Earlier today, massive news was announced within UK MMA. The PFL (Professional Fighters League) announced a broadcast deal with Channel 4 as MMA’s growth in the United Kingdom continues.
PFL is an American-based MMA promotion that utilises a unique play-off and tournament format. The deal comes only days after the BBC announced that they were extending their deal with rival promotion Bellator. This now means that Channel 4 will be the exclusive provider of PFL events for UK fans in 2022.
A statement released by Channel 4 quoted the following: “Under the terms of the deal, Channel 4 platforms will carry the PFL’s inaugural Challenger Series, along with the 2022 PFL Regular Season, which gets underway on 20 April and includes the Playoffs and PFL World Championship.”
C4 will also provide access to exclusive PFL content and classic archive footage from the 2019-2021 seasons. The deal with Channel 4 will also make it more accessible for UK fans to watch, rather than other sources. As the UK gets more rights to MMA broadcasting, it opens up many doors for fighters coming out of the country.
UK Based Fighters
Speaking of the 2021 season, a particular UK based fighter got to the semi-finals. Brendan Loughnane, a Dana White’s Contender Series alum, has truly made PFL his home and found success under the banner. He hopes to further his success in the 2022 season, although he has been quiet regarding his status with PFL.
Alongside Loughnane, another UK fighter has recently signed for the promotion. Steven Ray was present for the announcement and made his MMA return following a long layoff due to injuries. Ray is an experienced fighter and another UFC veteran who believes the PFL offered him the best return.
With the PFL on UK broadcasting, you can imagine they will sign more names from the country. Due to air, the Challenger Series has already added light heavyweight prospect, Simeon Powell, to their ranks. Expect more to follow in the coming months.
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Featured image credits to Professional Fight League
