Because the PFL prepares for its 2024 season to return to an in depth on Friday, a number of distinguished fighters from Bellator have come out publicly criticizing the promotion for inactivity with no indicators about once they’ll combat once more.
PFL purchased out Bellator in 2023, and even saved the model alive for this previous 12 months, however questions on the way forward for the group have plagued the promotion in latest days. Champions equivalent to Patricio Pitbull, Patchy Combine and Corey Anderson have all lamented lengthy layoffs and in some instances combat cancellations with just one Bellator card at present scheduled for January, however none of these explicit athletes at present slated to seem on that present.
“It sucks,” UFC legend Matt Brown mentioned on the newest episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “As a result of all these guys are within the their prime, too, they usually’re basically losing their prime ready on this group to determine their shit. PFL-Bellator, it simply looks like a multitude actually. The merger with all the things, it simply looks like there’s not numerous group.
“There’s a combat occurring this weekend that no one even actually is aware of is occurring. I believe they misplaced their ass on the [Francis] Ngannou combat. It simply looks like a trainwreck. The rails are simply slipping off little by little.”
Whereas PFL officers haven’t addressed the considerations raised by the Bellator fighters, many consider the issues may come right down to monetary obligations primarily based on at present current contracts.
Offers struck whereas nonetheless beneath the earlier Bellator regime should be honored after the promotion offered and former champion Gegard Mousasi went so far as submitting a lawsuit in opposition to PFL after he accused the group of sidelining him whereas allegedly asking him to take much less cash if he wished to combat.
“What different cause may there probably be? If that they had the cash, they’d be wanting these guys to combat,” Brown mentioned. “That is all their premier fighters that they acquired with Bellator. In fact they need these guys to combat, get them on the market and placed on exhibits for the followers. Us hardcore followers that do comply with Bellator, these are the blokes we need to see combat. I need to see Gegard Mousasi combat. Guys like Patchy Combine which can be of their prime, they need to be preventing. I need to see him combat. I need to see Aaron Pico combat. I need to see Corey Anderson combat.
“That is only a dangerous, dangerous look, particularly when these guys begin popping out publicly about it. It simply seems horrible for PFL-Bellator. Appears to be like like a trainwreck on its approach. The prepare’s going to fall off sooner or later and explode.”
The 2 organizations operating side-by-side has at all times been a bit complicated, particularly understanding that the PFL owns each promotions.
A part of the explanation for the separate entities has been the PFL format, which includes a season-long match that leads into playoffs and ultimately a championship last like what’s occurring in Saudi Arabia on Friday. It’s a extra conventional sports activities mannequin much like leagues just like the NFL or NBA however made to suit for MMA.
The issue is Brown doesn’t consider any of it has ever labored or actually caught maintain with followers, which is why he’s much more confused about why the PFL purchased out Bellator if it wasn’t to make use of the corporate’s greatest and most viable stars.
“It’s a trainwreck,” Brown mentioned. “The actual fact is it’s all MMA nonetheless similar to the UFC and the very fact is nobody cares. Your match? Nobody cares. Your f*cking level system? Nobody offers the slightest f*ck. No person. Not the hardcore followers. Not the informal followers. No person f*cking cares.
“The one approach you’re going to compete is by getting the very best fighters and placing on the very best exhibits and constructing some f*cking drama.”
Brown believes the UFC’s potential to construct a storyline and promote that in a combat is basically what has separated the promotion from each different contender that has ever come nipping at their heels.
In fact expertise nonetheless issues however Brown is aware of from his personal profession that simply placing on nice, thrilling fights isn’t at all times sufficient to maintain folks sufficient to look at each single occasion.
“I’ve mentioned it for years. That’s what the UFC has performed higher than any sport promotion in historical past. They construct drama like nobody else,” Brown mentioned. “We all know the personalities of the athletes. We construct favourite athletes and guys you begin caring about and it builds drama and other people begin f*cking caring. Motherf*ckers don’t care about your factors, about your tournaments. They don’t f*cking care.
“I’ve an excellent fan base. If each fighter was like me and placed on nice fights, like say me and Robbie Lawler — in the event that they have been all like me, this sport wouldn’t have lasted. There have been nice fights earlier than us, there are going to be nice fights after us, what constructed the game was drama. Then there’s the blokes like me, Robbie Lawler, the blokes who aren’t speaking shit, the [Georges St-Pierre’s] even, the good technical winners, the one cause we’re in a position to get a platform so massive and construct a model so massive is due to these drama guys that construct [the sport]. They’re the catalysts for what we’re doing. They’re the lynchpin. We’re simply enjoying off of that and getting that platform.”
Brown says if you’d like additional proof that drama and storytelling sells, look no additional than the latest boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, which resulted in huge viewership numbers for Netflix.
He appears like maybe PFL ought to take a lesson away from that combat and actually take into consideration the long run.
“Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, 65 million folks watch this shit due to emotional funding,” Brown mentioned. “Not due to a single f*cking talent. I do know there’s everyone with the query can Mike Tyson do it at 60 years outdated, no matter it’s, however no, we acquired emotionally invested. Like f*ck yeah Mike you are able to do it at 60! We couldn’t assist however watch due to feelings not due to talent.
“PFL-Bellator has a protracted street and no sporting promotion in historical past besides perhaps Jake Paul, no one else has ever offered persona and drama the best way the UFC has, and that’s the important thing to their success. [Entertainment] sells, not sports activities.”
