Category: Professional Fighters League (PFL)

by Abhishek Shukla

PAIR OF NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FIGHTS ADDED TO BELLATOR CHAMPIONS SERIES BELFAST ON MARCH 22

NEW YORK (February 13, 2024) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced seven additional action-packed matchups for the debut of Bellator Champions Series Belfast including two clashes between number one contenders on Friday, March 22 at The SSE Arena, Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The first battle of number one contenders takes place in the Middleweight division when England’s gifted southpaw striker Fabian Edwards (12-3), will look to use his power to neutralize Canada’s Aaron Jeffery’s (14-4) relentless ground and grappling game. Featherweight number one contenders collide when Ireland’s submission machine James Gallagher (12-2) faces Canada’s jiu-jitsu standout Jeremy Kennedy (19-3) in what will be a battle of wit and stamina. Rounding out the five-fight main card will be a Lightweight fight featuring England’s Tim Wilde (17-4-1) versus undefeated PFL Challengers Series veteran Manoel Sousa (10-0).

The debut Bellator Champions Series Belfast event on March 22 is anchored by a battle for the vacant Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship pitting former title challenger Corey Anderson (17-6, 1 NC) against Northern Ireland’s Karl Moore (12-2), and co-main evented by a Women’s Featherweight rematch between Belfast’s Leah McCourt (8-3) and Dublin’s Sinead Kavanagh (9-6).

The card can be seen live in the U.K. on DAZN beginning at 5 pm GMT / 12 pm ET, additional distribution information including a U.S. broadcast partner will be announced in coming weeks.

The preliminary portion of the event is also beginning to take shape, with the news that homegrown Bellator prospect Ciaran Clarke (8-0) will try to remain undefeated against Darius Mafi (4-1) at 135-pounds, former Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix quarterfinalist Tofiq Musayev (21-5) tangles with London Shootfighters standout Alfie Davis (16-4-1) at Lightweight, Bellator and PFL veteran Nathan Kelly (9-2) of SBG Ireland goes up against India’s Vikas Singh Ruhil (12-7) at Featherweight, and finally undefeated Heavyweights collide when Abraham Bably (3-0) goes toe-to-toe with Isaiah Pinson (3-0).

Updated Bellator Champions Series Belfast Main Card

Light Heavyweight World Title Bout: Corey Anderson (17-6, 1 NC) vs. Karl Moore (12-2)

Women’s Featherweight Co-Main Event: Leah McCourt (8-3) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (9-6)

Middleweight No. 1 Contender Bout: Fabian Edwards (12-3) vs. Aaron Jeffery (14-4)

Featherweight No. 1 Contender Bout: Jeremy Kennedy (19-3) vs James Gallagher (12-2)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Tim Wilde (17-4-1) vs. Manoel Sousa (10-0)

Preliminary Card:

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Ciaran Clarke (8-0) vs. Darius Mafi (4-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Tofiq Musayev (21-5) Alfie Davis (16-4-1)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Nathan Kelly (9-2) vs.Vikas Singh Ruhil (12-7)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Abraham Bably (3-0) vs. Isaiah Pinson (3-0)
 

Tickets for Bellator Champions Series in Belfast are available now beginning at ticketmaster.ie. Doors for Bellator 302 open at 4 pm local time, with the first preliminary bout taking place one hour later at 5 pm.

Prior to the Professional Fighter’s Leagues industry shaping acquisition of Bellator in November of 2023, Bellator held 301 events building a recognized worldwide roster of elite talent. In re-imagining Bellator the PFL will continue the commitment of investing in athletes from underserved regions while continuing to add global stars to the roster.

PFL is the only organization in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight-class, the same percentage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next- generation viewing experience. PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.

by Abhishek Shukla

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE EXPANDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TORNEOS AND DIRECTV FOR LATIN AMERICA 

NEW YORK (February 12, 2024) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced an expanded multi-year partnership with Torneos, a leading company in generating sports related content. Under the deal, DIRECTV will continue to serve as the exclusive PFL media partner in Latin America.

The agreement features exclusive programming including the 2024 PFL Global Regular Season, Bellator Champions Series, PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and all PFL and Bellator archival content on the ‘DSPORTS FIGHT’ channel in Latin America (615/1615 HD of DIRECTV´s programming grid and DGO, the streaming platform), excluding Brazil and Mexico.

“The Professional Fighters League is proud to expand our partnership with Torneos and DIRECTV, our exclusive media partner in Latin America,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “As the PFL continues to grow globally, DSPORTS FIGHT will serve as the dedicated channel for PFL and Bellator content in the region.”

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with PFL and continue bringing to Latin America first-class fighting events and content,” added Santiago Sluzewski Monti, Regional Rights and Commercial Director of Torneos.

Furthermore, Hernán Bidegain, director of Original Content and Programming at DSPORTS, commented: “The variety of content is one of the main characteristics that differentiates our exclusive sports signal. This strategic alliance allows us to further expand our combat sports offering, that is having more followers in the region.”

Notably, Argentina’s own, Laureano “Pepi” Staropoli, will compete in the PFL 2024 Global Season as a Welterweight. Pepi was victorious in his PFL debut, a showcase bout at PFL Paris in September 2023.

PFL is the only organization in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight class, the same percentage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience. PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.

by Abhishek Shukla

RIYADH SEASON ANNOUNCES PFL CHAMPIONS VS. BELLATOR CHAMPIONS TICKETS ON SALE TODAY

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (FEBRUARY 11, 2024) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Riyadh Season have announced tickets for the first-ever mega MMA event of the year, PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions that will be held on 24 February are available now. Tickets for PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions can be booked through the WeBook.com website and application through the link: https://webook.com/en/events/champs-vs-champs-boxing-tickets

The PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions weigh-ins will take place at The Kingdom Arena on the 23 February at 6 pm KSA time.

Emanating live from Saudi Arabia, an emerging hotspot for global sporting events, PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions is an unprecedented fight card that will feature World Champions and the biggest names in combat sports going head to head in the PFL SmartCage. The event will take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

Headlining the card will be a battle between Heavyweight titleholders, as PFL Heavyweight Champion, Renan Ferreira meets Bellator Heavyweight Champion, Ryan Bader. PFL Light Heavyweight Champion, Impa Kasanganay, who will fight at 185-pounds takes on Bellator Middleweight Champion, Johnny Eblen. Two-time PFL Champion Ray Cooper III faces Bellator Welterweight Champion, Jason Jackson, and in the featherweight action, PFL Champion Jesus Pinedo meets Bellator Champion Patricio Pitbull.

The card will also feature the first-ever female MMA fight in Riyadh in which two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and women’s boxing champion Claressa Shields takes on Kelsey DeSantis in a Women’s Lightweight bout. PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions will also see Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Biaggio Ali Walsh, make his professional MMA debut. Other notable fighters on the card are Saudi Arabia’s own Abdullah Al-Qahtani, Thiago Santos, Yoel Romero, Clay Collard, AJ McKee, Aaron Pico, and many more.

The inaugural PFL PPV Super Fight event will be available on ESPN+ PPV and DAZN beginning at 3 pm ET. In addition, three major showcase bouts will take place during the preliminary card airing in the U.S. on ESPNEWS and ESPN+ in the U.S. beginning at 12 pm ET.

PFL is the only organization in MMA with a sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight class, the same percentage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience. PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.

Riyadh Season attracts people from all over the world to experience a wide range of international martial arts and boxing events. It also offers various entertainment options and international experiences. During the winter months, visitors can enjoy thousands of concerts, exhibitions, and other events in Riyadh. This unique entertainment includes participation from celebrities and well-known brands. 

by Abhishek Shukla

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE LAUNCHES NEW BELLATOR MMA CHAMPIONS SERIES FOLLOWING MAJOR ACQUISITION

NEW YORK (February 5, 2024) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest-growing and most innovative sports league, after their industry shaping acquisition of Bellator, has announced the first of eight Bellator Champions Series events will kick off in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Friday March 22 at The SSE Arena, Belfast. 

Bellator Champions Series events will take place in top MMA growth markets around the world, featuring world title fights and world ranked fighters on each card. The reimagined Bellator Champions Series is part of a landmark agreement between PFL and DAZN. Beginning with Bellator 302 on March 22 on DAZN fans will be able to watch Bellator Champions Series events at prime times in the UK, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, France and other European markets. 

“After the landmark acquisition of Bellator, the Professional Fighters League is excited to officially announce a new era of MMA with the launch of the ‘Bellator Champions Series’ global franchise,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “The Bellator Champions Series” will feature reigning Bellator Champion fighters defending their titles against the best fighters in the world from the start studded Bellator roster.  Fans will have access to the best competition and the most innovate formats in MMA distributed by leaders in sport including DAZN.”

“The growth in popularity of MMA is being matched by the innovation and promotion that DAZN is delivering in partnership with the Professional Fighters League.” Pete Oliver, CEO of Growth Markets for DAZN said. “The Bellator Champions Series is another example of DAZN delivering fantastic matchups, where the best take on the best, and what promises to be some of the best fight nights in the sport for DAZN’s customers. All delivered by our award-winning app, which is widely available across smart and internet enabled devices, through a broad range of distribution partnerships, and with a variety of flexible and accessible price points.”

Bellator Champions Series kicks off with Bellator 302, headlined by a battle for the vacant Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship between Corey “Overtime” Anderson (17-6, 1 NC) and Belfast’s own Karl Moore (12-2). In addition, Belfast’s Leah McCourt (8-3) faces Sinead Kavanagh (9-6) in a 2022 rematch.

“The PFL is excited to kick off the new Bellator Champions Series this March in Belfast,” said James Frewin, SVP International at PFL. “Along with our great partner DAZN we look forward to giving MMA fans a premium experience through the PFL’s eight Bellator Champions Series events.” 

Tickets for Bellator Champions Series in Belfast will be available via special pre-sale beginning Wednesday, February 6, with a general on-sale of Thursday, February 7 at ticketmaster.ie. Doors for Bellator 302 open at 4 pm local time, with the first preliminary bout taking place one hour later at 5 pm. 

Additional distribution information including a U.S. broadcast partner will be announced in coming weeks.

Prior to the Professional Fighter’s Leagues industry shaping acquisition of Bellator in November of 2023, Bellator held 301 events building a recognized worldwide roster of elite talent. In re-imagining Bellator the PFL will continue the commitment of investing in athletes from underserved regions while continuing to add global stars to the roster.

Bellator 302 Main Event & Co-Main Event:

Light Heavyweight World Title Bout: Corey Anderson (17-6, 1 NC) vs. Karl Moore (12-2)

 Women’s Featherweight Co-Main Event: Leah McCourt (8-3) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (9-6)

Corey Anderson signed with Bellator in 2020 and made an immediate impact on the 205-pound division. The Rockton, Ill. native most recently defeated former champion Phil Davis and now will enter his matchup at Bellator 302 with his sights set on capturing the thus far elusive Light Heavyweight Championship. Standing across form him will be Belfast native Karl Moore. Moore is 4-0 under the Bellator banner, with finishes in seven of 12 appearances as a professional.

A nine-fight Bellator veteran, Leah McCourt makes her return to Bellator in a highly anticipated Women’s Featherweight clash against Sinead Kavanagh. Kavanagh has built a reputation around her knockout power and relentless style of fighting. The pair of featherweights first encountered each other in 2022 at Bellator 275 in Dublin where Kavanagh emerged victorious. The two will look to prove who is the division’s top contender. 

PFL is the only organization in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight class, the same percentage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience. PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.

by Abhishek Shukla

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE ANNOUNCES THE 2024 SEASON OF PFL EUROPE

Paris (January 18) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced that the 2024 Season of PFL Europe will be kicked off by unbeaten global superstar Cedric ‘The Best’ Doumbe (5-0) headlining against the undefeated Baissangour “Baki” Chamsoudinov (8-0) at the Accor Arena in Paris on Thursday March 7 live on DAZN. 

Fresh off the PFL’s first-ever event in Paris last year that was voted the No.1 MMA crowd of 2023 and saw Doumbe achieve a viral nine-second knockout, the challenge of the undefeated hugely rated prospect Baki represents without question the toughest opponent of “The Best’s” career to-date with the two Paris natives set to leave it all in the SmartCage on March 7.

In addition to the return of Doumbe, the Accor Arena on March 7 will also witness the start of the PFL Europe Season, which will see a host of new elite talent from across Europe make their PFL debuts, along with some returning faces, all looking to begin their ‘Path to Greatness’ for the coveted PFL Europe Championship belt and $100,000 in prize money.

Set to be packed with storylines and drama, the stakes are even higher in 2024 as 32 athletes compete across four weight categories – including a new European Men’s Welterweight category, 2023 Champion Jakub Kaszuba and other returning faces from the 2023 Season.

Starting in Paris on March 7, PFL Europe will also be returning to where it all started in Newcastle, England on June 8 at Utilita Arena before moving on to new territory in Glasgow, Scotland at OVO Hydro for a huge night of Playoff action on September 28. As per 2023 the season will conclude with an epic Championship event at a venue to be revealed later this year. 

Dan Hardy, Head of Fighter Operations for PFL Europe: “We’re incredibly excited to bring the biggest French MMA Superstar, to the biggest Arena in Paris, in front of the crowd that was voted the best MMA crowd in the world in 2023. Cedric Doumbe’s presence at the top of the card will cap off what is set to be a huge night of showcase fights featuring local French and European talent, as well as the kick off of another exciting season of the PFL Europe League format”.

The events will be broadcast live on DAZN, the global sports streaming platform and new Home of PFL in France. DAZN launched a dedicated product in France in the summer of 2023 and has since been building a catalog of premium sports content for the market. As PFL’s broadcast partner in France, DAZN will broadcast all four PFL Europe events scheduled for 2024. 

Pete Oliver, CEO DAZN Growth Markets: “Since DAZN secured the top two Ligue 1 Uber Eats weekly picks through our partnership with Canal+ in August 2023, we have been looking at opportunities to build a strong portfolio of live sports for the French market. MMA is hugely popular in France, and the upcoming PFL schedule of events is unparalleled. And so, we are delighted to extend our relationship with PFL and deliver an action-packed program for French fans, and those around the world.”

PFL Europe is the PFL’s first international league and showcases the very best MMA athletes across Europe, which began in Newcastle on March 2023, before moving on to Berlin, Paris and finally landing in Dublin for the end-of-season Championship event. The ground-breaking league features 32 of Europe’s top fighters competing across four weight divisions. After four events, Dakota Ditcheva of England, Jakub Kaszuba of Poland, Jakob Nedoh of Slovenia and Khurshed Khakorov of Germany were crowned the first PFL Europe Champions in Dublin, with each Champion taking home $100,000.


PFL Europe Paris – March 7 at Accor Arena – Live on DAZN

Welterweight Main Event: Cedric Doumbe (5-0) vs. Baissangour “Baki” Chamsoudinov (8-0)

by Abhishek Shukla

Professional Fighters League Bolsters Global Executive Team, Announcing Jerome Mazet as GM of PFL Mena

NEW YORK (January 11, 2024): The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest-growing and most innovative sports league, has today announced Jerome Mazet as General Manager of PFL MENA, which when launched in 2024, will become the preeminent MMA league in the Middle East. He will be based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The appointment follows a historic investment agreement with SRJ Sports Investments (“SRJ”) to accelerate PFL’s ascension in the MENA region and beyond, bringing more opportunities and experiences to PFL’s athletes and sports fans alike. Leading a transformative period of growth for the sport as it creates the Champions League of MMA, PFL MENA is the brand’s second international expansion league outside of the United States. The disruptive model will provide top fighters from across the Middle East and North Africa with the opportunity to earn their way to the Global Regular Season. The successful launch of PFL Europe in 2023 captured the attention of the European sports landscape and showcased the rise of the next wave of MMA superstars, including PFL Europe Champion, Dakota Ditcheva.

Mazet joins PFL from the Etihad Arena, one of the Middle East’s premier entertainment venues, where he led commercial and marketing operations and negotiated all partnership agreements. Previously, he served as Head of Sponsorship for Flash Entertainment, leading efforts around the FIFA Club World Cup and AFC Asian Cup. Mazet also served as Global Marketing Director for Trina Solar, a Fortune Fast 100 company, and founded Mandaray, a sports and entertainment agency in China. He holds an MBA from Boston College and a master’s degree in marketing from Kedge Business School.

“There is an incredible demand for a premium MMA product in the Middle East and PFL MENA will become a game-changer for fighters, fans and partners across the region,” Mazet said. “I’m excited to be joining the industry co-leader as we work to revolutionize and professionalize the sport across the globe.”

“We welcome Jerome Mazet as General Manager of PFL MENA as we prepare to launch our second international expansion league in 2024,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “The Middle East is now the fight capital of the world and we’re excited about the opportunity to lead the professionalization of the sport of MMA across the region.”

PFL is the only organization in MMA with a sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight class, the same percentage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience. PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.

SRJ Sports Investments’ in PFL was driven by the strategic importance of mixed martial arts in growing markets. The incoming PFL MENA League remains at the forefront of this, with major events being brought to Saudi Arabia and the wider region as part of the investment agreement.

by Abhishek Shukla

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE AND ESPN ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR U.S. MEDIA RIGHTS RENEWAL

NEW YORK (November 30, 2023) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL) and ESPN have announced a new multi-year media rights agreement which includes live event distribution of the PFL Regular Season, Playoffs and World Championship on ESPN linear networks and ESPN+. ESPN+ PPV will also distribute the new PFL PPV Super Fight Division in the U.S. when it launches in 2024. 
 

The PFL features some of the sport’s top fighters who will also be highlighted across ESPN platforms in pre- and post-fight coverage, as well as shoulder programming on linear and digital channels. 
 

“We’ve had five successful seasons on ESPN and we’re excited for the next phase of growth for MMA and the Professional Fighters League with this agreement,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “Our innovative sport-season format, elite roster of athletes, and the launch of the PFL PPV Super Fight Division, which will feature some of the world’s greatest combat sports stars such as Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul, are ushering in the new era of MMA as a mainstream global sports entertainment platform.” 
 

The PFL PPV Super Fight Division will be a global platform for some of the best MMA fighters and combat sports stars. Francis Ngannou, arguably one of the greatest heavyweight fighters in the world today, is under an exclusive MMA contract to fight in the division and is joined by one of the most influential figures in combat sports, Jake Paul, and women’s star fighters Claressa Shields, Amanda Serrano and Savannah Marshall. The first PFL PPV Super Fight will be in early 2024 with headlining fighters and location to be announced at a later date. 
 

PFL is the only organization in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight-class. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience. PFL is on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.