Opinion: Why the PFL’s International Tournaments are the Future of MMA

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The Professional Fighters League has aspired to rise to the forefront of mixed martial arts since its inception eight years ago. While there have been hiccups and setbacks along the way, the PFL has firmly cemented itself as the No. 2 MMA organization in the world behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The UFC remains the sport’s top dog of today, but the PFL could emerge as the top dog of tomorrow.

Founder Donn Davis has put the PFL in position to make such gains through its international branches. MMA is a global sport where champions can emerge from any city, country or continent. When PFL Europe launched in 2023, people were skeptical that a European regional league could create buzz. Davis doubled down with PFL MENA the following year, stretching the company’s tentacles into the Middle East and North Africa. As the promotion prepares to launch its third international branch with PFL Africa on Saturday, one can only wonder whether or not the PFL’s international tournaments are the future of MMA.

As the UFC’s top stars begin to age, the struggle for relevance will shift in favor of the promotion that recruits the best talent, and the PFL is off to an excellent start. Davis hoped the international branches would produce talent worthy of competing in the PFL’s world tournaments, but who could have guessed that PFL Europe would set the stage for one of the brightest new stars in the sport? Dakota Ditcheva was an impressive 7-0 prospect when she took PFL Europe by storm in 2023, but it’s fair to say she wasn’t on many people’s radars. That started to change with every knockout she racked up throughout the tournament. Ditcheva was a natural finisher with model-worthy looks and a genuine mean streak. She appeared to be the total package, but none of that would matter if she failed to move from PFL Europe to the organization’s global roster. Locked in a field that included experienced veterans Liz Carmouche and Taila Santos, Ditcheva entered the 2024 women’s flyweight tournament as a dark horse, proceeded to tear through the draw and finished her season as the face of the promotion.

The PFL’s international league flipped Ditcheva’s life on its head and made Davis look like a genius. For years, he has been pushing the idea that the PFL could eventually become the World Cup of MMA, and that dream now seems as though it could come true. With Saudi Arabia exploding onto the combat sports scene, PFL MENA made a strong impression when it capped its first season with four viral stoppages in the finals. Now, it’s PFL Africa’s turn. MMA fans have long clamored for a promotion to pour resources into the continent. The UFC had the opportunity of a lifetime when Francis Ngannou, Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya ruled their divisions with iron fists but chose to squander it. African fighters are athletic, aggressive and aching to be appreciated on the world stage. For decades, the best African fighters have had to move to Europe or the United States to advance their careers, but in a matter of days, an MMA promotion will bring the world to them. It’s only fitting that Ngannou serves as chairman of PFL Africa. His inspirational story of rising from the sands of Cameroon to the UFC heavyweight championship has inspired the next generation of fighters.

Diversity has always been one of the greatest assets of combat sports. Fans will flock to support fighters with which they can identify. When you create a sense of regional pride, you build tradition, legacy and a pipeline of hungry fighters eager to follow in the footsteps of their most accomplished countrymen. From PFL Europe and PFL MENA to PFL Africa and eventually PFL Pacific, the Professional Fighters League is on its way to becoming the future of MMA one continent at a time.