Professional Fighters League

What Professional Fighters League does

Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a privately held, for-profit global mixed martial arts organization founded in 2017 and operational since its 2018 rebrand from the World Series of Fighting. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia with an operational office in New York, PFL produces live, premium MMA events broadcast and streamed to fans in more than 170 countries through an extensive network of international media partners, including ESPN (U.S.), Starzplay (MENA), Movistar+ (Spain), RMC Sport (France), Migu (China), U-NEXT (Japan), Sky New Zealand, and Fox Corporation (Mexico/Central America). The platform comprises a tiered league structure: a core PFL Season (rankings-based) and a premium PFL Champions Series, supported by regional sub-brands PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and PFL Africa, plus the acquired Bellator brand portfolio. In 2026, PFL plans 16 global events plus 8 regional development events across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, a transition away from its original season-long tournament format.

The underlying technology stack includes a native iOS/Android mobile application (PFL Fight Central) offering free live event streaming and a 300+ hour on-demand fight library; a 24/7 PFL FAST Channel distributed across Pluto TV, Xumo, Plex, fuboTV, and other FAST platforms; the PFL Rewards loyalty platform powered by Futureverse with NFT-based engagement; and a Sportradar-licensed betting data and streaming rights feed. The anti-doping program is administered in partnership with USADA. PFL generates revenue across seven streams: live event ticket sales, multi-territory broadcast and media rights, a pay-per-view Super Fight Division, multi-category corporate sponsorships, direct-to-consumer merchandise, licensed betting data, and revenue-sharing from co-promotion deals (e.g., Rizin Fighting Federation, and discussions with Most Valuable Promotions for a potential Netflix co-promotion).

PFL is backed by Saudi Arabia's SRJ Sports Investments (a Public Investment Fund vehicle, $100M minority investment in August 2023), 885 Capital (described as the largest global shareholder), Waverley Capital (Series E lead, May 2022), and Helios Sports & Entertainment Group (PFL Africa launch). The principal U.S. legal entity is Professional Fighters League, LLC, with regional entities PFL Europe LLP (UK) and PFL UK (PTY) Limited (South Africa). Leadership transitioned in late 2025/early 2026 with John Martin appointed CEO and Lenny Daniels as COO, while former CEO Peter Murray and Chairman Donn Davis departed; the league is also publicly considering a total rebrand of name and logo.

Name

Professional Fighters League

Legal name

Professional Fighters League, LLC

Website

http://www.pflmma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Professional Fighters League is a privately held global MMA organization that produces live combat sports events broadcast to 170+ countries through regional leagues (PFL Africa, MENA, Europe) and Champions Series, monetizing via media rights, sponsorships, ticketing, PPV, merchandise, and betting data.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Live Event Ticket Sales: Direct ticket revenue from in-arena spectators at premium venues including UBS Arena, Moody Center, Pechanga Arena, Bojangles Coliseum, ING Arena, SSE Arena, Wintrust Arena, Coca-Cola Arena (Dubai), and others. Ticket sales reported as rising in 2026.
2. Broadcast and Media Rights: Multi-territory media rights fees from broadcast partners including ESPN (U.S.), Starzplay (MENA), Movistar+ (Spain), RMC Sport (France), Migu (China), U-NEXT (Japan), Sky New Zealand, and Fox Corporation (Mexico/Central America). ESPN deal expires within 12 months and is being renegotiated.
3. Pay-Per-View Super Fight Division: Premium PPV event product for marquee superfights, introduced alongside the Series E funding round as a new revenue stream to support global expansion and signing top MMA fighters.
4. Sponsorship and Brand Partnerships: Multi-tier sponsorship revenue from official partners across categories: supplements (EFX Sports), sportsbook (Cloudbet, FanDuel, SportyBet), cryptocurrency (SociOS.com, Arkham), automotive (Atturo), hydration (LMNT), trading cards (Panini), destination marketing (Visit Dubai, Ministry of Sport Saudi Arabia), ticketing (Platinumlist), travel (Corporate Traveler), apparel (Dragon), sports tech (Legendz, Finally, GOVX), and more.
5. Merchandise and E-Commerce: Direct-to-consumer product sales via the PFL Shop storefront, including apparel, fight-worn gear, and memorabilia. Order processing integrated into the main PFL platform.
6. Betting Data and Streaming Rights: Licensed sportsbook data and streaming rights licensed to Sportradar for distribution to wagering operators globally, monetizing fight data and live feeds.
7. Co-Promotion Revenue Sharing: Revenue participation through co-promotion deals with other MMA/boxing properties (e.g., Rizin Fighting Federation cross-promotion; potential Netflix co-promotion with Most Valuable Promotions).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels13 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global mixed martial arts league that produces and distributes live premium MMA events, regional league competitions (PFL Europe, PFL MENA, PFL Africa), and a Champions Series of elite fight cards. Content is delivered through a multi-territory broadcast network (ESPN in the U.S., Starzplay, Movistar+, RMC Sport, Migu, U-NEXT, Sky NZ, Fox Corporation), the PFL mobile app, a 24/7 FAST channel, and the PFL Shop for merchandise, with the Bellator brand added via acquisition.

Product overview

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a unified global MMA platform-plus-modules architecture rather than a single product. The core platform is the PFL league itself, anchored by the PFL Season/Regular Season format and the Champions Series of premium events, all backed by a centralized fighter roster and PFL Rankings. Layered on top are regional sub-brands (PFL Africa, PFL MENA, PFL Europe), event-format modules (PFL World Tournament, PFL PPV Super Fight Division, Champions Series), the acquired Bellator brand, and a PFL Mobile App ("PFL Fight Central") that ties everything together with free live streams and a full fight library. The PFL Rewards loyalty experience (powered by Futureverse) is the fan-engagement overlay, and the PFL FAST Channel extends content distribution to 24/7 free ad-supported streaming. Distribution is delivered through ESPN in the U.S. and a broad network of international broadcast partners (Sky NZ, Movistar+, Starzplay, U-NEXT, Migu, RMC Sport, etc.).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PFL Africa: Regional MMA league covering the African continent, with events in South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Benin and a planned Morocco debut in 2026.
• PFL MENA
• PFL Europe
• PFL Champions Series

Products and services

• Professional Fighters League (PFL) Core MMA League Global mixed martial arts league producing live, premium MMA events broadcast and streamed to fans in more than 170 countries through an extensive network of international media partners.
• PFL Champions Series Premium tier of PFL events featuring championship-level fights across heavyweight, lightweight, featherweight, middleweight, and women's flyweight divisions with marquee bouts.
• PFL Europe Regional League European regional MMA league featuring lightweight and bantamweight divisions, hosting live events across European cities.
• PFL MENA Regional League Middle East and North Africa regional MMA league featuring events in Saudi Arabia and the UAE with localized broadcast partnerships including Starzplay.
• PFL Africa Regional League Regional MMA league network covering the African continent with events across South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Benin, and a planned Morocco debut.
• PFL Mobile App (PFL Fight Central) Official PFL mobile app on iOS and Android providing free live fight streams, full fight library access (300+ hours of content), exclusive content, fight predictions, and PFL Rewards loyalty engagement.
• PFL FAST Channel 24/7 free ad-supported streaming channel showcasing PFL fight event library, PFL Vault episodes, archival original programming, live event weigh-ins, press conferences, and behind-the-scenes footage.
• PFL Rewards Fan Loyalty Platform Fan loyalty experience integrated into the PFL mobile app that lets fans earn points for watching fights, submitting predictions, and other interactions, and redeem them for VIP tickets, merchandise, memorabilia, meet-and-greets, and exclusive experiences, including a Founders Badge NFT.
• PFL Shop (Merchandise E-commerce) Direct-to-consumer merchandise sales through the official PFL Shop storefront, including apparel, fight-worn gear, and memorabilia, with item-level unit pricing.
• PFL Betting Data and Streaming Rights Feed Licensed sportsbook data and streaming rights feed distributed to wagering operators via Sportradar, enabling real-time betting integration on PFL events globally.
• PFL PPV Super Fight Division Pay-per-view premium event product for marquee superfights, introduced to support global expansion and signing top MMA fighters, with specific per-event pricing not publicly disclosed.

Quantifiable outcome

• $100 million SRJ Sports Investments minority stake (August 2023)
• +6 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Sky New ZealandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 April 2026Sky New Zealand partnered with PFL to exclusively broadcast all 16 PFL Global events in New Zealand in 2026. The agreement builds on a previous deal from 2022 and aims to increase PFL's global visibility through expanded broadcasting in multiple regions.
• Rizin Fighting FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2026Rizin Fighting Federation collaborates with PFL for co-promoted events, including a match at PFL Brussels on May 23 where former Rizin bantamweight champion Naoki Inoue fought Marcirley Alves. The collaboration enables cross-promotion of fighters between Japan and PFL cards.
• U-NEXTcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 March 2026Multi-year partnership renewed to broadcast PFL events live in Japan, extending an existing distribution relationship.
• SportradarcoreTechnology or Integration · 13 March 2026PFL awarded Sportradar betting data and streaming rights, enabling sportsbook operators globally to integrate real-time PFL fight data and live feeds into wagering products.
• Movistar+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 February 2026Movistar+, Spain's leading pay-TV service, became PFL's broadcast partner to air all 24 PFL Global and International League events in 2026. The deal precedes PFL's first MMA event in Spain (PFL Madrid) scheduled for March 20, 2026, at the Palacio Vistalegre.
• RMC SportcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 February 2026Multi-year broadcast agreement with RMC Sport covering all PFL live events across France, Monaco, Andorra, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. The deal extends an existing relationship that began in 2021 and distributes PFL content across linear, digital, and social media platforms, with RMC producing behind-the-scenes content and marketing campaigns.
• Migu (China Mobile)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 February 2026Exclusive media rights deal with Migu, Chinese sports streaming platform, to broadcast 24 PFL live events and programming across China in 2026, starting with the PFL Road to Dubai event. CEO John Martin described China as one of the most important growth markets for MMA.
• EFX SportscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 November 2025EFX Sports was announced as PFL's official and exclusive sports supplement partner in the United States, providing product integration for fighters and PFL Fight Week Experience activations.
• FutureversecoreTechnology or Integration · 12 August 2025Futureverse powers PFL Rewards, the first-ever MMA global fan loyalty experience. The platform includes points-based interactions, fight predictions, the Founders Badge NFT, and the redemption store for merchandise, VIP experiences, and Panini Contenders PFL trading cards.
• StarzplayflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 March 2025Multi-year media rights deal with Starzplay, the MENA-based subscription video-on-demand service, covering all PFL franchises including World Tournament, Champions Series, PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and PFL Africa, launching April 3, 2025. PFL MENA quarterfinals are free to watch on Starzplay for regional fans starting May 9 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
• Paramount GlobalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2023PFL completed its acquisition of Bellator from Paramount Global in November 2023, creating a combined MMA powerhouse that aims to be a co-leader in the industry. The merged entity will rebrand Bellator and launch new fight series in 2024, with plans for a major mega-event pitting champions from both organizations.
• ESPN (Disney/ABC)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPFL's U.S. broadcast partnership with ESPN began in 2019 and was renewed in 2023. PFL events air on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, and ESPN App. The deal is set to expire within 12 months and PFL is actively seeking a new U.S. broadcast partner.
• Fox CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-year broadcast agreement with Fox Corporation covering PFL events across Mexico and Central America, as PFL pursues global expansion.
• U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPFL operates its Anti-Doping Program in partnership with USADA, with policies published on PFL's official site linking to USADA's dedicated PFL program page.
• Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) - Jake Paul / Nakisa BidarianflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFL CEO John Martin expressed openness to co-promoting a potential Netflix super show with MVP MMA. The collaboration is framed as PFL providing the roster while MVP provides the Netflix platform, with the goal of building global stars. (Note: PFL is also competing with MVP in the broader combat sports market.)
• FanDuelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFanDuel is an official PFL sponsor, providing sportsbook integration and betting partnership. Featured prominently on the PFL homepage alongside official betting CTA.
• Visit Dubai (Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerVisit Dubai is an official PFL sponsor, supporting event marketing for PFL MENA events in Dubai including the PFL MENA: Pride of Arabia fight weekend.
• Ministry of Sport (Saudi Arabia)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Saudi Arabia Ministry of Sport (mos.gov.sa) is an official PFL sponsor, supporting PFL MENA league operations and government-level sport diplomacy.
• Socios.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocios.com is an official PFL sponsor, providing fan token engagement and blockchain-based fan interaction partnerships.
• CloudbetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCloudbet is an official PFL sportsbook partner, providing crypto-based betting integration with PFL events globally.
• SportyBetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSportyBet is an official PFL sportsbook partner for the African market, supporting PFL Africa events.
• Panini AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPanini is an official PFL trading card partner. Panini Contenders PFL Trading Card Boxes are featured as a reward in the PFL Rewards loyalty program.
• LMNT (Elemental Labs)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLMNT is an official PFL hydration sponsor, providing product integration for fighters and promotional activation.
• Atturo TiresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAtturo is an official PFL sponsor (tire/automotive category).
• Arkham IntelligenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArkham is an official PFL sponsor (cryptocurrency intelligence category). Presented as "PFL NEW YORK PRESENTED BY ARKHAM" for the July 31, 2026 UBS Arena event.
• PlatinumlistminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinumlist is an official PFL ticketing partner supporting PFL MENA event sales in Saudi Arabia.
• GOVXminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGOVX is an official PFL sponsor. Featured as presenting partner for "PFL San Diego presented by GOVX" on June 27, 2026.
• UFC veteran free agents (multiple) - e.g., Ketlen Vieira, Dakota Ditcheva, Benson Henderson, Elisandra Ferreira, Johnny Eblen, Sergio Pettis, AJ McKee, Costan van Steenis, Usman Nurmagomedov, etc.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPFL signs fighters as talent supply to its roster via individual contracts. Recent signings include UFC veterans such as Ketlen Vieira, Elisandra Ferreira, Javid Basharat, Daniel Marcos, and others. Talent contracts represent formal B2B partnerships between PFL and individual athlete operators.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship): UFC is the dominant global MMA promotion and PFL's principal competitor. Both organizations promote MMA events, sign rosters of professional fighters, and sell broadcast/media rights globally; UFC is the incumbent market leader and PFL is positioning as the #2 global promotion.
• Top Rank Boxing: Top Rank is a major boxing promotion producing premium live events distributed through ESPN/ESPN+. It is a broad combat sports incumbent that competes for shared audiences, broadcast slots on the same partners (ESPN), and athlete talent crossover between boxing and MMA.

Direct peers

• ONE Championship: ONE Championship is a Singapore-based global combat sports promotion operating in MMA, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling. It is a direct peer to PFL in MMA league format, multi-territory broadcast distribution (Amazon, TNT Sports), and pursuit of international markets.
• Rizin Fighting Federation: Rizin is a Japanese MMA and combat sports promotion. PFL has active co-promotion partnerships with Rizin (e.g., Naoki Inoue cross-promotion at PFL Brussels), making Rizin both a peer and a strategic partner operating in adjacent MMA markets.
• Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC): BKFC is a U.S.-based combat sports promotion focused on bare-knuckle fighting. It competes with PFL for combat sports fans, U.S. broadcast partnerships (often on similar platforms like DAZN, Triller), and free-agent MMA/boxing talent.

Emerging players

• Most Valuable Promotions (MVP): MVP is Jake Paul's emerging boxing/combat sports promotion. PFL CEO John Martin has expressed openness to co-promoting a Netflix super show with MVP while also competing with it for fans and streaming platform attention; both target crossover audiences beyond traditional MMA viewers.
• Karate Combat: Karate Combat is a newer combat sports promotion using a unique league-format, cinematic presentation and direct-to-consumer streaming model. It is an emerging peer to PFL in the alternative combat sports league category targeting similar digitally-native audiences.

Regional players

• KSW (Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki): KSW is the leading MMA promotion in Poland and Central Europe with large live event attendance and regional broadcast deals. It is a regional peer to PFL's PFL Europe league in the European MMA market, serving comparable fans with similar regional league structures.
• Combate Global: Combate Global (formerly Combate Americas) is a U.S.-Hispanic market-focused MMA promotion operating in Latin America and U.S. Spanish-language media. It is a regional peer to PFL in Latin America, particularly relevant as PFL expands through Fox Corporation into Mexico and Central America.

Others

• DAZN: DAZN is a global sports streaming platform and competitor to PFL's broadcast partners in the combat sports distribution market. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant that controls rights for several MMA/boxing promotions and could be either a future PFL broadcast partner or competitor depending on rights strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ProFightLeague
• Facebookfacebook.com/ProFightLeague
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/professional-fighters-league
• Instagraminstagram.com/pflmma
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pflmma
• TikToktiktok.com/@pflmma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Professional Fighters League