The rise of the PFL was viewed as a potential challenge to UFC’s longstanding dominance in the MMA industry. Fans grew hopeful when the PFL acquired Bellator, believing it could compete directly with Dana White‘s promotion. However, recent developments have hinted that the PFL may be struggling, casting doubt on its ability to rival the UFC.
PFL has historically been known for its season tournament format, which rewards each division championship winner with a $1 million prize. However, new reports have suggested that the payout for season winners is dropping in half to $500,000. The new changes will come into play with the upcoming 2025 season in April.
This change has taken place right after Dana White predicted the ultimate failure of PFL. When PFL took over Bellator, White was unconcerned and claimed that it wasn’t a good deal. Similarly, the UFC CEO has bashed PFL for signing Francis Ngannou for millions of dollars and spending so much money promoting him.
The narrative gained momentum when Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull claimed the PFL was holding him hostage against his will. Pitbull accused PFL chairman Donn Davis of failing to honor his contract, expressing a strong desire to leave. These controversies have sparked widespread debate, raising concerns about the PFL’s potential decline as a leading MMA organization.
The PFL has tried to position itself as a serious competitor to the UFC by introducing a unique tournament-based format. In this way fighters earn points throughout the season, leading to playoff opportunities and a championship. With lucrative prize money, high-level matchups, and a growing roster of talent, the PFL aims to challenge the UFC’s dominance in MMA.
Dana White’s UFC is the biggest promotion in the world says UFC legend (via X)Donn Davis has publicly spoken about his intentions to challenge Dana White and the UFC for the top position. However, things have not gone according to the plan, and the gap is too much to cover. In one of his YouTube videos, UFC legend Daniel Cormier talked about this in detail.
There’s one place where you fight the best in the world, where you maximize your visibility and earnings inside the octagon and outside the octagon. It’s the UFC. Every other organization tries and then eventually it starts to falter. I don’t understand why….Every year the gap widens, and not even a little bit. It widens by double.
Daniel Cormier via Funky and the Champ Podcast
The UFC dominates MMA due to its global reach, elite talent pool, strong marketing, and long-established legacy. Financial backing and consistent innovation, along with creating star athletes have solidified its position as the leading organization in combat sports. It will be interesting to see whether PFL finds a way to give tough competition to the UFC in the future.
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