Islam Makhachev's manager sounds off on PFL critics, lauds promotion for being the only paying fighters "real money" other than UFC
Islam Makhachev's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, recently ranted about the criticism toward the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and its handling of fighter contracts.
Many of its former fighters - some absorbed from Bellator - have been quite vocal on social media on the matter. Abdelaziz, however, believes that the organization has done more good than bad, as evidenced by its staying power, global expansion, and aquisition of high-profile names.
Abdelaziz wrote on X:
"Anyone who has something to say about the @PFLMMA they should shut up or begin a new promotion themselves. PFL has been paying people millions of dollars every year, they just had 4 cards in the last 4 weeks and more than 80 athletes have competed, everyone from Champions Series is fighting in June, July and September."
He then supported his point with another post:
"All these fake media talking about the PFL just remember this is the only promotion outside the UFC paying athletes real money and if they are not around anymore a lot of the athletes would not make a living for their families. Put up or shut up."
Former PFL champion Sean O'Connell chimes in on conflict between the organization and ex-Bellator fighters
When Donn Davis and company absorbed Bellator fighters back in 2023, a lot of athletes from the now-defunct organization expressed discontent with the transition, especially with the new contracts.
Ex-Bellator fighters like Aaron Pico, Patricio Pitbull, and Gegard Mousasi took to social media to air out their frustrations towards the organization and its founder, Donn Davis.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani earlier this month, the organization's former light heavyweight champion and current commentator Sean O'Connell provided some insight on both sides of the argument - from the fighters' perpective and the company's.
O'Connell said:
"I was a fighter, right? And I know what it's like to wonder about your future and I know what it's like to want to maximize your paydays and I know what it's like to hope that you're getting good matchups and all that kind of stuff, and if you're not being communicated with the way you think you should be, or your agent and the company are not making things super clear to you about what your future is, it can get very, very frustrating.''
He added:
''The narrative that is pushed by fighters, in a lot of cases on social media, it completely loses sight of the company's side of things. The fact that we've done things a certain way for a very long time and that it's always been the case with the PFL.''
Listen to O'Connell's comments here: