Major Excitement, PFL And Bellator Champions To Meet In Competition
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February 9, 2024,
At some point, if you have two established leagues, with quality athletes performing similar competitions, questions among analysts and fans will arise, who is better than whom?
The old NFL and AFL went through this for some time until the greatest pro football extravaganza was created in the Super Bowl.
The First AFL–NFL Super Bowl was played on January 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The National Football League (NFL) champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American Football League (AFL) champion Kansas City Chiefs by the score of 35–10.
Now, they could find out who was the best.
In basketball, the old NBA and ABA went through similar sports bar conversations until the two leagues merged.
The ABA–NBA merger was a major pro sports business maneuver in 1976 when the American Basketball Association (ABA) combined with the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The best from both leagues could now play the best.
In the professional MMA realm, we have two giants who have decided to merge.
These are exciting times.
Let’s meet the big time players.
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) promotion in 2017 by MMAX Investment Partners.
Drum roll please.
It is the first major MMA organization in which individual athletes compete in a regular season, post-season and championship, rather than on a year-round basis.
The PFL currently puts on fights across six weight-divisions which include the featherweight, women’s lightweight, lightweight, welterweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.
In addition to this, there is also a ‘Super Fight’ division, which isn’t defined by weight, but instead is based on the status and name value of individuals who compete in it.
The PFL’s matches are held inside a 10-sided mixed martial arts cage known as the SmartCage, and adhere to the unified rules of mixed martial arts, with the exception that the PFL prohibits all elbow strikes.
The PFL’s inaugural event took place on June 7, 2018, at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. At the end, each champion of the six weight classes won a championship prize of $1 million each.
Impressive.
Time to meet Bellator.
Bellator MMA is an American mixed martial arts promotion founded in 2008.
At one point the organization was considered the second largest in the United States and one of the largest combat sport promotions in the world.
Bellator’s first event was held in 2009, and the promotion has since held over 300 “numbered” events.
The promotion takes its name from bellātor, the Latin word for “warrior”.
Paramount Global (formerly Viacom) purchased majority ownership of Bellator from founder Bjorn Rebney in 2011, with Paramount’s television networks serving as the promotion’s media partners in the United States.
Drum roll and trumpets sounding.
On November 20, 2023, after Bellator’s then-broadcaster Showtime announced the discontinuation of its sports division, Bellator MMA was acquired by the Professional Fighters League.
Very well. It is time for the greatest warriors to meet and end the debates.
PFL CHAMPIONS VS BELLATOR CHAMPIONS
News provided by
Professional Fighters League (PFL)
16 Jan, 2024, 16:25 ET
FIRST PFL PPV SUPER FIGHT TO FEATURE PFL CHAMPIONS VS BELLATOR CHAMPIONS
UNPRECEDENTED MEGA EVENT ON FEBRUARY 24, LIVE ON ESPN+ PPV AND DAZN
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Riyadh Season has revealed that the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) will host an unprecedented pay- per-view mega event – PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions – from the state-of the-art Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, February 24. This unprecedented Champions vs Champions fight card features four co-main fights of current PFL Champions vs current Bellator Champions. In addition, the card features two compelling match-ups of previous PFL title challenges vs previous Bellator title challengers.
The first-ever PFL PPV Super Fight event will feature seven matchups between current and former champions, as well as title challengers from PFL and Bellator, and will be available on ESPN+ PPV and DAZN beginning at 3 pm ET. In addition, three major showcase bouts will take place during the preliminary card airing in the U.S. on ESPNEWS and ESPN+ in the U.S. beginning at 12 pm ET.
In today’s landscape of fight games, fans want to see the best fights potted against the best. With PFL’s acquisition of Bellator, fight fans are going to receive that on Feb. 24 when two MMA giants descend on Saudi Arabia to see who comes out on top. Newly designed Super Fight Championship belts and the future of PFL and Bellator highlight this spectacle of three-round super fights where elbows are legal and the winner-takes-all.
In the main event, heavyweights collide when PFL’s Renan Ferreira (12-3), fresh off his emphatic second round TKO victory during the 2023 PFL Championship meets the first athlete in Bellator history to become champion in two weight divisions simultaneously, Ryan Bader (31-7).
Newly crowned PFL Light Heavyweight kingpin Impa Kasanganay (15-3) returns to 185- pounds for the first time since joining PFL when he challenges the man many fans consider to be the best middleweight on the planet, undefeated Johnny Eblen (14-0).
Two-time PFL champion Magomed Magomedkerimov (34-6), who is currently in the midst of a six-fight unbeaten streak puts his current run of success on the line against Bellator welterweight titlist Jason Jackson (17-4), the proud Jamaican recently put an end to the longest winning streak in MMA (27) when he won the title from Yaroslav Amosov.
At featherweight, the pride of Peru, Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) returns to action fresh off his 2023 PFL Championship victory to take on one of Bellator’s most successful fighter of all- time, Brazil’s Patricio Pitbull (35-7), the current Bellator Featherweight Champion and former Lightweight Champion.
In addition to the four bouts featuring current PFL and Bellator champions, former heavyweight champ Bruno Cappelozza (15-6) welcomes former Bellator Light Heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov (17-2) to the 265-pound limit when they clash on Feb. 24. A pair of heavy-handed former No. 1 contenders are also set to square off at 205-pounds when Brazil’s Thiago Santos (22-11) goes up against former Olympian Yoel Romero (15-7). Rounding out the PPV portion of the spectacle will see the always exciting Clay Collard (24- 11) challenge former Bellator Featherweight Champion AJ McKee (21-1) in a special lightweight showdown of striking specialists.
During the Champions vs. Champions preliminary card, top featherweight contender from PFL Gabriel Braga (12-1) and top featherweight contender from Bellator Aaron Pico (12-4) will square off, while Biaggio Ali Walsh, grandson of the iconic boxer Muhammad Ali, makes his pro debut at 155-pounds. Champions vs. Champions also will mark the return to the PFL SmartCage for Claressa Shields, the world’s greatest women’s boxer, rounding out a great collection of talent in MMA and combat sports.
HE Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), said: “Riyadh Season is putting on some of the biggest fight events around and the PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions certainly belongs in that category. We are delighted to be the host for this first of its kind event, which will see some of the most exciting matchups and break new ground in the world of combat sports.”
PFL CEO Peter Murray said: “The Middle East is the fight capital of the world, and the Professional Fighters League is proud to bring the world’s best combat sports stars to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Riyadh Season to host the first-ever PFL PPV Super Fight mega-global event. PFL Champions versus Bellator Champions is game changing for fighters and fans. I would like to thank HE Turki Alalshikh, the GEA and SRJ for this incredible opportunity to grow the sport of MMA in the Kingdom and around the world.”
Danny Townsend, CEO at SRJ Sports Investments, said: “Knowing that the passion for combat sports runs deep across Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region, we’re thrilled to bring Champions vs Champions to Riyadh next month, for what promises to be an unforgettable night of fight action. Champions vs Champions will be a truly global sporting spectacle, watched by millions of fans around the world, and played out in front of one of combat sports’ biggest yet still fastest growing international audiences. For us as SRJ Sports Investments, backing the growth of game-changing brands like PFL is center to our ambitions of unlocking global opportunities through sports that have strong regional relevance here in the MENA-region, contributing to the wider sports economy and inspiring the next generation of Saudis.”
Shay Segev, DAZN Group CEO, said: “We are delighted to once again partner with The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Riyadh Season for the PFL Champions vs Champions event. The PFL is one of the most exciting and innovative sports brands around. This, coupled with HE Turki Alalshikh’s vision, will make 24 February a night to remember. Fight sports fans across the world will soon be able to tune in for a truly exceptional run of shows live from Riyadh on DAZN, including this PFL Mega event”.
PPV Card – ESPN+ PPV and DAZN – 3 pm ET
Heavyweight Champion vs. Champion Bout: Renan Ferreira (PFL World Champ) vs. Ryan Bader (Bellator Champ)
Middleweight Champion vs. Champion Bout: Impa Kasanganay (PFL Light Heavyweight World Champ) vs. Johnny Eblen (Bellator Champ)
Welterweight Champion vs. Champion Bout: Magomed Magomedkerimov (PFL World Champ) vs. Jason Jackson (Bellator Champ)
Featherweight Champion vs. Champion Bout: Jesus Pinedo (PFL World Champ) vs. Patricio Pitbull (Bellator Champ)
Heavyweight Showcase Bout: Bruno Cappelozza (former PFL World Champ) vs. Vadim Nemkov (former Bellator Champ)
Light Heavyweight Showcase Bout: Thiago Santos (PFL title contender) vs. Yoel Romero (Bellator title contender)
Lightweight Showcase Bout: Clay Collard (PFL title contender) vs. AJ McKee (former Bellator Champ)
Early Card – ESPNEWS and ESPN+ (US) – 12 pm ET
Featherweight Showcase Bout: Gabriel Braga (PFL title contender) vs. Aaron Pico (Bellator title contender)
Lightweight Showcase Bout: Biaggio Ali Walsh (Pro Debut) vs. Chris Morris (Pro Debut)
Lightweight Showcase Bout: Claressa Shields vs. Kelsey DeSantis
Featherweight Showcase Bout: Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. Edukondal Rao
Amateur Flyweight Bout: Malik Basahel vs. Vinicius Pereira
As part of the historic investment agreement announced last year, Professional Fighters League and SRJ Sports Investments (“SRJ”) will host multiple PFL PPV Super Fight Division mega-global events in Saudi Arabia each year.
Riyadh Season attracts people from all over the world to experience a wide range of international martial arts and boxing events. It also offers various entertainment options and international experiences. During the winter months, visitors can enjoy thousands of concerts, exhibitions, and other events in Riyadh. This unique entertainment includes participation from celebrities and well-known brands. To book tickets for events and experiences in the region, you can use the WeBook application through this link: http:// onelink.to/wbkapp
PFL is the only organization in MMA with a sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight class, the same percentage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience. PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.
ABOUT RIYADH SEASON
Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of the Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting activities, and other unique cultural events. For more information, please contact Riyadh Season Media Center via email: media@riyadhseason.sa.
ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league worldwide. PFL has five live fight franchises, offering year-round content: PFL League Season, PFL PPV Super Fights, PFL Challenger Series, PFL International Leagues, and Bellator. Founded in 2018, PFL is backed by major blue-chip investors including SRJ, Ares, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth sports business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams.
ABOUT SRJ SPORTS INVESTMENTS
SRJ (/Surge/) Sports Investments is a leading sports investor, wholly owned by PIF, and established to develop a world-class sports sector in Saudi Arabia and beyond. SRJ Sports Investments focuses on driving sustainable investment across technology, media, programming, IP rights, and commercialization of venues – serving the sports sector in Saudi Arabia and across the MENA region.
SOURCE Professional Fighters League (PFL)
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Fighters_League
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellator_MMA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_I
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABA%E2%80%93NBA_merger
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