Title: Updates Galore with PFL: Here's What You Should Be Aware Of
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) shook things up on January 15, unveiling significant changes to its structure and format. Say goodbye to Bellator, as the PFL is moving away from the Bellator brand, focusing instead on its own vision.
In an exclusive chat, PFL CEO Peter Murray explained, "We acquired Bellator last year, really proud to have acquired the brand and the business. The driving force behind that was to acquire the fighters and to give them opportunities…Now, the energy and the vision is around the PFL vision."
The PFL is ditching its season format, which awarded a $1 million champion each year, and instead opts for an annual tournament with eight weight classes. Now, champion winners will pocket $500,000.
This new format includes a single-elimination tournament with traditional seeding (No. 1 through No. 8). The roster and seedings will be revealed in February, with the field consisting of both former Bellator and existing PFL fighters.
Mainstays like Impa Kasanganay and Josh Silveira are already on board. Meanwhile, those who lose in the tournament will still have opportunities to compete in separate events.
The PFL even offers opportunities for up-and-coming fighters with "discovery" bouts at tournament events. The tournaments will begin in April and conclude in August, featuring traditional seeding and showcasing exciting fights for MMA enthusiasts.
While some awkward moments are in store with title renaming following the Bellator transition, the upcoming PFL event between Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes is a Champions Series talk, with the Bellator title now transitioning to the PFL Lightweight Championship.
But what about Bellator champions? According to Murray, "[Absolutely, they’re a part of the PFL]." PFL's international footprint continues with regional organizations like PFL MENA.
Lastly, the SuperFights division with big-name stars like Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul is still active during PFL events. With the new tournament format and roster changes, MMA enthusiasts are excited about the PFL's direction and the future of MMA.
[4]: https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/33351851/espn-pfl-announce-multibillion-dollar-deal- Livestreaming-mma-events-190-countries-world-wide
- The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has announced that it will no longer be associated with Bellator, focusing instead on its own vision following its acquisition of the brand last year.
- Regarding the changes in the PFL, the annual tournament format will replace the season structure, offering champion winners a $500,000 prize instead of the previous $1 million.
- In an exciting development, Pitbull, the global entertainment icon and co-owner of the PFL's SuperFights division, will continue to bring big-name stars to PFL events under the new tournament format.