The Professional Fighters League, a mixed martial arts organization, has postponed its season as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The league plans on resuming next spring, although it may decide to run one-off events during the fourth quarter of this year depending on health and economic conditions.
Peter Murray, the PFL’s chief executive, said the league considered having a condensed schedule this year. But he added that was not feasible because the PFL has fighters from more than 25 countries, and he wanted them and the event personnel to feel safe and not worry about the coronavirus. Fighters under contract with the PFL will receive a monthly cash stipend for the rest of the year.
Murray also said the PFL wanted to keep its format intact. Unlike the Ultimate Fighting Championship and other MMA organizations, which stage one-off events throughout the year and have matchmakers book fights, the PFL has a format resembling traditional sports leagues. The PFL holds six regular season events from May through August. The top fighters then advance to the playoffs, which begin in October and end on New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden. The champion in each division (five men’s weight classes and one women’s weigh class) each earns $1 million.
