PFL has ‘surpassed Bellator on every metric’, CEO Peter Murray says, ahead of 2022 expansion plans
- Murray takes a jab at one of Professional Fighters League’s chief competitors – ‘I don’t even know what Bellator’s doing’
- PFL boss previews 2022 season, sharing organisation’s plans for a Challenger Series and international expansion
Peter Murray believes the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has already surpassed one of its chief rivals.
In fact, the PFL CEO believes his league has already established itself as the second-biggest MMA promotion on Earth behind the UFC.
“We’ve surpassed Bellator,” Murray told the Post. “I don’t even know what Bellator’s doing. They’ve been relegated to a small digital platform, a small cable platform that’s not even rated.
“Their fighters are frustrated. We hear it week in and week out. I’m not celebrating that fact, but on every metric, the PFL has surpassed Bellator as the number two in the world. I’m proud of what my team has accomplished here, and we are poised to become a co-leader.”
The US-based PFL presents MMA in a seasonal format, with annual playoffs and championships, and awards US$1 million prizes to the champion of each division at the end of each year. According to Murray, 2021 was the league’s best year to date, with spikes in several key metrics. He is forecasting another big year in 2022.
The start date for the PFL’s 2022 regular season has not been announced, but Murray confirmed it will commence in “the last week of April”.
Before the regular season gets under way, the league will introduce a talent-scouting programme called the PFL Challenger Series, which will give unsigned fighters the opportunity to compete in the upcoming PFL season. The first instalment will air on fuboTV on February 18, with episodes continuing on Fridays through to April.
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“We have pro athletes that are aspiring to get into the season for the big-money, million-dollar opportunity,” Murray said. “This is our way to develop talent and give them a stage.”
“Every night in the Challenger Series, one fighter will be selected and awarded a PFL contract,” he added.
Several instalments of the PFL Challenger series are expected to have unique themes.
“Come Week 7, it’s gonna be an interesting night because these are amateur athletes making their pro debuts,” Murray said. “Week 8, we may give some fighters a second chance. Fighters in the bubble that didn’t get a contract but we want another look at them.”
The PFL will also continue to scout talent through traditional means, scanning international promotions for prospects. That includes China and larger Asia.
“Asia is such a broad region and China in particular is such a huge market,” Murray said. “It’s a huge opportunity for the sport, and it takes time to develop.”
“It just takes commitment on the ground and developing the sport at a grass roots level, developing athletes at the pro level, and providing those opportunities” he added. “Right now, our focus is on distribution of our global product combined with identifying athletes from China.
“Then that’ll open up a number of options for the PFL. We look at it as a long term, massive, massive opportunity.”
It remains to be seen if the PFL will hold an event in China in the future, but according to Murray, the league is considering staging its 2022 championship abroad.
“We’re looking at staging our championship outside the US,” he said. “This year.”
