By Paul BattisonBBC Sport
Last updated on .From the section Mixed Martial Arts
Britain’s Brendan Loughnane wants to become a two-time Professional Fighters League champion, making his title “the most respected belt in combat sports”.
Loughnane, 33, won the featherweight championship last year and is set to face Peru’s Jesus Pinedo in Atlanta on Thursday.
A win will see him advance to this season’s play-off semi-finals.
“To become a two-time PFL champion you have to win eight fights consecutively,” said Loughnane.
“There’s only a few people on planet Earth who can do that at this level. As PFL goes, people are going to learn how hard it is to do that and make this the most respected belt in combat sports.”
The PFL’s seasonal format differs from rival MMA promotions UFC and Bellator.
Fighters in each weight class compete in leagues, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals.
The format means fighters who reach the final have to compete four times inside a year, meaning Loughnane’s bout with Pinedo, 26, will be his sixth fight in 14 months.
After winning his maiden world title and a $1m (£800,000) prize by defeating Bubba Jenkins in the finals in November, Manchester’s Loughnane has developed into one of the PFL’s biggest stars.
His bout with Pineda at Overtime Elite Arenawill be his second headline appearance in the United States this season after he beat Marlon Moraes in April.
Loughnane said he feels no pressure, despite the extra public scrutiny that comes with being a champion.
“If my heart rate is anything to go off, I wake up and it’s 30 beats per minute. There’s no stress from me here,” he said.
“I’m self-confident. I really don’t feel the pressure. This doesn’t feel stressful to me, even the million-dollar night. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever.”
Last month the PFL announced the signing of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
Ngannou, 36, left the UFC in January after failing to agree a new contract.
The PFL is launching a pay-per-view series in 2024 – separate from their seasonal format – in which Ngannou is set to make his debut.
Loughnane, who described Ngannou’s arrival as “an amazing signing”, said this will be his final season in the PFL and he plans to fight on Ngannou’s undercard next year.
“I want to be on the Francis undercard, for sure – how many eyes are gonna be on that? Especially if Jake (Paul) is on it too,” Loughnane said.
“That’s what I want to do next year. I want to be a two-time champion and move into that series – that would be the goal.”