'Game-changing' Professional Fighters League in Saudi Arabia ready to revolutionise MMA

The chief executive of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) says next week’s “game-changing” inaugural event in Saudi Arabia will provide a launch pad to “building out a world-class ecosystem” for mixed martial arts in the kingdom and throughout the region.

The organisation, which in November acquired fellow MMA promotion Bellator, will stage its opening fight night in Saudi with “PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions” on February 24, at the new Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

The event comes after the PFL announced in August it had signed an investment agreement with SRJ Sports Investments, an entity owned by Saudi’s Public Investment Fund.

As part of the partnership, SRJ acquired a minority equity ownership in the PFL. The deal, reported to be $100 million, sees SRJ become an investor in PFL Mena, a new regional league set to launch this April.

PFL and SRJ will also work together in putting together and staging PFL PPV Super Fights “mega-events” in Saudi Arabia – the first being “PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions”.

“We're very excited about the partnership,” PFL CEO Peter Murray told The National. “It's really grounded in SRJ and their focus on not only sport investment globally, as well as regionally throughout the Middle East and specifically in Saudi.

“But, with respect to the PFL, they're a key part of our overall ownership group strategy and plan to grow globally. They believe in MMA as the growth sport of this decade and the PFL’s vision to advance the sport, as well as scale our business globally. And, importantly, build a world-class ecosystem of MMA in Saudi Arabia.

“So it really is a twofold strategy, and we're now heading into that next phase of activating against that strategy and implementing our plan.

“This year it's going to be really exciting. On the heels of our acquisition of Bellator, PFL are well positioned as a global leader in the sport. We're really proud of the [SRJ] relationship; it's a true partnership.”

Murray said the PFL will host multiple events in Saudi Arabia this year, with announcements expected next week regarding another “mega event” and also the regional league fight nights for PFL Mena.

The company expects to organise six regional leagues by 2026 – Europe, Mena, Africa, Australia, Latin America and Asia – which each aim to feature the lead fighters from, and host all events in, the respective regions.

The PFL says it seeks to create a “Champions League of MMA”, where the various regional leagues will offer top talent a pathway to compete in its global events. This year’s PFL Mena will comprise four events.

Murray described the PFL’s commitment to the sport both in Saudi and the wider region as “long-term”, adding: “We're not like other promotions to essentially come in and leave.

“We're committed to growing the sport, starting with athletes, the ecosystem, putting resources in place to advance, grow the smart sport, and build our global business.”

On the possibility of staging fight nights outside of the kingdom as part of the expansion, Murray said: “You will see PFL events from all of our franchises, staged not only in Saudi, but also throughout the Middle East.

“So, from pay-per-view fights to Global Season events – our world championship – to Bellator events, as well as PFL Mena regional league events, will be staged throughout the entire region.

“We're having those conversations now with various stakeholders in different countries, where there's high interest and demand for sport and the PFL’s version of MMA. We'll be making those announcements in the coming months.”

Kick-starting the organisation’s new division, PFL PPV Super Fights, next week’s event in Riyadh will include four champions versus champion bouts, headlined by 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira taking on Bellator counterpart Ryan Bader.

In the co-main event, 2023 PFL light-heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay faces Bellator middleweight belt-holder Johnny Eblen at 185lbs, while PFL featherweight champion Jesus Pinedo goes head-to-head with Bellator rival Patricio Pitbull.

The fight card also features the pro debut of Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Biaggio Ali Walsh, and Claressa Shields’ third PFL outing. The American is the current women's IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO world middleweight boxing champion.

Meanwhile, featherweight Abdullah Al Qahtani, the first Saudi athlete signed to PFL, also makes his third appearance in the promotion, when he goes up against India’s Edukondal Rao.

“It’s an unprecedented event in the sport of MMA,” Murray said. “That will be an annual tent-pole event for the PFL and a ‘mega event’ for the kingdom.

“So that kicks off not only building out that world-class ecosystem of MMA in Saudi, but it also launches our new business, our PPV Super Fights’ division.

“The concept of Champ versus Champ is that the fighters now have an opportunity to prove who is the best in the weight class around the world. That's what this event determines: who is the very best in each weight class.

“This is all about who will be the champion of champions across these weight classes. And bringing two powerhouses together in MMA, the PFL and Bellator, having this type of cross-promotion or event, this is what fans want.

“So we're delivering it. It's a star-studded and stacked card.”

Murray also confirmed that marquee star Francis Ngannou will debut in the promotion later this year. The former UFC heavyweight champion signed an exclusive MMA contract last year with PFL, but has since crossed over to boxing.

In October, also in Saudi, Ngannou almost registered one of the greatest upsets in combat-sports history, when in his first professional boxing bout, he knocked down WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury before losing a close decision.

Ngannou, 37, will next face two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, on March 8 in Riyadh.

“Francis will return to the PFL SmartCage in the latter part of 2024,” Murray said. “We haven't announced the date, but we're excited about Francis' return after his fight against AJ.

“It’s really incredible to watch Francis' journey. He's charting his own course as not only the baddest man on the planet, but the baddest combat-sport athlete on the planet.

“He signed with us and we're so proud to be partners. Francis is exclusive from an athlete-competition standpoint in MMA with the PFL, but he has this flexibility and the support on his journey in boxing.

“He shocked the world against Tyson Fury; everybody underestimated him, including Tyson. And while the decision went the other way, Francis won the crowd, and it'll be really interesting to see this fight in March in the kingdom.

“I know Francis is working hard in training. And again, if I were AJ and anyone in that camp, I would not underestimate Francis Ngannou.

“So, we're excited for him. And then, regarding his follow-up in MMA with the PFL, more to come on those details.”

Murray said the PFL brand can only benefit from the exposure Ngannou has engendered since crossing into mainstream boxing.

“Francis is a global icon,” Murray said. “He's a star and he was a star before he came to the PFL. But we believe in his vision and to take on broader combat sports, including boxing. We're very, very supportive.

“And we're also true partners. Francis is not only a PFL athlete, but he’s on our global athlete advisory board, helping us to identify and develop future champions and stay true to our ‘fighter-first philosophy’.

“And finally, Francis is a business partner. He's the chairman of PFL Africa.”

Murray added that summer signing Savannah Marshall, the undisputed super-middleweight boxing champion, would likely debut in PFL sometime in spring, most probably in her hometown of Newcastle, England, with a rematch against long-time rival Shields probably to happen next year.

Shields is a two-time Olympic goal medallist in boxing and one of only three athletes in history, male or female, to hold all four of the sport’s major world titles in two weight classes.

Shields defeated Marshall by unanimous decision in late 2022. Since joining PFL little more than three years ago, she won on debut in July 2021 before losing her next bout four months later, by split decision.