Everything You Need To Know About Professional Fighters League

Technically, the PFL was founded only in 2018, but its actual history certainly runs deeper than that. Professional Fighters League is actually a reiteration of the World Series of Fighting (WSOF), a promotion that fans who have been around since the early 2010s might remember. Although they ultimately needed a rebranding, they did help bring us great names like former UFC title contender Marlon Moraes, former UFC interim champion Justin Gaethje and they even helped Anthony Johnson make his way back to the UFC. While those kinds of names going to the UFC is something fans with no ties to specific promotions can appreciate, to have your biggest names jump ship isn’t the best for any organization.

In 2017, a controlling stake in the promotion was acquired by MMAX Investing Partners, who now own the promotion. They accepted it needed an overhaul. Thus, the PFL was born. Peter Murray filled its CEO position, and its President remained the same, K-1 veteran Ray Sefo.

Last summer, the organization was looking for a $50 million investment to help with international expansion. When the news became public, their Chairman Donn Davis stated that the PFL was worth $300 million and had raised $105 million since it was founded two years prior.

The PFL has differentiated itself from every other MMA promotion around, big or small, with its seasonal format. It’s similar to brackets in other sports and while its application to MMA has been tricky, it’s executed well here.

During the season, each fighter competes twice. Just like in soccer, a victory is worth three points, and a draw is worth one. Unlike in soccer, the quicker you defeat your opponent, the more points you get. A first-round win gets you an additional three points, a second-round finish gets you two additional points, and a third-round finish gets you one additional point. If a fight is ruled a no-contest, each fighter in the contest receives one point, and if a fighter cannot compete, their opponent is treated as the winner of a decision, getting three points.

In the 2021 season, which is currently taking place, four fighters in each weight division will advance to the playoffs.

The PFL differs from every other MMA promotion in the world with its seasonal format, but there are also specific ways that it sets itself apart from the UFC. One of those is their main rule that elbows are not allowed, which may seem strange to fans. PFL commentator and veteran Yves Edwards explains that elbows often cause cuts, which is a problem when it comes to the company’s seasonal format.

“If you get cut this week and you can’t fight five weeks from now because of a suspension, that’s going to be a problem,” he told MMA Junkie. “We just want to eliminate as many things as possible to keep guys that are earning their shot to keep them having the opportunity to earn that $1 million.”