The PFL Is The No. 2 MMA Company And The Shane Burgos Deal Is Proof

It wasn’t just a signing — it was a moment.

When MMA free agent Shane Burgos announced last month that he would jump from the UFC to the Professional Fighters League, it was a moment as symbolic as any for the PFL.

Sure, the PFL has had other headline-grabbing signings — Anthony Pettis and Rory MacDonald come to mind — but both Pettis and MacDonald were stars on the fade. The Burgos signing marked a shift. It showed a highly marketable fighter in his prime was willing to ditch the UFC to find another road to riches and glory, and that road is the PFL.

Even UFC president Dana White lamented Burgos’ departure, saying “we (bleeped) that one up” while PFL powerbrokers celebrated. “The Shane deal is a big moment for the PFL because Shane is on the rise. He’s an ascending star,” PFL founder and chairman Donn Davis said from his home last week.

The Burgos signing also clarifies something else: The PFL is arguably the No. 2 organization in an industry led by the UFC. And, in some cases, it’s the No. 1 company for fighters to earn big money. That’s exactly why Burgos signed up, knowing the PFL’s season-based format leads directly to a title shot and a million-dollar prize.

He said his PFL deal will make him a “multi-millionaire” by the end of 2023. “It was an offer I couldn’t turn (down),” Burgos said on MMAFightingonSBN. “I have two daughters at home, and I have to look at them in the face and say it was worth it when it’s all said and done in the sport. With this deal, I think that will secure that.”

“Shane knows he can make more money in a system that rewards meritocracy,” Davis said. “We’ve become the product of choice for fans and fighters other than the UFC.”

Davis isn’t wrong. Television and streaming metrics, along with audience share, back his assessment. According to Nielsen, in 2022, the PFL’s audience share is 38% of the UFC’s on ESPN and ESPN+, and PFL viewership on linear and streaming is up 35% this year.

In terms of worldwide distribution, the PFL is second only to the UFC, airing in 140 countries compared to the UFC’s 160. The PFL airs on premium outlets — ESPN in the U.S., DirecTV in Latin America; and Channel 4 in the U.K.

Also supporting Davis’ “product of choice” case is fighter talent — 25% of the PFL’s roster is ranked in the top 25 at Fight Matrix.

“We’re doing something right,” Davis said. “Viewers love us. And more and more fighters are coming to the PFL.”

PFL Championships on Nov. 25

The PFL’s championship card is set for November 25 and will be called “Black Friday MMA Day.” The event’s location will be announced this week. Six champions will be crowned and that means six millionaires will be made. Among the fights, women’s lightweight star Kayla Harrison — a pound-for-pound titan in the sport — will look to three-peat as PFL champion. She will face Brazil’s Larissa Pacheco, whom she beat by unanimous decision to win her title in 2019.

Harrison vs. Cyborg

Beyond winning a third PFL championship, Harrison could earn another massive payday if a superfight against another pound-for-pound great, Bellator featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, gets inked.

Last month, Davis came in with a white-hot proposal to get the fight done, offering $1 million to each fighter, along with a $2 million winner’s bonus. He believes a Harrison-Cyborg bout will happen in 2023, saying: “It’s a legacy fight for both of them, with life-changing money.”