There was no competition. The UFC will dominate the next 20 years
Sergey Sorokin September 4, 2024, 20:15 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
The PFL is investing a lot of money, but it should just take more risks.
This fall, it will be exactly one year since PFL bought Bellator. The promotion bosses immediately announced ambitious plans and a desire to compete on equal terms with the UFC. They promised to work hard to really be on the same level as the best league on the planet. But so far, frankly, the results leave a lot to be desired. In fact, there was not even a full merger of promotions. They continue to hold tournaments in parallel and the “migration” of fighters was far from massive.
The promotions had great plans for unification:
After Fedor left, did everything fall apart? PFL bought Bellator: knowing the details
Of course, there are positive aspects. First of all, the promotions held a big joint tournament, which turned out to be really brilliant. And most importantly, it clearly demonstrated how promotions can interpenetrate each other. In addition, the organizations have shown that they are now willing to exchange fighters. This means that you can potentially literally collect dream cards. But in practice we need to analyze how exactly this will be implemented. And all because it is too early to draw far-reaching conclusions.
This season, PFL broadcasts are available on Okko.
The big question is who exactly is the top star of the promotion. On the one hand, the signing of Francis Ngannou should have completely removed him from the list. It seemed like the Predator would rake in cash with every fight and also generate sky-high interest in the league. But instead, fans have yet to see a single fight from Francis in the promotion. Of course, Ngannou’s return to mixed martial arts has already been announced. But at the same time, it is not entirely clear in what exact state the Predator will be in the cage and to what extent he will be able to meet the expectations of the fans.
Francisco Ngannou
Photo: Fake Images
At the same time, the organization is taking a number of steps that are quietly but seriously reforming the entire league. For example, the promotion did something that was not yet very common in MMA. It opened its own representative office in Africa, where it will be able to hold tournaments and also scout for new potential stars. And this step, it seems, could have been taken in the UFC a long time ago, but they never decided to do it. It is curious that in the PFL the decision did not come about spontaneously. Most likely, this was just part of the contract with Ngannou, who was quite difficult to attract.
If anyone puts Francis and John in a cage, it will be the sheikhs:
‘Money is everything’: Will Ngannou-Jones superfight take place in Saudi Arabia?
So far, the PFL is not in a hurry to make any serious reforms. For example, the Grand Prix format has long seemed outdated. But the organisation continues to use it persistently and considers it successful. One gets the feeling that at the moment it is used literally by inertia. It does not provide any particular results in terms of attracting attention to promotion. But for now the league is trying not to take too many risks, because it is afraid of breaking a working system. Most likely, the Grand Prix model will be extended for the next season. However, this can only play a negative role in the development of promotion.
PFL Tournament
Photo: Cooper Neill/Getty Images
Almost a year later, it is time to sum up the first results of the PFL’s rivalry with the UFC. And so far, frankly, there has been no significant progress. But everything can still change if the organization wants to show its determination. For example, to definitively abandon the outdated Grand Prix model, concentrate the stars in one promotion and not try to balance them between leagues. Otherwise, the competition will never appear.
