Main modifications are coming to PFL in 2025.
Before everything, the Bellator model is coming to an finish after PFL acquired the promotion in a cope with Paramount in late 2023. On the time, PFL officers introduced plans for Bellator to proceed working as its personal entity with separate exhibits and champions representing the promotion.
That continued all through 2024, though doubts about the way forward for Bellator began creeping to the floor after a deliberate card in London misplaced its principal occasion simply days earlier than the present was scheduled to happen after which a second card in Paris was cancelled.
Now as PFL heads into the New Yr, Bellator successfully not exists with the fighters who beforehand competed below that banner now simply turn into PFL athletes.
As of now, PFL officers haven’t made any bulletins relating to Bellator or the champions who presently maintain titles in that group. It’s unclear presently if Bellator champions simply turn into PFL champions however there could also be some readability ahead of later with reigning Bellator light-weight king Usman Nurmagomedov scheduled to defend his title in opposition to Paul Hughes on Jan. 25.
The cardboard is being billed as a PFL Champions occasion with no point out of Bellator within the branding.
In fact this all occurs as a number of distinguished Bellator fighters have expressed frustration with the PFL over inactivity. Reigning featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull and bantamweight champion Patchy Mix even went so far as requesting a launch from the promotion after sitting out a number of months with out fights.
A number of folks with data of the promotion’s plans confirmed the information to MMA Combating following an preliminary report from Ariel Helwani.
Along with Bellator formally coming to an finish, the PFL can also be anticipated to vary its format heading into 2025.
Not like previous years the place the PFL touted a daily season and playoffs, the brand new format is anticipated to simply run like a standard match. The PFL tournaments are nonetheless anticipated to exist over a number of weight lessons and run all year long, however the format is now single elimination like every conventional match format.
The prize cash for the tournaments can also be anticipated to vary with the winner now probably incomes $500,000 versus the $1 million prize beforehand awarded. Adjustments to the prize cash was first reported by Al Zullino on Twitter.
With the subsequent PFL card scheduled for Jan. 25, it’s anticipated that the promotion will solidify many of those bulletins previous to that date together with information about future occasions and plans for 2025.
