The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion that has a unique format of regular season, playoffs and championship. The PFL has been growing rapidly in popularity and reach, and now it has announced a new joint venture with DAZN, a global sports streaming platform, to launch PFL Europe in 2023.
PFL Europe is a new MMA league that will feature the top emerging European fighters competing in a season format similar to the PFL Global League. The PFL Europe season will consist of four weight classes: light heavyweight, welterweight, lightweight and women’s flyweight. The fighters will earn points based on their performance and results, and the top four in each division will advance to the playoffs. The playoffs will determine the finalists who will fight for the PFL Europe title and a $100,000 prize in Dublin, Ireland.
PFL Europe will also have a challenger series for young prospects and a super fight division for marquee matchups. The PFL Europe events will be held in different European cities, such as Paris, London, Berlin and Rome.
How to watch PFL Europe on DAZN?
DAZN is the exclusive home of PFL Europe in 53 international markets, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece, Portugal and more. DAZN subscribers can watch all the PFL Europe events live and on-demand on various devices, such as smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, game consoles and computers.
DAZN also has the rights to stream all the PFL Global events in these markets, as well as in Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and other countries in Asia-Pacific and the Caribbean. The PFL Global League features some of the best MMA fighters in the world, such as Kayla Harrison, Rory MacDonald, Ray Cooper III and Clarissa Shields. The PFL Global League has a $6 million prize pool and awards $1 million to each of its six champions.
What are the benefits of the joint venture?
The joint venture between PFL and DAZN is expected to benefit both parties, as well as the MMA fans and fighters. For PFL, it is an opportunity to expand its global footprint and reach new audiences. PFL CEO Peter Murray said that the partnership with DAZN will help them “showcase the sport’s top talent and deliver premium MMA action to fans across Europe and around the world” .
For DAZN, it is a chance to add more value and variety to its sports content portfolio. DAZN Group Executive Chairman Kevin Mayer said that they are “thrilled to partner with PFL to bring this innovative and exciting MMA product to our subscribers” . DAZN already offers a wide range of sports streaming options, such as boxing, soccer, basketball, baseball, golf and more.
For MMA fans, it is a way to enjoy more high-quality and exclusive MMA content at an affordable price. DAZN offers a monthly or annual subscription plan that gives access to all its sports content without any contracts or commitments. MMA fans can also discover new fighters and stories from different regions and backgrounds through PFL Europe.
For MMA fighters, it is a platform to showcase their skills and earn recognition and rewards. PFL Europe will provide more opportunities for European fighters to compete at a high level and earn a spot in the PFL Global League or other major promotions. PFL Europe will also offer a fair and transparent system that rewards fighters based on their performance rather than their popularity or politics.
When will PFL Europe start?
PFL Europe is set to launch in 2023 with its inaugural season. The details of the schedule, venues and fighters are yet to be announced. However, fans can get a taste of what to expect from PFL Europe by watching the first ever PFL Europe playoffs this Saturday at Zenith Paris La Villette in Paris, France. The event will feature an all-French main event between Cedric Doumbe and Jordan Zebo in a welterweight clash. Fans can also watch some of the potential PFL Europe contenders from other weight classes, such as Dylan Tuke from Ireland, Pavel Kusch from Ukraine and Cindy Dandois from Belgium.
