No flyweight or bantamweight is safe now that Sean Gauci has arrived at the PFL, with the MMA organisation set to welcome a “different kind of animal” into its rapidly expanding roster.
The former HEX flyweight and bantamweight champion is the latest in a slew of local talent signed to compete in PFL’s Pacific League, which aims to host events across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
Gauci enjoyed a successful run on Australia’s regional scene, which yielded victories over big names such as former UFC flyweight world title challenger Steve Erceg and former Eternal flyweight champion Anthony Drilich.
Now riding a seven-fight win streak, the Queenslander boasts a professional record of 10-1-0. His lone professional defeat came way back in 2017 – a decision loss to regional staple Tim Moore.
With momentum on his side, there has been much speculation about Gauci’s fighting future. Although he auditioned for a berth on the UFC roster with a unanimous decision win over Drilich on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024, he’s confident that PFL’s Pacific League is the right platform to finally showcase his full potential on a big platform.
“I don’t think people really know the level that I’m at,” Gauci said in an exclusive interview with Fight News Australia.
“I had the fight on Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) against another opponent who was ready for that upper echelon international scene, and I beat him with a broken hand across two rounds.
“Without sounding too cocky, I do think once I’m able to fully show my level, I’ll definitely be able to become the face of PFL Australia and that’s what I aim to do.”
Unfortunately, a UFC contract did not come to fruition despite an impressive showing in Las Vegas. However, there was a silver lining.
The PFL saw Gauci’s true potential and pursued him with great dedication, and it was their appreciation for his talents that ultimately sealed the deal.
“They really showed they valued me. That was a great sign for me, and that’s why I decided to go with this offer,” he said.
“Being a fighter, it’s not often that you feel valued by promoters, and that’s just the game, it’s not against anyone, it’s just the name of the game. It felt nice that they specifically wanted me.
“I truly believe being a PFL athlete in Australia in the Pacific tournament with the amount of outreach they’re going to have, you can actually become a household name … that’s why I ultimately went with that decision.”
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Gauci has spent a long time honing his craft in the fight game, despite only just reaching the physical and athletic peak of a mixed martial artist at 29 years old.
The Ignite MMA representative has moved freely between the flyweight and bantamweight divisions throughout his career to date. Although he claims he is “naturally a flyweight”, he plans to compete at both weight classes under the PFL banner.
“At the world level – the bantamweights – they’re definitely a step above the regional level in my opinion,” he said.
“I think that Australian MMA at the moment has a really high level of MMA, so I think it’s a good stepping stone to guide me in what I do next, and that’s fly through the competition.”
After the dominant result of his last fight, Gauci revealed he suffered “back-to-back injuries”. A broken hand from his appearance on DWCS required surgery and took around four months to completely recover. Then, once he returned to training, he fractured his orbital bone.
The timeline for his highly anticipated return to the cage remains unclear since he is medically unable to fight or spar and still has around a month left until he can experience contact on his eye.
Factoring in his recovery, PFL’s event schedule, and the time needed for a full training camp, Gauci’s promotional debut could land later this year as speculation grows that the PFL will host its inaugural Pacific League event on Australian soil in December.
“I wouldn’t really be fighting for another three or four months, so that puts me at September or August earliest,” he said.
“December’s not too bad, I can wait a couple more months, it’s not ideal, I really want to be active. I think 2026 for me is going to be really good, getting three fights in, and hopefully I can sneak one in before the end of the year. So four fights between 25/26 would be great.”
Not only will Gauci represent the ambitious PFL promotion, but he will also be able to join former PFL light heavyweight tournament champion Rob ‘Razor’ Wilkinson in flying the Australian flag on a global platform.
The opportunity to show his wares in the Pacific League, he hopes, could culminate in even bigger and better things, such as main events and eventually “every fighter’s dream” – a world title shot in his home country.
“That would mean everything, that would be a dream come true, that’s what I want to make happen, and I foresee that happening,” he told Fight News Australia.
“I’ve fought overseas, I’ve fought interstate quite a few times, so it’s always nice to fight in front of your family and friends.
“It’s going to be impactful for all the fighters that get signed onto the Pacific tournament or with the PFL. It’s also going to be a big opportunity to get some more sponsorship onboard to help out with training costs, as you know, it’s pretty damn expensive to be a full time athlete so just the amount of reach and the market that the PFL can provide for those sponsors, I think that’s going to be huge.”
For now, Gauci is eagerly awaiting the moment his next fight gets announced, and has hinted his fans could be in store to witness a “more jacked version of Sean” when he finally enters the SmartCage.
“I’m just smashing the gym, so you’re going to see a different animal. I’m going to keep my conditioning for sure, and hopefully, fingers crossed, later in the year, you’re going to see a big finish from me,” he said.
The PFL Pacific League will be available to watch in Australia via Stan Sports.
