MMA News

Category: PFL

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a mixed martial arts organization founded in 2018. It is the first major MMA promotion to feature a regular season, post-season and championship.

  • PFL Announces Major Change To Ruleset For 2025: ‘You Asked For…’

    PFL Announces Major Change To Ruleset For 2025: ‘You Asked For…’

    We haven’t been in 2025 for long but the PFL has already announced a major change to the promotion going forward. One of the most talked about criticisms of the action that takes place inside the Smart Cage has been the removal of one of the most dangerous weapons in mixed martial arts.

    Elbows are an incredibly important weapon in a fighter’s arsenal, especially for grapplers who do their best work when they’re on top of their opponents, raining down strikes. However, due to the promotion’s tournament format, they have not been allowed in the PFL’s ruleset because it makes it more difficult for fighters to make the required turnarounds throughout the season due to the cuts that elbows often open up.

    For a long time, fans have argued that whilst this may be the case, they should be given the all clear for elbows in championship fights and in this area, the PFL made a change by allowing this form of striking technique in the 2024 World Championships. Across that event alone, we saw some devastating elbows once they were unlocked with Dakota Ditcheva in particular making the case for why this ruleset should become permanent with her ruthless display against Taila Santos.

    The promotion have finally responded to this feedback from the fans and the fighters via a recent social media post from PFL founder Donn Davis who announced that from now, elbows will be allowed in every PFL fight. 2024 may have been a mixed bag for the promotion overall but this is a step in the right direction regarding the product itself.

    “New Year … New Adjustments YOU asked for ELBOWS @PFLMMA is giving you elbows! All elbows. All fights. All the time. #PFLMMA 2025 … COMING”

  • Donn Davis Lists ‘5 Bad Things’ That Happened To PFL In 2024: ‘Bellator Star Fighters Complained…’

    Donn Davis Lists ‘5 Bad Things’ That Happened To PFL In 2024: ‘Bellator Star Fighters Complained…’

    The PFL had some major highlights throughout 2024 from the debut of Francis Ngannou to the rise of one of the promotion’s new focal points, Dakota Ditcheva. However, the year also provided them with some difficult challenges, some of which are yet to be dealt with now that 2025 is underway.

    PFL founder Donn Davis spoke about this in a recent post on LinkedIn which has attracted the wrong kind of attention. In an effort to show the other side to what most business owners put out there on social media, Davis listed “5 bad things that happened to PFL in 2024.”

    The majority of the post references things that happened behind the scenes which fight fans wouldn’t have known about as Davis talks through some of the issues that they have experienced that come with running a company of this scale. He reveals how throughout 2024, they have had to battle potential investors wasting their time, an advertiser deal breaking down, the costs of international expansion into new regions and a delay in the promotion’s plans which was caused by one of their partners.

    It is the third entry in the list that is particularly of note as unlike the other problems, this one has taken place in the public eye. The PFL’s acquisition of Bellator has certainly led to the promotion having a better product overall when it comes to the talent on their roster but keeping everyone busy and happy has been a major issue with several big names openly voicing their issues with the way that they have been treated.

    Davis made reference to this in his post where he appeared to criticize these fighters for making claims which have damaged the promotion’s public perception.

    “Some Bellator star fighters complained on social media about not fighting, making PFL look like not meet our contracts.”

  • Ireland’s Paul Hughes Plans To Tell Khabib ‘I Told You So’ After Beating Dagestan’s Usman Nurmagomedov

    Ireland’s Paul Hughes Plans To Tell Khabib ‘I Told You So’ After Beating Dagestan’s Usman Nurmagomedov

    PFL star Paul Hughes is excited for Khabib Nurmagomedov to have a cageside view to his recent claim about Ireland being proved emphatically wrong later this month.

    Khabib, a former UFC lightweight champion, has put considerable time into coaching since ending his career as a 29-0 professional. And after cornering Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov in Los Angeles on Jan. 18, “The Eagle” will head to Dubai for Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator title defense.

    Ahead of the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event on Jan. 25, the Dagestani has been doing some promotional work on social media by claiming his region’s superiority over that of his cousin’s opponent, Ireland’s Hughes.

    During a recent interview with BBC Sport NI, Hughes recalled his first time seeing Khabib suggest that Ireland ‘doesn’t have fighters’, a remark that brought back memories of his crushing triumph over Conor McGregor in 2018.

    The 27-year-old expects to prove the UFC legend wrong come fight night in Dubai, and he’s got some words ready to tell “The Eagle” in the aftermath.

    “I was out with a friend, and I saw it and thought, ‘I don’t really care.’ It’s just fight stuff but it’s good for marketing, it’s good he’s doing that, but I don’t really care,” Hughes said. “I respect him as a fighter, but I don’t care what his opinion is.

    “Knowing he’ll be in Usman’s corner, I think when I win, I’ll be like, ‘I told you so,’ and that will be pleasurable but that is the competitor in me,” Hughes added.

    Hughes has also reacted plenty of times on social media, first telling Khabib that McGregor ‘made him famous’, before most recently taking a dig at Usman’s failed drug test in 2023.

  • Bellator Champion Corey Anderson On Vadim Nemkov: ‘He’s Scared Of Me’

    Bellator Champion Corey Anderson On Vadim Nemkov: ‘He’s Scared Of Me’

    Corey Anderson has faced Vadim Nemkov twice, but he’s increasingly skeptical that their trilogy bout will materialize.

    The two fighters first met in April 2022 at Bellator 277 during the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final for the championship. Their clash ended in a no contest due to an accidental headbutt.

    The rematch took place at Bellator 288, with Nemkov earning a decision victory to defend the Bellator light heavyweight belt. Since then, Anderson has rebounded with decision wins over Phil Davis and Karl Moore, with Anderson’s last win seeing him capture the vacant light heavyweight title.

    Anderson was eager to secure a third fight with Nemkov, and it appeared the trilogy was set for heavyweight at the PFL Road to Dubai: Champions Series event on on Jan. 25. However, the fight fell apart, leaving Anderson frustrated and convinced that Nemkov is avoiding him.

    “I told you a while ago before he moved to heavyweight, I believed he was scared of me,” he said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “Now I know for a fact. He doesn’t want to fight me. He got scared. It was time to go to the altar, and he got cold feet and ran.”

    Anderson expressed disappointment about how the situation unfolded, especially with rumors swirling that Nemkov is on the final fight of his current PFL contract.

    “I feel like after this, he’ll probably never take the opportunity to fight me again,” Anderson continued. “One, he knew I wanted the fight — that’s on him. He’ll finish his contract on a high note, and we’ll never do the trilogy. Two, if it keeps coming, he’s going to find another way out of it.”

    Anderson is ready to move on and remains confident in his ability and eager to get back to fighting, even if the Nemkov trilogy never comes to fruition.

  • Dakota Ditcheva On What Separates PFL From UFC: ‘They’re Very Clever With It…’

    Dakota Ditcheva On What Separates PFL From UFC: ‘They’re Very Clever With It…’

    2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Champion Dakota Ditcheva sees one area in which her current promotion firmly surpasses the mixed martial arts leader.

    The Professional Fighters League and its higher-ups like founder Donn Davis have long outlined its intentions to reach “co-leader” status in MMA. But while the acquisition of rival promotion Bellator MMA appeared to mark a potential step toward that, 2024 didn’t exactly go to plan.

    The year ended with multiple Bellator fighters, including champions Patrício “Pitbull” Freire” and Patchy Mix, publicly calling out the PFL over canceled fights and events, even requesting their releases.

    With that, plenty remain skeptical about the organization’s long-term future, let alone ability to rival the UFC. But that doesn’t mean the PFL hasn’t excelled in some areas — namely, Europe.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Dakota Ditcheva — one of the biggest names to emerge from the promotion’s first regional expansion, PFL Europe — lauded her employer for placing focus on discovering the next generation of top MMA fighters in the continent.

    “One thing I will say about that, people were commenting all the time, ‘UFC missed out on PFL [Europe],’ and what PFL did right was they went to Europe and picked up that young talent, and that’s how they ended up with me,” Ditcheva said. “They’ve kind of gone out of that top-level zone, picked up the young talent, and now look what they’re getting.

    “I do think they’re very clever with it and think they’ll come up with something cool (next),” Ditcheva concluded.

    After establishing herself as one to watch with a few wins under the PFL banner, Ditcheva — MMA News’ Female Fighter of the Year for 2024 — competed as part of the inaugural PFL Europe season. She breezed through the competition en route to the women’s flyweight title in 2023.

    That secured her spot in the very first PFL Global 125-pound season this year, placing her on a roster that included the likes of Taila Santos, Liz Carmouche, and Juliana Velasquez. “Dangerous” proved that the hype behind her name is warranted, recording three finishes to reach the final before obliterating Santos for the belt and $1 million prize money.

    Many have since expressed a desire to see Ditcheva under the UFC banner, especially with her next step in the PFL unknown. The Brit has already suggested that a return to the season format wouldn’t make sense, instead pitching herself as part of the PFL Super Fights events.

    Given the difficult many have seemingly had securing fights, it remains to be seen whether such a switch would provide the level of activity that the undefeated 26-year-old is after.

  • PFL Founder Calls For ‘Less Noise & Disinformation’ In 2025 Amid Fighter Complaints

    PFL Founder Calls For ‘Less Noise & Disinformation’ In 2025 Amid Fighter Complaints

    PFL founder and chairman Donn Davis continues to battle what he’s branded “disinformation” in the mixed martial arts community.

    2024 turned out to be a mixed year for the Professional Fighters League, a promotion that entered it off the back of acquiring rival organization Bellator MMA.

    While that brought across prominent champions and plenty of notable fighters, the past 12 months have been littered with issues relating to the merger, from complaints over unpaid medical expenses from before the PFL purchased Bellator to canceled events.

    The ultimately failed Bellator Champions Series didn’t produce the number of cards or title fights that were laid out at the start of last year, leaving champions like Patricio Freire and Patchy Mix without their desired level of activity. Both have even publicly requested their releases.

    PFL higher-ups haven’t spoken on the complaints from ex-Bellator athletes in recent times. Davis, for one, has instead continued to tout his promotion’s achievements in 2024 and dismiss any suggestion that fighters have been left in the cold.

    And in his latest post, the 62-year-old commented on another seemingly disgruntled Bellator name, Aaron Pico.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Pico’s manager stated that his man is now a free agent entering 2025 and is looking for regular fights having not competed since the PFL vs. Bellator event 11 months ago.

    But despite inactivity seemingly bothering the 28-year-old featherweight, Davis claimed a “major” deal and title fight is on the table for Pico.

    “2025 hopefully brings less MMA noise and disinformation,” Davis wrote, before addressing Pico’s situation. “@PFLMMA⁩ has offered Pico title fight and major new contract … We love Aaron and look forward to him having big fights at #PFL for the long-term.”

    Pico was expected to challenge “Pitbull” on New Year’s Eve before that became the latest event to fall by the wayside.

    It remains to be seen what will come next for the decorated wrestler, who has won his last three fights opposite James Gonzalez, Pedro Carvalho, and James Kennedy.

  • UFC Veteran Breaks Down Why Organizations Like The PFL, Global Fight League Are Destined To Fail

    UFC Veteran Breaks Down Why Organizations Like The PFL, Global Fight League Are Destined To Fail

    Over the last two decades, MMA fans have witnessed numerous promotions rise and fall, with the UFC standing as the dominant force throughout.

    Organizations such as Strikeforce, PRIDE Fighting Championships, WEC and even ambitious ventures like Affliction failed to establish a lasting presence in the combat sports landscape.

    The latest contender attempting to challenge the UFC’s dominance is the Professional Fighters League (PFL), which made waves in 2023 by acquiring Bellator MMA. This acquisition positioned the PFL as the second-largest MMA promotion. However, the transition has been rocky, with high-profile fighters — including champions Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Patchy Mix — requesting releases due to inactivity and other frustrations.

    Former UFC fighter Matt Brown shared his skepticism about the business strategies of promotions like the PFL during an episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer. Brown argued that the “fighter-first” model, which includes significant payouts like the PFL’s $1 million prize per weight class, might not be sustainable in the long term.

    “There’s only been one truly successful fight promotion in history — the UFC. They didn’t build it by helping fighters. I think that’s where they’re all kind of messing up,” Brown said. “I say that as a former fighter — I want to see everybody get paid and do well. But the UFC built their business by lowballing fighters and still almost went out of business. Even now, people debate how they treat their fighters. So, making it a fighter-centric promotion is admirable, but I have a hard time believing it’s the way to build a lasting business.”

    Brown questioned how the PFL has managed to sustain itself so far and expressed doubts about its ability to compete at the UFC’s level.

    “To be honest, I’m not sure how they’ve existed this far. If they keep doing whatever they’re doing, maybe they’ll keep existing. They bought Bellator, and we thought maybe they’d become a clear No. 2. But they were already claiming that before, acting like they were close to the UFC, and it’s like, no — not really. It’s basically the UFC, and then there’s everybody else.”

    Reflecting on the history of successful promotions, Brown noted that growth often requires a long-term, incremental approach.

    “If you look at the big players in combat sports — boxing and the UFC — they all started small and took years to build. You can’t start at the top unless you have immense resources, like Saudi Arabia throwing billions around to fund cool fights as a luxury. That’s a completely different game.”

    The PFL’s ambitious strategy has garnered attention, but whether it can establish a sustainable model to challenge the UFC’s dominance remains uncertain.

    And the same can be said for the recently announced Global Fight League (GFL), which is set to launch in 2025 and boasts of high pay and advantages fighters under its banner will have.

  • VIDEO: Francis Ngannou & Dakota Ditcheva Feature As PFL Counts Down Top 15 Finishes Of 2024

    VIDEO: Francis Ngannou & Dakota Ditcheva Feature As PFL Counts Down Top 15 Finishes Of 2024

    While the year was far from smooth for the Professional Fighters League (PFL), its events still had plenty of memorable moments.

    2024 marked the first year of PFL action post-acquisition of the Bellator MMA brand. Unfortunately, canceled events and disgruntled fighters have largely dominated headlines for the promotion, with champions Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix most notably requesting their releases following public complaints over their treatment.

    But as the organization battles issues away from the cage, the action inside it has still often delivered, with 2024 seeing some of the promotion’s most brutal finishes to date.

    And the PFL recently counted down the top 15 in a YouTube video, featuring Francis Ngannou’s rapid knockout of Renan Ferreira in his MMA return and Dakota Ditcheva’s punishing attack on Taila Santos’ body in their flyweight title clash.

    Those two weren’t able to secure top spot, however, with that instead going to middleweight contender Costello van Steenis. “The Spaniard” moved to 2-0 this year by viciously sleeping João Vitor Dantas in just 48 seconds at last month’s championship event in Saudi Arabia.

    2025 will no doubt see plenty more memorable finishes added to the PFL’s highlight packages, with the first opportunity for additions coming on Jan. 25 in Dubai.

    The opening event of the new year sees Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Irish up-and-comer Paul Hughes collide with gold on the line in the Road To Dubai: Champions Series main event. Meanwhile, the likes of Nathan Kelly and Ibragim Ibragimov make up the undercard contests.

  • Dan Hardy Describes What Separates PFL Champ Dakota Ditcheva From ‘Pioneer’ Ronda Rousey

    Dan Hardy Describes What Separates PFL Champ Dakota Ditcheva From ‘Pioneer’ Ronda Rousey

    Dakota Ditcheva was one of the stand out stars of 2024, as seen in MMA News’ end of year awards. The female fighter of the year achieved incredible things in the PFL to prove once and for all that she is the real deal.

    The devastating striker has had clear star potential ever since she signed to the promotion but putting her into the regular season would be the real test for her and she passed each hurdle with flying colors. Her trajectory has been so rapid that some have drawn comparisons to the competitor that really kicked the door down for women in MMA, Ronda Rousey.

    Rousey’s personality and success inside the Octagon brought a new spotlight to the female side of the sport as she transcended MMA to become a mainstream sports star. Given Ditcheva’s star quality and proven capabilities inside the cage, the Brit could be heading the same way.

    In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, PFL commentator Dan Hardy spoke about what he believes is the key difference between Ditcheva and “Rowdy”. “The Outlaw” thinks that whilst both women have specialist skill sets to some degree, the reigning PFL flyweight champion has shown that she can do everything when she needs to.

    “Ronda was a pioneer in martial arts, women’s martial arts in particular, but the reason why she was so effective is because she was particularly overwhelming in one range, right? Like, she came in, she grabbed a hold of somebody, threw them to the floor, and wrenched their arm off. Whereas Dakota, over the last two years, has also shown that she’s a fully well-rounded MMA fighter.”

    Her performance in the finals where she dismantled Taila Santos before stopping her in the second round was proof of this. Rousey was able to run right through the opposition that was put in front of her as well until all of a sudden, the sport had moved on. For Ditcheva, she has proven this year that she’s far more well-rounded than the former face of women’s MMA.

    “I think that’s another thing that gives people a lot of confidence that she could compete with anyone in the world. She can grapple and stay safe if she hits the floor with a world-class jiu-jitsu player. And her takedown defense coupled with those Muay Thai knees could put anybody away. And she’s also got the frame that’s perfect for this weight class. I could make the argument right now that she could beat anybody in this weight class on the planet.”

  • New Global Fight League Calls Out PFL Over Treatment Of Patrício Pitbull

    New Global Fight League Calls Out PFL Over Treatment Of Patrício Pitbull

    Patrício Pitbull has been very outspoken about his desire to leave the PFL after claiming that he has not been offered any fights in the second half of 2024. The Bellator champion states that during preparations for a recent return, the fight was cancelled and he was not given a new date or opponent.

    The Brazilian recently posted a series of messages on social media where he provided the latest update in his communications with the promotion. Pitbull started by saying that following a call between the PFL’s Pete Murray and his management, it was made clear that he will not be granted his release from the promotion with his contract running out in May.

    He criticized the promotion for claiming to be fighter first whilst planning to book him in April next year instead of allowing him to be active. In one of several posts, the champion wrote:

    “It’s really absurd and disappointing that I have to come on X to voice all this. Do the right thing and release me @PeteMurrayPFL @DonnDavisPFL. I was a @BellatorMMA fighter and it no longer exists. The promotion is gone and so should I.”

    There has been a lot of talk about the PFL, its format and its growth in recent years and the same is sure to be the case for the Global Fight League. The GFL is set to launch next year after announcing its huge roster and plans for the team-based season format.

    The GFL also claims to be putting the fighters first and has implemented systems like a revenue share and retirement fund in order to prove this stance. The new promotion on the block recently commented on the recent situation regarding Pitbull and his PFL contract by criticizing the way that he has been treated.

    “The GFL was designed, in part, to avoid these kinds of issues. ‘Fighters’ are athletes, and more importantly, people. They needn’t be treated merely as commodity. We hope there is a positive resolution to this issue for @PatricioPitbull.”

  • Dan Hardy Backs Cédric Doumbé As Jake Paul’s First MMA Opponent: ‘That Could Be A Good One’

    Dan Hardy Backs Cédric Doumbé As Jake Paul’s First MMA Opponent: ‘That Could Be A Good One’

    It would appear that Dan Hardy is onboard with the idea of PFL star Cédric Doumbé welcoming YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul to the cage.

    Paul has risen to prominence in combat sports courtesy of his efforts in the ring. The Cleveland native has built a professional record of 11-1 that’s largely comprised of wins over aging MMA veterans. Most recently, he got the better of 58-year-old boxing great Mike Tyson for Netflix’s controversial first entry into the fight game.

    Following that, “The Problem Child” has continued to boast big aspirations, once again vowing to become a world champion and calling out the likes of Canelo Álvarez. And with that, past talk of an MMA transition has quietened.

    Paul previously looked close to a first cage appearance after signing with the Professional Fighters League at the start of 2023. During a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, Hardy — a former UFC title challenger and the head of fighter operations for PFL Europe — pondered the polarizing ex-Disney star’s potential MMA arrival.

    “I was excited about the idea that Jake Paul would have a go at mixed martial arts. And I thought to myself he’s going to come to MMA with the same energy, we know he’s got a wrestling background as well,” Hardy said. “He’s in a weird situation, isn’t he? Because who do you match (him) up against?”

    Talk of Paul’s debut in the sport most recently returned to the surface when former Glory Kickboxing champ Cédric Doumbé included him on the list of possible 2025 opponents while addressing the crowd in Lyon at the PFL Europe championship event this month.

    In the eyes of Hardy, the Frenchman is a realistic opponent option for Paul.

    “Cédric Doumbé had mentioned a few different people he would fight, and Jake Paul was on the list. Doumbé’s got a great kickboxing background, but he only has a few fights in MMA. And he’s a striker, so he’s not going to want to grapple with Jake Paul,” Hardy continued. “Doumbé’s a bit older, but he’s definitely smaller. That could be a good one, even in boxing, I think Cédric Doumbé vs. Jake Paul would be a lot of fun.”

    There remains no timeline on an MMA venture for Paul, whose most recent tease regarding a combat sports assignment explicitly mentioned the boxing realm once again.

    Doumbé, meanwhile, is seemingly eying up a rematch with Baissangour “Baki” Chamsoudinov after the controversial end to their headline clash in Paris earlier this year.

  • Francis Ngannou ‘Doesn’t Care’ About Jon Jones Anymore, Knows What Fight He ‘For Sure’ Wants

    Francis Ngannou ‘Doesn’t Care’ About Jon Jones Anymore, Knows What Fight He ‘For Sure’ Wants

    Francis Ngannou is tired of being asked questions about a potential fight with the UFC’s heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. The two of them colliding in the UFC was a huge talking point towards the end of 2022 until the saga ended with Ngannou leaving the promotion and vacating the title which was later won by Jones.

    With the two men now being at the top in different promotions, it seems unlikely that they will face off with another if the UFC and PFL don’t go into business with each other but Turki Alalshikh might be the only person that could make that happen. During an interview with Seconds Out during fight week for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 in Riyadh, Ngannou was asked about whether a meeting with the consensus greatest of all time is still of interest to him.

    From Ngannou’s point of view, he has always claimed that he is happy to compete against Jones, stating that he has never been the one that has stopped it from happening. The PFL star said that he is no longer giving this fight any of his energy because whether we ever see it or not isn’t a decision that rests on his shoulders.

    “It’s been four years that I’ve been saying it, I’m confused that people keep asking me this question,” Ngannou told Seconds Out. “It’s been four years! That’s not my problem, I don’t care about it anymore. If it happens, yes, if it doesn’t, f— it.”

    It’s not clear what Ngannou’s next fight will be right now although there may be some more clarity on that following his conversations with Alalshikh in Saudi Arabia this week. Ngannou has picked Usyk to beat “The Gypsy King” for a second time on Saturday night and this result could potentially lead to him getting a rematch with Fury following their closely contested fight in his boxing debut last year.

    “What I do know for sure is that I want a rematch with Fury,” he said.

    Ngannou isn’t interested in avenging his other boxing loss which came earlier this year against Anthony Joshua. Another name that has been spoken about is Deontay Wilder who would seemingly be a more enticing option for Ngannou than the MMA bouts that are out there for him right now.

    “The rematch with Joshua, honestly I felt very off and not very comfortable in that fight,” Ngannou said. “It’s definitely something that could happen, but … I’m not a conspiracy theorist but I didn’t like the Joshua fight. I think things wasn’t right. Nothing was right. And if it’s going to be the same scenario, I’m not interested.”

  • PFL Founder Rejects Bellator Fighter Complaints, Insists Promotion Did ‘Best They Could’ In 2024

    PFL Founder Rejects Bellator Fighter Complaints, Insists Promotion Did ‘Best They Could’ In 2024

    2024 has provided some problems for the PFL that they haven’t had to deal with in the past. Despite having the PFL debut of Francis Ngannou and some great performances on the 2024 World Championships card, a lot of the talk surrounding the promotion as of late has revolved around the fighters that haven’t been in action.

    Following the acquisition of Bellator last year, the PFL was always going to have to work out how to keep a huge amount of new fighters on the roster busy and happy. This has not been the case for some of the top names in the promotion including Bellator champions like Patrício Pitbull, Cris Cyborg and Patchy Mix who have all complained about not being as active as they would like.

    In a recent social media post, PFL founder Donn Davis hit back at some of the criticisms by stating that the promotion always has and always will offer each athlete the opportunity to compete twice per calendar year. It is also worth noting that the following post was edited with a slight change to the wording.

    The post originally read that the PFL did “a good job” before it was later changed to state that the promotion did the “best we could”.

    “PFL has ALWAYS provided all fighters 2 fights a year … When we acquired Bellator THEY had ZERO fight events scheduled for their Bellator 210 fighters in 2024. @PFLMMA stepped in and did best we could for them in 2024 … 2025 ALL fighters again 2 fights a year!”

    Cyborg, who is the Bellator featherweight champion, has been one of the most vocal about her issues with the PFL but this has quietened down since her fight with Larissa Pacheco in October. The Brazilian icon responded to Davis’ post and showed her support for the promotion.

    Pitbull, on the other hand, has made his mind up that he wishes to be released from the promotion so that he can go and fight elsewhere after going public with his complaints. He also responded and disputed some of the claims made by Davis.

  • Paul Hughes No Longer Interested In Conor McGregor Cornering For Nurmagomedov Fight: ‘With Things Going Down Now…’

    Paul Hughes No Longer Interested In Conor McGregor Cornering For Nurmagomedov Fight: ‘With Things Going Down Now…’

    Paul Hughes has done a complete about-face regarding his enthusiasm for having Conor McGregor in the corner for his upcoming fight.

    When Hughes triumphed over AJ McKee at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants in October, he passionately floated the idea of enlisting his Irish compatriot, “The Notorious,” to join his corner for a potential title clash with reigning Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

    At the time, McGregor pledged his support, expressing interest in standing in Hughes’ corner. The opportunity to reignite his storied rivalry with UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov — Usman’s first cousin and an almost certain presence in his corner — added an intriguing layer to the matchup.

    “Big News” is now gearing up to face Nurmagomedov in the headline bout of the Road to Dubai Champions Series, set for Jan. 25 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, U.A.E. Surprisingly, though, he has decided to abandon his earlier plan of attempting to secure the former two-division UFC champion’s services for the biggest fight of his career to date.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Hughes said that he was simply toying with the idea and explained that he has no real plans to bring McGregor into his corner for the highly anticipated title clash.

    “Look, I mean the whole corner thing, that was the post-fight interview where things were just being thrown there,” Hughes said. “Other than, that just blew up and did the rounds on social media a couple of times. Other than that, I haven’t mentioned it or looked about anything to do that.”

    “Big News” further explained that, given McGregor’s involvement in a whirlwind of controversy following an Irish court ruling last month that he was liable for the assault of a woman who accused him of rape in 2018, it would be unwise to enlist the sport’s most iconic figure for his corner.

    “Obviously with things going down now, it’s not something I’m going to continue to pursue.”

    However, Hughes also mentioned that he would prefer to have another fellow Irishman, UFC welterweight sensation Ian Garry, in his corner.

    Interestingly, “The Future” had previously offered his support, suggesting the idea of returning the favor after Hughes cornered him in 2021 during his title fight under the Cage Warriors banner.

  • PFL Announces Full Undercard For Road To Dubai Champions Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes

    PFL Announces Full Undercard For Road To Dubai Champions Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes

    The Professional Fighters League (PFL) will look to kick off the new year in style when it touches down in Dubai for the first Champions Series event of 2025.

    After completing its 2024 schedule with the PFL Europe Championship event in Lyon, France last week, the PFL’s attention will turn to a year that looks set to be key in its pursuit of building a fanbase and becoming legitimate competition to the UFC.

    There remains a lot of uncertainty entering 2025, especially regarding the status of a host of Bellator fighters who have made their frustration with their new employers known publicly.

    While there hasn’t been much in response to the likes of Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix’s complaints, founder Donn Davis has surfaced on social media to promise that the PFL will stage more cards than ever in the new year.

    That starts on Jan. 25 at UAE’s Coca-Cola Arena, where a seemingly revamped version of this year’s Bellator Champions Series will debut. While the Bellator brand is no longer mentioned in the event name, one of its champions will be in action as lightweight kingpin Usman Nurmagomedov defends his gold against Paul Hughes.

    And this week, the PFL has rolled out the full undercard, mostly made up of rising names from the Middle East.

    The organization is reportedly looking to put a late-notice co-headliner together after two matchups announced for Vadim Nemkov fell through. After a clash with Ante Delija was announced despite the Croatian being injured, a heavyweight trilogy versus Corey Anderson was set instead.

    That evidently was announced prematurely, too, with the Russian seemingly turning down another battle with the current Bellator light heavyweight titleholder.

    Main Card:

    • Bellator Lightweight Title: Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) vs. Paul Hughes (13-1)
    • Featherweight: Khasan Magomedsharipov (10-0) vs. Nathan Kelly (11-2)
    • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) vs. Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1)
    • Bantamweight: Renat Khavalov (8-0) vs. Cleiver Fernandes (9-1)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (13-8) vs. Ahmed Samy (11-4)
    • Flyweight: Hadi Omar Al Hussaini (5-1-1) vs. Ruel Pañales (5-2)
    • Middleweight: Yakub Sulimanov (7-0) vs. Jarrah Al-Selawe (20-7)
    • Lightweight: John Mitchell (9-2) vs. Souhil Tairi (7-5-1)
    • Featherweight: Youssef Al Housani (4-1) vs. Assem Ghanem (4-0)
    • Middleweight: Mostafa Nada (9-3) vs. Haider Khan (8-1)
    • Lightweight: Mirafzal Akhtamov (7-0-1) vs. Mike Thompson (7-2)
    Ibragim Ibragimov
    Ibragim Ibragimov (image: PFL MMA)
  • Dakota Ditcheva Says Taila Santos’ Face Changed After One Leg Kick In PFL Title Fight: ‘She Underestimated Me’

    Dakota Ditcheva Says Taila Santos’ Face Changed After One Leg Kick In PFL Title Fight: ‘She Underestimated Me’

    2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Champion Dakota Ditcheva was pleased to teach Taila Santos a lesson in not underestimating opponents.

    Ditcheva recorded the biggest win of her blossoming career to date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last month when she co-headlined this year’s PFL World Championship.

    The Brit figured in one of six title fights on the main card at King Saud University — and arguably the most highly anticipated — after winning gold in PFL Europe last year and announcing herself on the global roster with three knockouts en route to her toughest test to date.

    Ditcheva’s detractors have long used competition level as a means by which to take away from her unbeaten run. But that is no longer viable after she dominated Santos, a former top UFC contender whom many believed did enough to defeat Valentina Shevchenko two years ago.

    The Brazilian fell the same way as many have to “Dangerous,” being overwhelmed by her striking offense before succumbing to brutal body shots in round two.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Ditcheva looked back on her successful trip to the Middle East, which saw her exit the SmartCage on Nov. 19 with gold wrapped around her waist and $1 million in prize money secured.

    The 26-year-old acknowledged Santos’ dismissive pre-fight remarks inside the cage during her celebration and interview. And reflecting on them once again, Ditcheva suggested the experienced Brazilian made the surprising and fatal mistake of failing to “respect” the threat she was facing.

    “I think honestly she probably underestimated me a little bit,” Ditcheva said. “Like, she has been saying through the whole tournament, not just this fight, from the very beginning that I’m just a Barbie, she’s a different level. I genuinely don’t think she respected me at all and where me, I respected every girl in this tournament, whether they’ve been in the UFC or not.

    “I think genuinely she got shocked when I hit her. As soon as I hit with the first inside leg kick, I saw her face change, and then every shot I hit her with, she was just like making noises like it was hurting,” Ditcheva continued. “I think she probably underestimated me, which is a silly move to do and something I’m surprised she did at her level.”

    Suffice to say, the chances of Ditcheva’s future opponents making the same mistake have no doubt slimmed after the manner with which she dispatched Santos at the PFL World Championship.

    For now, it remains to be seen who will be opposite the “Dangerous” Brit next time out — and in which of the PFL’s entities. Ditcheva has already expressed hesitancy when it comes to competing in a second season, with the pay-per-view Super Fights events seemingly on her radar instead.

  • VIDEO: Former PFL Champion Raush Manfio Suffers Scary KO vs. Russian Nicknamed ‘Headhunter’ 

    VIDEO: Former PFL Champion Raush Manfio Suffers Scary KO vs. Russian Nicknamed ‘Headhunter’ 

    2021 PFL lightweight champion Raush Manfio’s struggles since leaving the promotion have continued.

    Manfio was among the PFL’s leading names after he joined in 2021 off the back of title success under the Titan FC banner. “Cavalo da Guerra” won the championship in his first season, defeating Joilton Lutterbach, Anthony Pettis, and Clayton Collard en route to a victory over Loik Radzhabov in the final.

    But the Brazilian’s PFL tenure came to an end on bad terms in 2023. Manfio was booked opposite friend and fellow countryman Natan Schulte in the final round of regular season matchups, losing by unanimous decision in a low-output and lackluster contest.

    The promotion had been accused of pairing them up in order to boost Shane Burgos’ chances of qualification. And when the ex-UFC fighter couldn’t capitalize, the victorious Schulte was suspended and forced to sacrifice his playoff place to Burgos due to what the PFL branded an unacceptable level of effort against Manfio, who was also penalized.

    Both later departed the PFL, with Schulte yet to make his return and Manfio competing twice.

    After a submission defeat under the XFC banner this past May, “Cavalo da Guerra” moved to 0-2 in 2024 this weekend when he fought Bibert “Headhunter” Tumenov at ACA 182 in Moscow. Manfio’s woes were compounded in brutal fashion, as he was folded against the fence and rendered unconscious inside one round.

    The result has left Manfio winless in three fights. Prior to his recent defeats, the Brazilian hadn’t fallen to a losing skid across his professional career.

    Tumenov, meanwhile, has now won back-to-back outings opposite PFL alums under Russia’s ACA banner. He previously stopped Lance Palmer with strikes to move his winning run to three bouts. “Headhunter” also boasts a victory over Diego Brandão.

  • 2024 PFL Europe Championship Results & Highlights

    2024 PFL Europe Championship Results & Highlights

    After carrying out the second PFL Europe regular season and playoffs, the Professional Fighters League’s first continental expansion brought the SmartCage back to France for the 2024 Championship.

    A few weeks on from the conclusion of the PFL’s global season at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the LDLC Arena in Lyon played host to PFL Europe’s final event of this year. Unsurprisingly, a number of France’s own were in action, and that included Abdoul Abdouraguimov at the top of the lineup.

    Victories over Brad Wheeler and Jack Grant after signing with the PFL moved “Lazy King’s” overall record to 18-1. And the highly touted 29-year-old further extended his winning run at the expense of former UFC veteran Laureano Staropoli in Friday’s main event.

    Elsewhere on the card, the second PFL Europe welterweight, lightweight, and bantamweight kingpins were crowned, in addition to a singular queen at 125 pounds as one woman looked to succeed Dakota Ditcheva and hopes to follow her path to global glory next year.

    While the event was available on DAZN for select countries, it unfortunately wasn’t broadcast to audiences in the United States. But you can catch up on all the action below.

    PFL Europe Championship Results & Highlights

    • Welterweight: Abdoul Abdouraguimov def. Laureano Staropoli via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Catchweight (165lbs): Patrick Habirora def. Catalin Safta via KO (punch): R3, 2:16
    • Heavyweight: Mickaël Groguhe def. Lamine Sene via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Bantamweight Championship: Lewis McGrillen-Evans def. Alexander Luster via TKO (punches): R2, 3:52
    • Lightweight Championship: Jakub Kaszuba def. Connor Hughes via TKO (punches): R4, 4:07
    • Featherweight: Mathys Duragrin def. Yassin Chtatou via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-25)
    • Bantamweight: Mahio Campanella def. Mehdi Saadi via submission (arm-triangle choke): R1, 4:45
    • Catchweight (177lbs): Salvo Giudice def. Atilla Kobas via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)
    • Welterweight Championship: Florim Zendeli def. Daniele Miceli via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 4:24
    • Flyweight Championship: Paulina Wiśniewska def. Valentina Scatizzi via TKO (knee & punches): R1, 0:20
    • Welterweight: Eoin Sheridan def. Brice Belghazi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Lightweight: Claudio Pacella def. Oscar Ownsworth via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

    Claudio Pacella Def. Oscar Ownsworth

    Eoin Sheridan Def. Brice Belghazi

    Paulina Wiśniewska Def. Valentina Scatizzi

    Florim Zendeli Def. Daniele Miceli

    Salvo Giudice Def. Atilla Kobas

    Mahio Campanella Def. Mehdi Saadi

    Mathys Duragrin Def. Yassin Chtatou

    Jakub Kaszuba Def. Connor Hughes

    Lewis McGrillen-Evans Def. Alexander Luster

    Patrick Habirora Def. Catalin Safta

    Abdoul Abdouraguimov Def. Laureano Staropoli

  • Paul Hughes Willing To Go To ‘Depths Of Hell’ To Knock Out Undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov

    Paul Hughes Willing To Go To ‘Depths Of Hell’ To Knock Out Undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov

    MMA fans, specifically those in the UK, have been hearing a lot about Paul Hughes and his potential for some time now. After he signed to the PFL earlier this year, he would now have the platform to really progress up the ladder and show what he is truly capable of.

    Hughes has always been incredibly confident in his own ability and he’s not afraid to put himself out there but even with that in mind, his last fight came as a shock. Many believed that taking on A.J. McKee in his second fight with the promotion would be an instance of too much, too soon for the Irishman.

    At PFL’s Battle of the Giants, he rose to the occasion by putting on a great performance to beat McKee in Riyadh and after defeating such a high-level opponent, there was only one logical next step for “Big News” and that’s the world championship. At the Road to Dubai Champions Series on January 25, Hughes will take on the undefeated Bellator lightweight champ, Usman Nurmagomedov.

    The 27-year old knows that this is a huge test for him but he believes that even the win over McKee was only scratching the surface of what he’s capable of. He expects Nurmagomedov to really push him in this fight but just like in October, that pressure will bring the best out of him.

    Hughes spoke about the fight in a recent interview with the Belfast Telegraph where he explained where he’s at mentally going into the biggest fight of his career.

    “I see a knockout, 100 per cent. I may have to go to the depths of hell to beat this guy, and I will be prepared for that but I trust in my fight IQ, instincts and killer ability to find a way to get Usman out of there. I said I would knock out AJ and came within millimetres of doing it.

    “I still beat him up, but I was close to knocking him out with the exact shot I called. I definitely see a knockout against Usman. There is a lot more to come from me. My last performance was a six out of ten, for many reasons. I have to be a ten out of ten to beat Usman, he is that good.”

  • Former UFC Fighter Sage Northcutt Signs With PFL After Failed ONE Championship Stint

    The once-promising Sage Northcutt has his next career move set.

    Northcutt (12-3) was once widely seen as a future UFC star following a debut victory inside the Octagon aged 19 at UFC Fight Night 80. However, “Super Sage” didn’t have his contract renewed following its expiration in 2018.

    The 28-year-old subsequently joined ONE Championship’s ranks, where he had a rough start to life in the Circle by falling via knockout to Brazil’s Cosmo Alexandre at ONE: Enter the Dragon. As well as losing his opening outing in the promotion, Northcutt was also sidelined after suffering eight facial fractures that required extensive surgery to repair.

    While that left the American out of action for four years, he returned with a bang in 2023. But after recording his first win on the ONE stage by submitting Ahmed Mujtaba in quick time, it’s safe to say that the momentum did not continue.

    Northcutt had a public falling out with the promotion this past January when he pulled out of a clash with Shinya Aoki on fight night after his cornermen were reportedly denied visas.

    That relationship was evidently not able to be repaired, with the Californian having his departure from ONE confirmed in October. And over a month on, his next destination has been confirmed as the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

    The news was first reported by MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn.

    As of this writing, it’s unclear whether Northcutt will enter the PFL’s regular season and playoff format for 2025 or compete at the pay-per-view Super Fights events. It has been confirmed, however, that the 28-year-old will be fighting at welterweight.

  • Two More Ireland vs. Dagestan Fights Added To Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes PFL Card

    Two More Ireland vs. Dagestan Fights Added To Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes PFL Card

    On January 25, the PFL is set to host its first event in Dubai with the Road To Dubai Champions Series at the Coca-Cola Arena. In the main event, the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will face the rising star Paul Hughes in a highly anticipated title fight.

    Following Hughes’ win over A.J. McKee at Battle of the Giants, he called for this fight and immediately attached the perfect tagline to it. When the event was announced, it was promoted as Ireland vs Dagestan 2 in reference to the biggest fight in the history of the sport between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.

    As the cousin of Khabib, we know that the defending champion will have his family involved for this fight though it seems unlikely that the same can be said for McGregor linking up with Hughes right now. However, PFL appears to be doubling down on this particular theme for the card following the announcement of two more matchups that pit Ireland against Dagestan.

    A fantastic featherweight clash will see the undefeated Khasan Magomedsharipov take on Nate Kelly. Khasan, who is the younger brother of the former UFC featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov, has won five consecutive fights under the Bellator banner and was recently named in the top 10 of ESPN’s 25 under 25 list for 2024.

    Ireland’s Kelly trains out of the same gym as McGregor, SBG Dublin, and has gone 10-0 since losing the first two pro fights of his career, having fought in both Bellator and the PFL in recent years.

    A second bout sees another undefeated fighter with Dagestani origins facing one of the emerald isle’s finest. 20-year old Ibragim Ibragimov also represents the English flag having been born in Dagestan before moving at a young age. The 8-0 featherweight out of Manchester Top Team recently earned a decision win over Nacho Campos at Battle of the Giants. His opponent will be another SBG Ireland fighter, Kenny Mokhonoana.

    The 27-year old has amassed a 5-1 record with two first-round finishes already under his belt in Bellator. His last fight in September last year saw him suffer his first pro loss to the highly regarded undefeated Welsh fighter Josh O’Connor.

    A trilogy fight between Vadim Nemkov and Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson at heavyweight was also recently confirmed for the card.

  • Patrício Pitbull Wants PFL Release By Christmas After ‘Lack Of Transparency, Events, & Answers’ 

    Patrício Pitbull Wants PFL Release By Christmas After ‘Lack Of Transparency, Events, & Answers’ 

    Patrício Pitbull has spoken out once again about wanting to be released from his PFL contract so that he can go and fight elsewhere. The Bellator featherweight champion last fought in March where he stopped Jeremy Kennedy to defend his title in Belfast.

    He recently stated in an article from MMA Fighting that he has had several fights cancelled with no plans to reschedule them or find him a different opponent. The Brazilian claims that fights with Aaron Pico and a rematch with Chihiro Suzuki in RIZIN both fell by the wayside and as a result, he would like to leave the promotion if they don’t have any plans for him.

    Pitbull specifically mentioned wanting to use this opportunity to finally fight in the UFC before it is too late for him.

    “I have to fight in the UFC. I have to face those guys. I see myself doing a good job there. I don’t see anything very special there. I can fight anyone there, even the champion. [Ilia Topuria] has some holes we can take advantage of. I’m sure they think the same about me, but I have to trust myself. This is the time.”

    Dana White was asked to give his opinion on this during his post-fight press conference after UFC 310 this past weekend. In response to the UFC boss’ comments, Pitbull posted on X to vent his frustrations about the lack of communication and activity for some of the fighters on the PFL roster.

    He ended the post by giving the promotion a deadline that he wants answers by.

    “The lack of transparency, events and answers from @PFLMMA about its future and @BellatorMMA ‘s is making both promotions look bad. What do you all think about what’s going on? Christmas is coming up and I’d love to receive my release by then.”

  • Cris Cyborg Sends Message To Dana White Amid Growing Discontent Among PFL Fighters

    Cris Cyborg Sends Message To Dana White Amid Growing Discontent Among PFL Fighters

    Since acquiring Bellator and the majority of the promotion’s roster towards the end of 2023, it has been a difficult year for the PFL in some ways. Throughout 2024, several big names and champions have publicly voiced their issues with not being offered fights for various reasons.

    As a result, we’ve seen big names like Gegard Mousasi leave the promotion whilst other top stars like Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix have recently started to air their issues over fights being cancelled and not rescheduled with little communication. Pitbull in particular stated that if he isn’t going to be offered any fights, he would like to be released so that he can go and fight elsewhere with an opportunity to finally compete in the UFC being a big attraction for him.

    In his post-fight press conference for UFC 310 this past Saturday, Dana White gave his thoughts on the fighters that are becoming frustrated with how they have been treated in the PFL.

    “Listen, the last couple of months, we’ve been talking a lot about the PFL. They’re cancelling a lot of shows, I know that a lot of guys that are supposed to fight aren’t fighting and… I mean, you guys know what the f*** is going on. When you see that start to happen, you’re running out of money, things aren’t looking good and you’re gonna have people that want to jump ship. These guys want to fight. You have a very limited time of opportunity when you’re a professional athlete and even less when you’re a fighter. So I’m sure you’re gonna see a lot of that and we’ll see how this plays out over the next several months going into 25.”

    Arguably the most outspoken major name regarding being unsatisfied with their treatment in the PFL has been Cris Cyborg. After beating Cat Zingano at the second to last Bellator event before the promotion was sold, she had to wait just over a year to get her next fight booked.

    Despite getting the fight that she wanted against Larissa Pacheco at Battle of the Giants where she won the inaugural PFL Super Fights title in the women’s featherweight division, this hasn’t completely mended the bridge between Cyborg and the PFL.

    Following her win over Felicia Spencer back in 2019, White stated that the UFC would not be re-signing the former champion after Cyborg’s contract had expired following a less than stellar relationship between the two parties. However, in a social media post reacting to the UFC boss’ recent comments at the press conference, it appears that the Brazilian isn’t opposed to stepping back inside the Octagon, especially if it means settling a score once and for all.

  • Bellator Champs Patrício Pitbull, Patchy Mix Request PFL Release: ‘They Don’t Know How To Act’

    Bellator Champs Patrício Pitbull, Patchy Mix Request PFL Release: ‘They Don’t Know How To Act’

    Two of the biggest names that the PFL acquired in the Bellator deal have recently voiced their frustrations with not being offered fights. Both Patrício Pitbull and Patchy Mix are reigning Bellator champions who have recently had upcoming bouts cancelled and they don’t seem happy with the communication that has taken place.

    Pitbull hasn’t fought since March where after finishing Jeremy Kennedy, he says he was told that he would be able to return to RIZIN for a rematch with Chihiro Suzuki to try and get his revenge. He also claims that he was then told he would be fighting Aaron Pico instead but this has also not materialized for him.

    As for the bantamweight champion Mix, he defended his title in May and was recently preparing for another title defence against Leandro Higo in November but since that event was postponed, he says that he hasn’t received word on when he will receive his next outing. Posting on X, Mix vented his frustrations and said that similarly to what has happened with other big names like Gegard Mousasi, he would like to be released if they don’t have any plans for him in the near future.

    “My manager told me to hold off but haven’t heard anything from PFLMMA DonnDavisPFL If you are not gonna have me fight then just please release me from contract. This is not what I want but if I’m not important to the company being a multi time champ. Then let me go respectfully”

    Pitbull made similar statements in a recent interview with MMA Fighting where he criticized the way that the promotion has handled the Bellator fighters since the acquisition last year.

    “PFL guys seem a bit lost there. Looks like Bellator is a bit too big for them, and they don’t know how to act properly.”

    Pitbull, like Mix, just wants to be active and he believes that leaving the PFL is the best way for him to do that at this stage in his career.

    “We were left with only promises. We lost rhythm, we lost part of our careers waiting for something that never came. It’s bad for me as a champion. I need to stay active. We know I’m not getting any younger, too. So I spoke with my managers and since my contract is not that long, it’s close to the end, we’ll ask to leave. I need to work.

    “Basically, Douglas Lima and my brother [Patricky Pitbull], the high-caliber guys of the organization, they either re-signed with their purse cut in half or they would be cut. That was basically forced, you know? Donn Davis said early in the merge that that would not happen, but it happened. We know the organization has valued semi-retired fighters and internet celebrities more than actual fighters that put on a show.”

  • Turki Alalshikh Has Two Options In Mind For Francis Ngannou’s Next Fight

    Turki Alalshikh Has Two Options In Mind For Francis Ngannou’s Next Fight

    Francis Ngannou has exciting options for his next fight, according to Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia.

    In his return to MMA, Ngannou secured an emphatic victory over Renan Ferreira at PFL: Battle of the Giants, leaving fans eager to see what the former UFC heavyweight champion will do next.

    Following the fight, Ngannou expressed his openness to competing in both MMA and boxing, though he noted that his next steps depend on the PFL presenting its offer.

    Alalshikh discussed Ngannou’s potential future during the DAZN Ariel X Ade show, where he floated the idea of a boxing showdown with Deontay Wilder.

    “Why don’t we see Ngannou against Wilder?” Alalshikh mused. “I need to sit with Wilder. In two minutes, I can gauge his condition and determine if he’s ready or not. I don’t want to waste time and money anymore. I need to check first if he’s still got it.”

    Ngannou, who plans to attend the anticipated Usyk vs. Fury rematch in December, is already in discussions about his future.

    “We have a lot of business together,” Alalshikh added. “I have two options on the table for Francis: one in MMA and one in boxing. I want to discuss them with him.”

    Alalshikh also emphasized his ambition to push boundaries with their MMA operations, promising big plans for the future.