The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is set to break new ground with its debut pay-per-view (PPV) event in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant expansion in the region.
Slated for the 24th of February, the highly anticipated ‘PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions’ event will take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. The card is expected to feature seven high-stakes bouts, bringing current and former titleholders and contenders from both the PFL and Bellator into the ring.
Enthusiasts of mixed martial arts (MMA) can catch the event on ESPN+ PPV and DAZN platforms, with a trio of showcase fights also airing on ESPNews and ESPN+ in the United States. The main event is set to feature a heavyweight clash between PFL’s Renan Ferreira and Bellator’s Ryan Bader.
The move into Saudi Arabia follows a substantial investment in the PFL last August by SRJ Sports Investments, a sports investment entity established by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). This investment reportedly injected US$100 million into the MMA organization. With fresh capital from SRJ, the PFL acquired its competitor Bellator in November, setting the stage for this collaborative event. SRJ is also backing the new ‘PFL MENA’ regional league.
Saudi Arabia has already become a rising power in hosting major boxing events, with the forthcoming undisputed heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. The country is now poised to make similar inroads into MMA.
The scheduling of this PPV event is a coup for the PFL, positioning it as a leading MMA promotion in Saudi Arabia. This development comes as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) delayed its inaugural Saudi event from March to June, seeking to enhance the entertainment value and depth of its fight card.
The Middle East is the fight capital of the world, and the Professional Fighters League is proud to bring the world’s best combat sports stars to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Riyadh Season to host the first-ever PFL PPV Super Fight mega-global event,
expressed PFL chief executive Peter Murray. He extended gratitude towards Saudi officials and SRJ for the opportunity to expand MMA in the kingdom and globally.
Looking ahead, the PFL plans to launch PFL MENA in 2024 and intends to conduct additional mega events in Saudi Arabia annually, further cementing its presence in the region.