As Investors Flock, PFL Targets To Get Hold Of Asia

The success that the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has attained in the last five years has been quite remarkable.

With a unique sports-season format, a million-dollar purse, and a roster of world-class mixed martial arts (MMA) talents, it's no surprise that the promotion has been able to join the UFC at the top of the highly-lucrative industry after just three successful seasons.

While the format and the fighters are indeed the league's biggest differentiators, it also doesn't hurt that PFL has been able to attract a handful of blue-chip investors to help power the company into the future.

Some of the names in PFL's ownership group include Waverly Capital, Ares Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Ted Leonsis, Kevin Hart, Mark Burnett, Wiz Khalifa, Alex Rodriguez, and many others.

The league recently completed a funding round led by Waverly Capital as well as baseball icon Alex Rodriguez, which pushed the organization's valuation to $500 million.

PFL is currently getting ready to wrap up its historic 2022 season, with its culminating event set to take place on November 25th at the Hulu Theater of the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City.

While the league has yet to close the book on 2022, it has already gotten off to a running start for 2023.

Over the past few months, PFL had announced a number of high-profile signings such as Shane Burgos, Aspen Ladd and Biaggio Ali Walsh.

While the 2023 PFL regular season is looking more and more star-studded, perhaps the biggest thing to look forward to next year is the league's expansion into Europe.

2023 will mark the launch of PFL Europe, an expansion league that will feature up-and-coming stars from the region.

The winner of PFL Europe will get the chance to join the main roster for next season and vie for a world title and million-dollar grand prize.

"We're really excited about launching our first-ever international league," PFL CEO Peter Murray said in an interview with MMA Underground.

First of all, there will be multiple weight classes, men and women. Two, it'll be the PFL season format, with a regular season, playoffs, and a championship, and then it will culminate with a PFL Europe championship, awarding the winners in each weight class with the 2023 PFL Europe championship belt, as well as a major purse for those international fighters, and then those champions will potentially have an opportunity for a path to the PFL global season, where it really is the next-level talent, if you will, but on a global stage," continued.

"PFL Europe will be made up of some of the top pro fighters throughout all of Europe. We'll stage all of the events in Europe, in select countries, and those events will be staged in European primetime, so fans have access to it via our media distribution on Friday or Saturday, as well as the in-venue experience."

As exciting as PFL Europe sounds, the truth is that it's just the tip of the iceberg.

Murray has also hinted at taking the PFL Europe blueprint and implementing it into other major markets such as the Middle East and then the entirety of Asia soon after.

"There's a hunger in the region and a multitude of athletes who are training," Murray said in an interview with Forbes. "With our expertise to further develop athletes at the grassroots level, and at the pro level, we can provide an outlet for the fighters."

"We have a number of options for strategic partners to make it happen and we are assessing the right path in the UAE."

The Middle East has long been considered an untapped goldmine of talent, and PFL helped put the spotlight on homegrown stars from the aforementioned territory like Jarrah Al-Silawi.

The majority of Asia, meanwhile, will always be a prime target for the league as the continent is home to some of the best prizefighters who just need a big break on a global platform.

Apart from the quality of competitors, Asia boasts to have the most passionate combat sports fans in the world, which should be an exciting aspect of bringing PFL to the region.

With PFL's current success and backing from some of the biggest names in business, sports, and entertainment, there's no doubt that the league's future is bright.