MMA News

Tag: Peter Murray

  • PFL CEO Says Battle Of The Giants Card Exceeds UFC 300 & UFC 306 As Biggest Event Of The Year

    PFL CEO Says Battle Of The Giants Card Exceeds UFC 300 & UFC 306 As Biggest Event Of The Year

    Undoubtedly the biggest MMA event of the weekend sees the PFL host the most significant night in the history of the promotion to date. Battle Of The Giants sees the promotion’s biggest ever signing, the former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, make his long awaited debut.

    His fight with Renan Ferreira is the real draw here because fans have waited a long time to see “The Predator” step back into MMA following his recent boxing contests. That being said, there’s other fights on this card that make it the PFL’s best event to date.

    The main card in particular features several homerun match-ups from the promotion that really shows the strength of the roster and how much it has improved since the Bellator acquisition.

    As they prepare for a massive night of fights in Riyadh, PFL CEO Peter Murray spoke about the card in a recent interview with MMA Junkie. In his opinion, Saturday’s event is the clear winner for the biggest and baddest event of 2024 in the MMA world.

    He specifically referenced how it stacks up when you compare this weekend’s card to the likes of UFC 300 and UFC 306 which would also be in the same conversation. There was criticism from some fans of both of those events for not having the kinds of cards that would live up to the high expectations on paper.

    In hindsight, it’s fair to say that both produced pretty special nights this year, even if some of the big fights at UFC 306 weren’t the most entertaining. Regardless, Murray believes that Battle Of The Giants stands tall not only next to any PFL event, but any MMA event that has taken place this year.

    “This is the biggest event of absolutely the PFL company history and the biggest event of the year and, you know, I’m looking forward to stacking this up against, when you look at the cards from UFC 300, The Sphere, but like as it relates to the card, this fight, this event on October 19, biggest of the year, second to none.”

  • PFL CEO Insists Jake Paul Will Fight ‘Very Credible’ Opponent In MMA Debut

    PFL CEO Insists Jake Paul Will Fight ‘Very Credible’ Opponent In MMA Debut

    When YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul does finally enter the cage for his first taste of mixed martial arts action, it’ll be against a “very, very credible” opponent.

    That’s according to Professional Fighters League CEO Peter Murray, who recently addressed Paul’s long-discussed planned venture to the multifaceted sport, which was promised when the ex-Disney star signed with the PFL 20 months ago.

    Thus far into his combat sports tenure, “The Problem Child” has made a splash in the ring, largely by getting the better of veteran MMA fighters like Anderson Silva, Nate Diaz, and Tyron Woodley.

    2024 has seen his focus remain on boxing, and after defeating BKFC star Mike Perry this past June, Paul is set to close out his year by headlining the first live combat sports event to be broadcast on Netflix opposite legendary heavyweight Mike Tyson.

    With that, a crossover to MMA has slipped from the surface. But the PFL evidently remains confident of that coming to fruition. If and when it does, the promotion doesn’t plan on having Paul face a low-level foe…

    Peter Murray Provides Update On Jake Paul’s MMA Venture: ‘Not Easy To Cross Over…’

    During an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Murray briefly spoke about the status of Paul’s MMA plans, insisting that the Cleveland native remains committed to testing his skills inside the SmartCage.

    When he does, many appear to be expecting “The Problem Child” to throw down with a fighter of similar inexperience when it comes to MMA. But Murray dismissed that notion, instead stating that Paul will face “credible” competition from the jump.

    “(There’s) plenty of options…and Jake is committed to fighting a very, very credible, well-rounded MMA fighter, and (it’s) not easy to do,” Murray said. “Not easy to cross over from boxing into MMA. You know, the crossover from MMA or other disciplines into boxing is a lot easier.”

    Paul has posted comments and footage related to MMA training on social media for a number of years. But although a signing with the PFL in January 2023 appeared set to pave the way for a debut in the sport that year, “The Problem Child’s” combat sports action remains isolated to the ring as it stands.

  • PFL CEO Contradicts President’s Rejection Of Muhammad Mokaev: ‘He Could Absolutely Be The Future Face Of Flyweights Within PFL’

    It doesn’t appear that the PFL higher-ups are on the same page when it comes to undefeated flyweight Muhammad Mokaev.

    Prior to the UFC 304 pay-per-view event in Manchester last month, Mokaev appeared to be in prime position to secure a shot at Alexandre Pantoja’s 125-pound gold. Many suggested all that was required was a victory over Manel Kape at the Co-op Live.

    After a dramatic fight week that included him sucker-punching his opponent outside a hotel, “The Punisher” had his hand raised in a three-round fight that certainly underdelivered given the pair’s apparent animosity.

    Mokaev was the subject of plenty of criticism online for his fight style, but the bad news didn’t end there for the 23-year-old, with UFC CEO Dana White surprising many by revealing the promotion wouldn’t be offering the Dagestan-born Brit a new contract.

    White cited antics behind the scenes that rubbed Hunter Campbell and the matchmakers the wrong way as the reason behind letting Mokaev go, and it initially appeared that the Professional Fighters League had been put off by that.

    Following the PFL 7 Playoffs card on August 3, company president Ray Sefo was asked whether his promotion was entertaining the idea of pursuing Mokaev’s signature.

    “I’ve spoken to people in the know and, apparently, he’s just a pain in the ass to deal with,” Sefo said. “And so, no, we’re not interested.”

    That sentiment appeared to be backed up by ex-Bellator matchmaker Mike Kogan, who was among those who crossed over to the PFL following the promotion’s acquisition of his former employer.

    Kogan refuted Mokaev’s claims that discussions had been had, insisting that nobody at the PFL had shown “even an oz of interest.”

    But one man does appear interested — the PFL CEO, no less…

    Peter Murray Sees ‘Opportunity’ With Muhammad Mokaev After UFC Exit

    Peter Murray recently spoke with Sherdog ahead of the PFL’s press conference for Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira and final playoff event at The Anthem in Washington D.C. this week.

    The promotion’s CEO discussed his desire to open up more divisions for future PFL seasons, including a flyweight class. And in terms of who could spearhead a 125-pound roster down, Murray pointed to a talent virtually branded persona non grata by his fellow PFL executives.

    “I do think the flyweight category is something we will be getting into in the future,” Murray said. “I know our guys are looking at it. You look at fighters like Muhammad Mokaev; he’s a 13-0 flyweight from Dagestan. This kid has the second-longest winning streak in UFC flyweight history. He was 23-0 as an amateur. When I look at a kid like that, that’s an opportunity.

    “Whether it’s Muhammad coming into the PFL system in one of our franchises, whether that be the global season or Bellator, and others like him, I think it’s a real opportunity — in particular with international talent in the flyweight weight class,” Murray continued. “Muhammad is the real deal; a lot of respect for him.”

    Donn Davis, you got a third answer to the Mokaev question?

    It didn’t take long for Mokaev to take notice of Murray’s positive comments, seemingly enjoying seeing Sefo’s dismissive remarks quickly contradicted.

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