PFL founder Donn Davis hints at major August announcement bound to “change the global market of MMA”
Under Donn Davis’s leadership, the Professional Fighters League [PFL] has emerged as a serious challenger to the UFC’s dominance in the mixed martial arts market. Its aggressive expansion strategies and collaborative efforts have yielded better results in recent times with many high-profile signings.
The organization had previously acquired the MMA promotion World Series of Fighting [WSOF] and has advanced into the European markets in 2023 with PFL Europe. High-profile talents like Jake Paul, Francis Ngannou, Kayla Harrison, and former UFC champion Anthony Pettis have enabled the organization to get a deeper penetration into the hardcore MMA fanbase.
PFL's founder Donn Davis recently took to Twitter and hinted at a huge announcement that will ‘change the global market of MMA.'
“Our @PFLMMA team can focus 100% on building the company in the rare months like July when we don’t have fight events … So August … look out for PFL big announcement that changes the global market of MMA,” Donn Davis tweeted.
In a May 2023 interview with Al Jazeera, Donn Davis expressed his desire to form regional leagues that would provide a platform to local talent. The winners of these regional leagues would then compete in a global league, creating a worldwide MMA network. Donn Davis intends for the Middle East and Africa to be the next regional leagues for this purpose.
Dana White says PFL and Donn Davis are planning to take over Bellator MMA
The UFC has established its monopoly over MMA by employing all means necessary over the last few decades. Therefore it is no surprise that Dana White is not a fan of the rising power. While speaking to the media during the UFC Vegas 73 presser, White alleged that Professional Fighters' League might be raising funds to acquire Bellator. He said:
"I'm hearing that they're raising money right now, $280 million, $290 million from the Middle East. I don't know who in the hell would give them $280 million, I'm hearing they're buying Bellator! So you're an organization that's burning cash, you have no ratings and selling no tickets and you're going to raise $280 million to buy a company that's burning cash, sells no tickets and does no ratings. It sounds f**ing absolutely genius to me!”
Check out Dana White's comments in the video below:
Dana White’s remarks received a befitting reply from Donn Davis, who reminded the UFC president of the rivalry between Blockbuster and Netflix in the late 2000s. The nature of Davis' impending announcement is unknown at the moment. But there is a good reason to believe that the organization might take another step to challenge the UFC’s dominance in the global MMA market.