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5 Things PFL MUST Do To Actually Compete With UFC, Including 3 Ngannou Fights in 2026
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- 5 Things PFL MUST Do To Actually Compete With UFC, Including 3 Ngannou Fights in 2026
Matt Ferris
There was a time when it seemed like the Professional Fighters League might become a serious competitor to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. They added former UFC heavyweight king Francis Ngannou to the roster. Jake Paul was supposed to make his MMA debut in the SmartCage. They purchased competitor Bellator to improve the roster, and they got an influx of money from the Middle East.
Yet, those moves made little difference, and the brand seems even less relevant now than it was two years ago. That is why PFL recently made former Turner Broadcasting boss John Martin their new CEO . However, he has a huge challenge ahead if he really wants the brand to carve out a solid portion of a market absolutely dominated by the UFC.
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If Martin wants to make PFL competitive and last for the next decade, here are five things he must due to get some momentum behind the brand.
Worry Less About Talent and Build a Roster With Talkative Brawlers
Credit: Cooper Neill/PFL
It made sense for PFL to put together the best roster possible. Talent matters in most sports, and being able to have fighters you can prop up as just as good as those in the UFC seems logical. But it's unrealistic and didn't work. UFC has a stranglehold on a majority of the best MMA fighters in the world. Trying to get the next best led PFL to sign many rising fighters from Eastern Europe and Dagestan. Unfortunately, while some are good at getting wins, most of those competitors don't offer exciting action to put buts in seats and eyeballs on screens.
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PFL must learn from its own and Bellator's failings. Focus less on cultivating the best roster possible and more on dogs who love to fight and can self-promote. That approach has been a huge success for Bare Knuckle Fight Championship , and why that brand has grown so quickly. They deliver action-packed and violent bouts. That is what fight fans truly want. PFL won't be able to compete with the UFC's roster, but they can put together a crew that can talk like stars and deliver violence to rival what fans see in the Octagon.
Make Andrew Schulz a Cageside Commentator
Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
In short, the UFC needs to find its own Joe Rogan. Sean O'Connell, UFC legend Randy Couture, and Dan Hardy are good commentators. But they appeal to diehard fans. PFL needs someone who will make a casual viewer stop and stay because they can't deny they enjoy listening to the funny guy calling the action. Joe Rogan being funny and lovable is a huge part of the UFC's early success.
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So who could be Rogan 2.0? Comedian, podcast star, and sometimes actor Andrew Schulz would be a great option. He has cultivated a huge fanbase through his podcast and is a legit fight fan. He could bring something to broadcasts that PFL badly needs: relatability. Plus, he can help promote the brand through his Flagrant podcast, like Rogan does for the UFC on his.
Francis Ngannou Must Fight 3 Times in 2026
Credit: Cooper Neill/PFL
When Ngannou signed with PFL two years ago, it was viewed as a major coup for the league. It brought legitimacy to the brand because Ngannou was one of the scariest men on the planet after a dominant run in the UFC. He was set to be the centerpiece of the PFL's move into PPV. But instead, he focused on his boxing career and fought in the SmartCage just once. This can't happen anymore.
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PFL needs Ngannou to fight in 2026. But not once, not twice, but three times. If PFL wants to build some momentum, it needs to create big events, and Ngannou is a household name that brings attention. They must prove that signing was more than a PR ploy and get the most value out of the Cameroonian's name while it still has relevance.
Cross-Promote with BKFC
Credit: BKFC
David Feldman and his team at BKFC deserve a bunch of credit for what they have built over the last five years. BKFC is the fastest rising promotion in fight sports, is selling out arenas around the country, and has landed Conor McGregor as a part-owner, as well as foreign investment. And much like the UFC, the brand is cool with younger generations and males.
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PFL should do whatever it can to create any connection possible to that cool factor. If BKFC were open to a talent exchange and cross-promotion, PFL should jump at the opportunity. With the bare-knuckle company using so many former MMA stars, it would be easy to have some of them compete in the SmartCage and then offer fresh bodies to compete in bare-knuckle. Making fight fans think PFL is cool, like BKFC, would do wonders for the brand.
Target Cities Underserved By UFC
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The UFC is a massive brand that visits cities all around the world. However, they can't hit them all, and there are many places with devoted fight fans that don't get enough love from the biggest company in the sport. PFL should take advantage of those gaps and build following in fight-loving towns, especially in Canada.
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If PFL can travel more, they should hit Canada a couple of times every year. As well as notable cities in Texas and throughout the South and Midwest, like Columbus and Detroit. PFL going to places like New York is pointless if they aren't appreciated for being there. They need to show MMA love to underserved cities and let them return that love with devoted fans that fill venues for them consistently in the years ahead.
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