THE Professional Fighters League want their $1million-winner-take-all season to become “the Champions League of MMA”.
PFL’s format consists of two regular season bouts, where points are earned according to the method of victory, and then the play-offs.
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The group stage and knockout rounds is reminiscent to how the Champions League is played out across Europe.
But instead of the iconic trophy, PFL winners celebrate with a life-changing $1m cheque.
And CEO Pete Murray believes the never-before-seen MMA format has helped launch the PFL to the top of the sport – behind only the UFC.
Murray told SunSport: “Our vision is to enhance the sport and continue to expand globally as a league.
“We have a vision to create The Champions League of MMA and so now that we have five years under our belt as an organisation and we’re No2 in the world.”
Murray believes that, with so much demand for MMA worldwide, there is room for more than sheriff in town.
He said: “We’re poised, certainly to be a co-leader in the sport.
“Our business thesis – which is really important – is there is room for more than one leader in this sport.
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“There’s a massively undeserved fan base, unlike other sports.
“The world’s No1 sport, football, around the world that fanbase has saturation in that sport. Fans have access to matches every day of the week.
“There are nine major football leagues that generate more than $1billion in revenue. Today, in MMA there’s only one.
“We are fast growing on every level; audience, fanbase growth, commercial business and revenue.
“So MMA is still in its infancy compared to all those other major sports, from football, to basketball and other sports.”
Our vision is to enhance the sport and continue to expand globally as a league. We have a vision to create The Champions League of MMA
PFL CEO Pete Murray
Murray says the PFL’s viewership is up 100 per cent from its total last year as he warns the sports league is out to dominate more than just MMA.
He added: “We are the fastest growing league in all of sport, not just MMA, based on year over year growth.
“We’ve had a 100 per cent audience growth this past year, and it continues to climb.
“Again, based on our timing and business ethos and vision, that is what is propelling the growth.”
The PFL make their UK debut on August 13 in Cardiff, marking this season’s second semi-final.
A week later, the finalists in each division will be determined in London, on August 20 at the Copper Box Arena.
- Tickets for the 2022 PFL Playoffs from Motorpoint Arena and Copperbox Arena, are available now via Ticketmaster. Tickets range from £35 – 200 in Cardiff and £40 – 225 in London.
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