HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – PFL CEO Peter Murray has found success with the promotion’s focus on innovation.
Along with advancing the fight game by investing in technological advancements to provide statistical information inside the cage, Murray also believes in the future of cross-promotional bouts to give fans the best fights possible.
“We’re a proponent of cross-promotions,” Murray told MMA Junkie recently. “We’ll back our fighters all day long. There are other fights that we’d like to match with other organizations. I think that’s where the sport’s headed. We want to be an advocate to open it up. It’s not just under our roof. Let’s give fans what they want.”
Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum was a new addition to the 2021 season, although he didn’t make the playoffs largely due to a controversial result in his bout against Renan Ferreira that has since been overturned to a no contest. Werdum raised his hand to compete against Fedor Emelianenko under the Bellator banner this October. Despite being under contract with PFL, Murray accepted the idea of Werdum taking the fight, although Emelianeko and Bellator decided on Timothy Johnson as an opponent.
Further proving the company embraces cross-promotion, multiple-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison was allowed to compete under the Invicta banner in 2020, and even wore her PFL fight gear during the bout against Courtney King. Harrison represented herself and the brand well by dominating the fight, picking up a second-round ground-and-pound finish.
When it comes to fantasy matchmaking, more often than not, MMA fans ponder the idea of cross-promotional bouts involving UFC fighters. While the UFC is very unlikely to be involved in any fights with other promotions due to their business model, knowing the PFL is willing to work with organizations to create big fights is a positive for the brand.
Watch the full interview with Murray in the video above.
‘Let’s give fans what they want’: PFL CEO Peter Murray embraces idea of more cross-promotion fights
