a no-contest by the Nevada Athletic Commission, Kuniev’s fight with Ferreira still awaits an official decision. Scheffel expressed his belief, based on his 11 years of experience in the professional MMA scene, that he could discern the use of banned substances in certain fighters by merely looking at them.

Ferreira could feel something unusual during his three-round bout with Kuniev, and he felt that it all made sense once news broke of the positive drug test results. Both fighters stressed the importance of following the rules and noted that the suspensions imposed by the commission should serve as a warning to others.

Scheffel admitted to having admired Cappelozza and having treated him with the utmost respect after winning their first fight. However, Scheffel believes that Cappelozza lacked fair play in his post-fight comments after beating him.

The possible third fight between the two fighters has now seemingly disappeared. Heading into Friday’s event, Ferreira and Scheffel are tied with three points each, so a win will be crucial for either fighter to qualify for the semifinals and get one step closer to the $1 million prize.

Although the rampant use of banned substances can taint the integrity of MMA, Ferreira and Scheffel believe that the sport has strict regulations to ensure that fighters compete in a fair and safe environment.

The fighters emphasized that the PFL $1 million prize pool is a significant incentive for competing at the highest level and should be achieved through fair means. For them, the competition has to be serious and fighting clean is a vital aspect of the sport.