A little competition never hurt anyone. The Professional Fighters League provides that, in MMA in general and inside its cage.
The PFL is one of the only major organizations in MMA that uses a point-based scoring system to determine a winner. Since 2018, it has signed fighters from all over, with the goal being to determine who the best MMA fighter is.
Showcasing fights on ESPN and ESPN+, the PFL recently made waves by signing YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul to a multi-year deal that will see Paul become the “Head of Fighter Advocacy.” He will also be competing inside the PFL SmartCage.
With investments by Alex Rodriguez and teaming with Wiz Khalifa at one point, the PFL has become a legitimate alternative to the UFC and Bellator, among other promotions. Here is all you need to know about the Professional Fighters League.
MORE: Jake Paul signs with the PFL
What is the PFL?
Following the acquisition and restructuring of the World Series of Fighting, the PFL was founded in 2017 by Donn Davis. With a launch in 2018, it is the first major MMA promotion where athletes compete in a regular season, post-season, and championship format.
The PFL uses a point system, with wins in a certain round resulting in a certain number of points. The point system of the PFL is based on the round of the fight. A fighter is awarded three points for a win, with a loss worth zero points. If a fighter wins in the first round, they are awarded three extra points. A round-two finish will earn them two extra points, and one point is awarded for a round-three finish.
MORE: Breaking down the purse and salary history of PFL fighters
Fighters in each division compete multiple times a season for a spot in the PFL Finals. The divisions are the following (since 2023):
- Heavyweight
- Light Heavyweight
- Welterweight
- Lightweight
- Featherweight (men and women's)
The winner of the PFL Finals takes home the championship title from their division and $1 million.
Fighters that compete within the organization include Kayla Harrison, Brendan Loughnane, Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Ray Cooper III, Chris Wade, and Marlon Moraes.
The PFL recently finished its fourth championship season. In one of the biggest upsets (betting-wise), Larissa Pachecho beat PFL homegrown star and two-time Olympic medalist Kayla Harrison in the PFL Finals. Before that, she was 0-2 against Harrison.
The PFL also launched the Challenger Series, where up-and-coming MMA prospects compete for a spot in the PFL tournament format, as well PFL Europe, where fighters all over the world compete for a spot in the PFL Playoffs.
MORE: How to bet on combat sports
“It was always our vision to launch this new property. We are very excited. We have established the PFL,” PFL CEO Peter Murray told The Sporting News. "We are a co-leader in the sport globally... This was a natural evolution for us. The Challenger Series is designed to achieve two things for the PFL as we grow: talent development and expanded content to flesh out our yearlong calendar… There will be a lot of drama in this unique competition series within MMA. Think of it like "American Idol" meets MMA.”
Not only have they signed MMA fighters and kickboxers, but also boxers. Clay Collard (9-6-3 boxing record) competes for the promotion. He beat Anthony Pettis in an upset in 2021 and competed in a Fight of the Year candidate against Jeremy Stephens in April 2022.
Claressa Shields (13-0 boxing record), who just became a two-time undisputed middleweight champion by beating Savannah Marshall, signed a deal to compete in the PFL not long ago. She is 1-1 with the promotion.
Key differences between PFL and UFC
Like the UFC and Bellator, the PFL abides by the Unified Rules of MMA. One of the biggest differences is that the PFL uses a seasonal format. There is no year-long event calendar or a ranking system. The PFL's 2020 season was nixed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Match-wise, fights are crafted via the bracket standings.
"It's (the PFL) no different than the NFL," said Murray, via Bleacher Report. "It culminates with six title fights in one night. It's like six Super Bowls in one night, all over the air. We make compelling events and energy year round with storytelling. We feel our product illustrates that our fights are more exciting because of our true sport format. Every fight counts, every round counts."
MORE: MMA scoring, explained
PFL champions have competed in PFL cards the following season. In a sense, they are defending their status as champion, but they are not actually defending the titles they previously won.
The aforementioned points system the PFL uses is different compared to the standard 10-9 round in other promotions.
How much do PFL fighters make?
Another key difference is the pay structure. In the UFC and Bellator, the salary for a champion is not as guaranteed compared to the $1 million prize fighters compete for in the PFL.
However, outside of the $1 million, the fighters do earn a paycheck. In 2019, the second season of the PFL saw Kayla Harrison win the first PFL tournament for women. MMA Fighting and The Sports Daily shared the purses of several PFL fighters leading up to the finals via the Nevada State Athletic Commission:
- Kayla Harrison ($125,000) def. Bobby Jo Dalziel ($25,000) at PFL 7
- Ray Cooper III ($100,000) def. Chris Curtis ($50,000) at PFL 7
- In the main event of PFL 7, David Michaud ($100,000) def. Glaico Franca ($75,000).
- Natan Schulte ($99,900) def. Akhmed Aliev ($74,850) at PFL 8
- Lance Palmer ($99,950) def. Alex Gilpin ($74,950) at PFL 8
- In the main event of PFL 8, Loik Radzhabov ($63,800) def. Chris Wade ($74,800)
MORE: Explaining PFL's season, points system and playoff format
This past season (2022), PFL 4, 5, and 6 took place inside Overtime Elite Arena in Georgia. MMA Junkie shared purses via the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission:
- Alex Martinez ($38,000) def. Clay Collard ($28,000) in the main event of PFL 4
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier ($54,000) def. Raush Manfio ($27,000) at PFL 4
- Matheus Scheffel ($20,000) def. Bruno Cappelozza ($40,000) in the main event of PFL 5
- Stevie Ray ($80,000) def. Anthony Pettis ($750,000) at PFL 5
- Kayla Harrison ($500,000) def. Kaitlin Young ($20,000) in the main event of PFL 6
- Sadibou Sy ($52,000) def. Rory MacDonald ($250,000) at PFL 6