The Professional Fighters League (PFL), a prominent mixed martial arts organization, has unveiled plans for its inaugural pay-per-view event, set to take place in Saudi Arabia. This strategic move comes on the heels of the league’s partial acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s newly established sports fund.
The highly anticipated matchup, dubbed a ‘super fight’, will feature a face-off between PFL’s reigning champions and Bellator’s past titleholders. The event is scheduled to unfold in the capital city of Riyadh, contributing to the PFL’s efforts to carve out a significant presence in the MMA market, currently dominated by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
In a bid to bolster its market position, the PFL recently extended its media rights agreement with ESPN and integrated Bellator into its operations following an acquisition from Paramount Global. In a significant financial boost, Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Investments injected $100 million into the PFL in August.
Peter Murray, President of the PFL, emphasized the importance of this event in the league’s evolution. “This is the beginning of the next stage for us. It’s important for us to kick off the year with a major event,” Murray stated. The PFL is keen on fostering a top-tier MMA ecosystem within the Middle East, specifically in Saudi Arabia, aiming to nurture future champions and host premier events.
The Champions vs. Champions event is a highlight of the Riyadh Season, an extensive festival featuring a myriad of cultural and sports activities. The showdown is set for Saturday, February 24.
Since its inception in 2018, the New York-based PFL has quickly risen as a fresh force in combat sports, offering a $1 million prize purse for each weight class champion.
Saudi Arabia has shown a concerted interest in attracting marquee fighting events, evidenced by the forthcoming bout between Cameroonian heavyweight Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, just two weeks post the PFL event. Ngannou, a former UFC fighter who joined the PFL in May 2023, is expected to make his league debut later in 2024. Additionally, the PFL is set to unveil further details concerning its expansion into Africa with the launch of PFL Africa within the next year.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the headquarters of the PFL. The league is based in New York.