With the start of the regular season on the horizon, there is little doubt that the PFL has surpassed Bellator MMA and positioned itself alongside the UFC in the mixed martial arts world.
Recently, PFL made a huge splash when they signed Kayla Harrison to a multi-year contract. Harrison, a two-time winner of the PFL women’s lightweight championship, is one of the top fighters in the world.
A former Olympic gold medalist, Harrison had suitors from every major promotion in the world. And in the end, it was the voice and passion for the sport of PFL executives that ultimately led her to return.
Harrison will be just one piece of the upcoming 2022 regular season along with the likes of incredible athletes like Ray Cooper III, Bruno Cappelozza, Antonio Carlos Junior and Raush Manfio, who all captured titles in 2021.
That does not even include the likes of Rory MacDonald Anthony Pettis and countless others who have risen to the top of both Bellator and the UFC during their careers.
Outside of just amassing a world-class level of talent to compete, the PFL is broadcast to over 160 countries and on the ESPN Family of Networks in the U.S. They also added the currently ongoing PFL Challenger Series as a way to provide a clear path to contending for glory for top prospects.
As PFL CEO Peter Murray told Post, “We’ve surpassed Bellator. I don’t even know what Bellator’s doing. They’ve been relegated to a small digital platform, a small cable platform that’s not even rated.
“Their fighters are frustrated. We hear it week in and week out. I’m not celebrating that fact, but on every metric, the PFL has surpassed Bellator as the number two in the world. I’m proud of what my team has accomplished here, and we are pointed to become a co-leader.”
With the largest payday in the sport at $1 million to tournament winners, a large platform to excel through ESPN and several other providers, and the chance to compete against the best of the best, there is no doubting the PFL’s current standing in the sport.
The upcoming year is sure to be the best one yet for the promotion as they venture into a super-fight league led by Harrison and offer up big-time pay-per-view offerings.
Fans are also sure to be on the edge of their seat when Claressa Shields, a multi-division boxing world champion, continues her MMA career in the PFL.