Marcirley Alves wasn’t intended to be part of the PFL Bantamweight Grand Prix in 2025, but is now competing for a $500,000 check on a Friday night in Charlotte.
Alves went 1-1 in the now-deprecated Bellator before the company was absorbed into the PFL and was chosen as an alternative to the 135 pound tournament. “Durin” was scheduled to face Vilson Ndregjoni on the April 11 card, but after Josh Rettinghouse, the first alternative to Magomed Magomedov, went from early qualifying to the main event.
He is currently fighting Justin Wetzel for the Bantamweight Grand Prix title in the PFL 9.
“Everyone was so hungry to participate in the tournament that I thought ‘I don’t think the fight would be cancelled,'” Alves told MMA Fighting. “Out of nowhere, during the measurement, they said I was going to do the main event. It was insane. But I was well trained and confident, so it worked.”
The Alves defeated -205 favorite Leandro Higo in Split Decision and advanced to the finals following another decision via Jake Hadley two months later.
“I came here as an underdog. No one was talking about me. (Higo) loved winning the Grand Prix,” said Alves. “He was the toughest thing I’ve ever fought, and even more than I was trying to fight. And if I beat him, if I played in the semi-finals I’d bring this belt home.”
Former Jungle Battle Bantamweight Champion Alves joined Bellator at 11-3 in Brazil. Combat wallets are so low on regional circuits that the PFL GP award alone will usually result in 1,000 times more fighter jets at small shows in the country.
Not only that, but “Durin” hopes to become a bigger name in the MMA region.
“It’s life-changing, isn’t it?” Alves said of championship money. “I’m probably going to be the youngest billionaire from Baul lol. I’m 25 and the first Brazilian to win the PFL belt. I think it opens a lot of doors for me as a person.
Alves plans to pay back his apartment and car if he wins on Friday night, and will make smarter investments with the future in mind. He said there was no extra pressure to compete for money and he has promised his best performance since joining the PFL.
“(Wetzel) is not a finisher. He likes to lie down and pray,” Alves said. “Most of his fights are by decision, and that’s what I’m working on. I’m working on my cardio a lot because that game is tired. Playing his game doesn’t tire of him, but you don’t think he can do it to me. He needs to put his hands on him.