Natan Schulte has one more chance to make the 2021 PFL playoffs and he’ll have to go through a friend to do it.
The league announced Monday that Mikhail Odintsov has been forced to withdraw due to injury from his lightweight bout against Schulte, which was scheduled for PFL 4 this Thursday at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. Schulte (20-4-1) now fights American Top Team teammate Raush Manfio (12-3).
Thursday’s fight is a do-or-die situation for Schulte, a two-time league champion. Schulte lost by unanimous decision to Marcin Held at PFL 1 in April and currently sits outside of the top-4 of the PFL standings.