<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Professional Fighters League has announced a nine-bout card for April 23.</li><li>It is the first <keyword id="1715557" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="PFL">PFL</keyword> show since 2019 as it postponed its 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic.</li><li><keyword id="3893074" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Anthony-Pettis">Anthony Pettis</keyword> fights <keyword id="9579757" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="clay-collard">Clay Collard</keyword> in a main event that will be broadcast on ESPN.</li></ul>The former UFC champion Anthony Pettis headlines <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/pfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Professional Fighters League</a>'s season opener April 23, competing in a lightweight match against <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> cult hero <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/clay-collard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clay Collard</a>.Pettis vs. Collard will headline the PFL's first show since 2019.The American <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> firm postponed its 2020 season so it could preserve the integrity of its league format amid the coronavirus pandemic, the co-founder and chairman <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-professional-fighters-league-wants-to-change-mma-forever-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donn Davis told Insider last year</a>.While other MMA companies restarted their live event operations, the PFL expanded on its content offerings and bolstered its roster with big-name talent acquisitions behind-the-scenes.One of those acquisitions was Pettis, who <a href="https://www.insider.com/former-ufc-champion-anthony-pettis-agrees-to-join-pfl-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed a PFL deal in December</a>, and will make his debut for the company in the coming months alongside other signings like Fabricio Werdum, <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-claressa-shields-could-master-mma-in-pfl-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Claressa Shields</a>, and Rory MacDonald.Pettis and Collard's 155-pound clash tops a nine-bout bill that will be broadcast on ESPN from a site in Las Vegas.The co-main event features two-time PFL lightweight champion <keyword id="10815815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="natan-schulte">Natan Schulte</keyword> against another PFL debutant, Marcin Held, a Polish submission specialist with 33 bouts on his record.Another two-time PFL champion, the featherweight ruler <keyword id="10815814" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lance-palmer">Lance Palmer</keyword>, fights "Bad Man" Bubba Jenkins - an accomplished wrestler who has fought 11 times in Bellator MMA.You can see the full April 23 schedule below:<ul><li>Main card: Anthony Pettis vs. Clay Collard, Natan Schulte vs. Marcin Held, Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Jason Soares, and Lance Palmer vs. Bubba Jenkins</li><li>Undercard: Loik Radzhabov vs. Johnny Case, Joilton Lutterbach vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Akhmed Aliev vs. Mikhail Odintsov, Jon Sungbin vs. Tyler Diamond, and Brendan Loughnane vs. Sheymon Moraes</li></ul>"The PFL's season kickoff on April 23 is one that is sure to be a showstopper and full of nonstop action," PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a statement to Insider."The talent that exists within these matchups is unparalleled and we can't wait to see the outcome of each fight."The PFL is unlike other combat <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> companies because it does not hold standalone matches designed to propel the winners up divisional rankings and into eventual title shots.Instead, it functions as a typical North American sports league like the NFL, NBA, and MLS, where there is a regular season, playoffs, and finals.After returning on April 23, regular season events will be held on April 29, May 6, June 10, June 17, and June 25.The PFL then moves into its playoff events, the dates of which are yet to be confirmed.The finals are staged on December 31 each year and are worth $1 million to successful fighters.

Former UFC champ Anthony Pettis fights cult boxing hero Clay Collard as the PFL returns for its first show in over a year

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Professional Fighters League has announced a content partnership with <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>.</li><li>The social media platform will broadcast highlights from <keyword id="1715557" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="PFL">PFL</keyword> events, as well as other content.</li><li>PFL returns Friday with its first event since 2019. Pettis fights Collard in the main event.</li></ul>Twitter will live stream <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/pfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PFL MMA</a> content in a new deal announced four days before the start of the combat <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> promotion's new season.The New York-headquartered company is unlike other <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA</a> firms because it structures itself in a league format commonly associated with major American sports like the NBA and the NFL.This differs to the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC</a>, which PFL hopes to one day rival, as the <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> market leader holds standalone matches designed to propel winners up rankings systems until they one day challenge the champions in each weight class.PFL's 2021 season begins Friday and will be broadcast on ESPN in the US. Social media platform Twitter, though, will live stream fight content, as well as real-time highlights from the show."Twitter and PFL are looking forward to advancing the sport by delivering a premium viewing experience to MMA fans worldwide," PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a statement sent to Insider."Our partnership with Twitter, the place where MMA conversation thrives, will bring fans closer to the action by providing real-time content for our global fan base."That content includes goings-on before the fight, during the fight, and after the fight, inclusive of general fight week activities like the bubble experience, weigh-ins, and post-event press conferences involving fighters."We are pumped about our new collaboration with the Professional Fighters League," said TJ Adeshola, who is the head of US sports partnerships at Twitter."MMA fans on Twitter are very engaged, and they're looking for creative new ways to experience fight content directly within their timelines."The PFL delivers an innovative product for the MMA community on Twitter and we look forward to bringing this epic partnership to life."The partnership begins this week and will be in place for the PFL's first show in the COVID-era on April 23.The PFL postponed its 2020 season because of safety concerns related to the pandemic, stating that it wanted to protect the integrity of its league system.The first half of the 2021 season takes place in a quarantined zone at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.Former UFC champion Anthony Pettis fights the Top Rank boxing cult hero Clay Collard in Friday's main event.Natan Schulte and Lance Palmer, both past PFL champions, compete in separate bouts at the show. Up-and-coming prospect Brendan Loughnane, who is capable of enjoying a breakout year, will also compete.

Twitter will live stream PFL MMA content in a new deal announced 4 days before 2021 season

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="1715557" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="PFL">PFL</keyword> <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> has added <keyword id="3893074" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Anthony-Pettis">Anthony Pettis</keyword> to its roster for the 2021 season, the ESPN reporter Ariel Helwani said Wednesday.</li><li>The PFL and Pettis confirmed the news in different statements sent to Insider.</li><li>Pettis, a former <keyword id="992778" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="UFC">UFC</keyword> lightweight champion, will compete in the 155-pound division when the PFL restarts operations from April.</li><li>The American joins Rory MacDonald, Fabricio Werdum, and Claressa Shields as other big-name PFL signings who will make their debuts in 2021.</li></ul>The former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has joined the Professional Fighters League (PFL).Pettis won the UFC's 155-pound championship when he submitted Benson Henderson with an armbar in 2013, and defended the belt the following year when he beat Gilbert Melendez with a guillotine choke.He last fought for the UFC four days ago, winning a decision against Alex Morono at a behind-closed-doors show in Las Vegas, and will now prepare for PFL's seasonal format when the New York-based MMA firm restarts operations in April 2021 following a coronavirus-enforced hiatus this year."I am excited to announce that the PFL has signed Anthony Pettis," the CEO of PFL Peter Murray said in a statement sent to Insider."Not only is Anthony a transcendent athlete within the sport of MMA, but he is also an innovator in the cage who is known for his charismatic fighting style and determination to win."We're very excited for him to join the PFL family," Murray said.The news was broken by the ESPN MMA reporter Ariel Helwani on Wednesday.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1341845361686704131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2020</a></blockquote>Pettis joins Rory MacDonald, Fabricio Werdum, and Claressa Shields as other big-name PFL signings who will make their respective debuts in 2021.Pettis will compete in the lightweight division and could win a $1 million check should he win the company's high-stakes New Year's Eve championship match, after moving through the 2021 season and playoffs."I am really looking forward to this next big challenge after signing with the PFL," said Pettis in a statement sent to Insider."I'm super impressed with what the PFL has built, how they are growing the sport, and the amazing talent they have added."Pettis will be in the same division as the reigning PFL lightweight champion Natan Schulte and Clay Collard, an emergent cult hero in boxing because of his fan-friendly performances throughout the pandemic."I've been watching the Brazilian guy Schulte who is the champion and he is really good but there isn't anyone I'm scared of," Pettis said."The season format is great; I think it will be an amazing journey for me and to get to wrap it up over the course of one year will be awesome."I can't wait to get another world championship to add to my collection."The fights will take place at a Caesars Entertainment property in Las Vegas like Caesars Palace or Rio, and will be broadcast on ESPN2.Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/pfl-hopes-to-reimagine-combat-sports-with-new-season-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PFL MMA hopes to continue its mission of reimagining the world of combat sports when its new season begins in April 2021</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/conor-mcgregor-probably-skeptical-about-fighting-in-covid-white-said-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor was 'probably' skeptical about competing when the UFC said it would hold events through COVID, Dana White said</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-jake-paul-drop-sweary-50-million-conor-mcgregor-offer-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Paul offers Conor McGregor $50 million to fight him in an insult-filled, expletive-laden video posted on social media</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-claressa-shields-could-master-mma-in-pfl-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Claressa Shields could master MMA at a 'rapid rate' as she's already got the mind of a warrior, PFL stablemate Clay Collard says</a><ul class="read-more-links"><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/weve-entered-a-golden-era-of-boxing-exhibitions-2020-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We've officially entered a golden era of showbiz boxing, and it's all down to Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, and Floyd Mayweather</a></li></ul>

Former UFC champion Anthony Pettis agrees to join the Professional Fighters League

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Professional Fighters League, an <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> tournament, restarts its live events business Friday.</li><li><keyword id="1715557" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="PFL">PFL</keyword> 1 will be broadcast on ESPN+ and ESPN2 from a bubble environment in a $200 million casino.</li><li>PFL CEO <keyword id="5885869" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Peter-Murray">Peter Murray</keyword> told Insider why he thinks 2021 will be his company's biggest yet.</li></ul>Wanton violence returns to ESPN Friday as the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/pfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Professional Fighters League</a> showcases its unique brand of <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed martial arts</a> from a state-of-the-art bubble inside a $200 million casino in Atlantic City.The PFL postponed its entire 2020 season because of the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, as it wanted to preserve the structure of its league format.The New York-headquartered company is unlike other fight promotions that rely on standalone matches designed to propel winners further up rankings until they can potentially challenge the champion in their weight class.Instead, the PFL has a similar structure to the NFL and NBA, with a regular season and playoffs before tournament finals worth $1 million to each winner."We couldn't be more excited to start the season, and get back to action," PFL CEO Peter Murray told Insider this week.The regular season will take place behind-closed-doors at the Ocean Casino Resort. As there will be no fans at the venue, the PFL will maximize the space inside its studio to enhance the made-for-TV product, Murray said.There's an improved roster with talent acquisitions like <a href="https://www.insider.com/anthony-pettis-confident-of-a-big-win-clay-collard-pfl-2021-4">the former UFC champion Anthony Pettis, who features at the PFL 1 main event in a lightweight bout against Clay Collard.</a>And there are technological innovations that will showcase unique data points and camera angles through its smart cage and referee cam. Other new innovations include a live damage meter for fighters, almost like something from a video game."I'm super pumped about the damage meter where we measure damage inflicted and damage absorbed with real analysis, and unique live integration and graphics," Murray said.The PFL leaned on the NFL's quarterback rating (QBR), which encapsulates a quarterback's statistics into one number, and has applied that type of formula for it's Fighter Performance Rating (FPR)."This is about what's taking place in the cage with the damage meter, and giving it broader context on our athletes and how they compare to one another," Murray said. "It's story-telling, that will enhance the presentation."<h2>Competitors have endured a 17-day quarantine - here's why</h2><div type="image" title="Clay Collard vs. Anthony Pettis" height="750" width="1000" msid="82220511" hostid="261"></div>One of the unique features of PFL's bubble is a mandatory 17-day quarantine for athletes.For Murray, the fight firm wanted to err on the side of being "super conservative" about COVID safety.He said he looked at what worked and what did not work at other bubbles in other <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword>, from the NBA to other combat sports, including MMA.PFL's focus is always on ensuring that those who begin the season are able to complete it, he said, allowing the promotion to preserve the integrity of the league."We have to structure it like a traditional season format and what 17 days [can] provide, is we test the fighters before they get on a plane to arrive. These are our tests, we ship it to them in advance."We then test them on arrival, and no matter what, they go into quarantine for a window of time. When they're all clear, we test them every day."If a fighter lands, and for whatever reason tests positive, that fighter still has a chance, if they're not experiencing symptoms, to quarantine for an extended time in that window and if they then test negative, with no symptoms, they can still fight, having stayed in the bubble."Murray said there have only been a few instances of positive tests in the bubble - including trainers - but all fighters have so far tested negative, meaning PFL 1 has a full slate of fights.<h2>PFL hopes to have escaped lower sports viewership in the middle stages of the pandemic</h2><div type="image" title="Rory MacDonald PFL MMA" height="1331" width="2000" msid="82220515" hostid="261"></div>A New York Times article in October <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/22/sports/tv-ratings-sports.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted how TV sports ratings were down across the board</a>.Murray said upheaval to people's lives, as well as disruption to the structure of sports, likely caused a decrease in interest."We made the right decision to pivot and reschedule our season," Murray said. "We came out of 2020 a lot stronger with increased capital, star signings, an enhanced technology with respect to smart cage features, and new sponsorships. While also keeping our fighters safe."Now, when we look at the landscape of sports, there was a lot of disruption with COVID. It affected attendance, and people's head space."We were all dealing with a world of disruption in society and in our lives. At home, with our families. Occupation, and business. While sports is a great distraction, that created disruption in viewership and patterns."Sports were on pause, some came back but in different iterations. People like the seasonality and continuity of things."So that disruption and with everything going on with COVID, affected fans engagement."Murray expects that to recalibrate as vaccination drives continue to progress, and the worst of the pandemic remains in the past.He foresees a pent-up demand for MMA in April and beyond."There's added marketing that ESPN is putting behind the property," he said. "There's a digital and social focus. It's lining up for an incredible debut of the season on Friday."Here are select fights taking place at PFL 1 on ESPN2 and ESPN+:<ul><li>Anthony Pettis vs. Clay Collard - lightweight</li><li>Natan Schulte vs. Marcin Held - lightweight</li><li>Lance Palmer vs. Bubba Jenkins - featherweight</li><li>Sung Bin Jo vs. Tyler Diamond - featherweight</li><li>Brendan Loughnane vs. Sheymon Moraes - featherweight</li></ul>In the weeks ahead, the former UFC fighter Rory MacDonald makes his PFL debut, Fabricio Werdum makes his PFL debut, and Claressa Shields - the self-described GWOAT of boxing - makes her MMA debut."We have it all lined up to be the best season yet for the PFL," said Murray."The audience will surpass where we've been in years past, and we're poised to grow even further."

PFL MMA is gearing up for its biggest season to date, and is leaning on innovations from the NBA and NFL

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="9579757" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="clay-collard">Clay Collard</keyword> returns to the ring Saturday for a middleweight match against former foe Quincy LaVallais.</li><li>The American fighter, a former UFC athlete, has become a cult hero in <keyword id="6362171" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Boxing">boxing</keyword> during the coronavirus pandemic because of his exciting fighting style in the <keyword id="2349386" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="top-rank">Top Rank</keyword> bubble.</li><li>He told Insider he's confident of victory against LaVaillais and believes the focus on boxing will benefit his <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> fighting style when he returns to the cage with the Professional Fighters League next year.</li><li>Collard said he wants to continue to compete in MMA and in boxing, and win titles in both <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword>.</li></ul>Lockdown cult hero Clay Collard wants to be one of those rare beasts who can win world titles in boxing and mixed martial arts.The former UFC athlete is signed to the Professional Fighters League (<keyword id="1715557" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="PFL">PFL</keyword>), but as the PFL postponed its 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic, Collard fought under Top Rank's boxing banner through its residency of events at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas - colloquially known as the bubble.Collard's exciting fighting style and winning ability attracted the wider boxing industry's attention, and he returns to the bubble Saturday for his sixth match of the year."I've been working hard since a young kid at this, so it's great to finally get a bit of credit," Collard told Insider ahead of his middleweight fight against Quincy LaVallais, which is a rematch from a 2019 draw the 27-year-old disputes to this day.Before 2020, Collard's boxing record was four wins (one knockout) against one loss and three draws.Bektemir Melikuziev last stopped him in November 2019. Collard told us he took the fight on two days' notice at a weight he does not normally campaign at - 175-pounds. "It always sucks to lose," he said.But fast forward a year and he's now tallied nine wins (four knockouts) in total, has a hard-fought victory over David Kaminsky, and has captivated the attention of fight fans as "one of the most popular boxers of the summer," <a href="https://www.insider.com/clay-collard-former-ufc-becomes-one-of-boxings-biggest-hits-2020-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as recently reported by Insider</a>.For Collard, there's no real secret to his success. "I just keep winning, keep taking tough fights. I'm going after the tough guys and I'm not trying to pad my record."I want to fight the top competition and sometimes that means you're going to lose. We win and we learn."Collard returns to the ring Saturday for his fight with Lavallais. He is confident of victory as he believed he had the beating of the Louisianan the first time around and said he's only improved since then."Honestly, I thought I had the fight won," Collard told us. "When they called the draw, I was really surprised."Every single fight, you get better and for me, the message was to just slow down. I think I was rushing and trying to make things happen. I was trying to force things in the fight that weren't there."Now it's about being calm and going with the flow, I guess. I've been working hard. I'm well-prepared. I just need to land my shots, and I'll eventually hurt him, so I'm just going to fight like Cassius Clay fights. I'm all in, man."<h2>The boxing experience has massively benefitted his MMA game, Collard said</h2><div type="image" title="Clay Collard MMA" height="1327" width="2000" msid="79698089" hostid="261"></div>Though he's continued to practise mixed martial arts in the background, Collard has enjoyed the six training camps this year where he's been drilling boxing techniques.This, he told us, will benefit him when he returns to MMA next year when the PFL 2021 season begins in April."Honestly, I think getting back to my roots and back to my boxing has benefitted my all-round game," Collard said."I still haven't stopped training mixed martial arts but I can tell the difference in sparring. My eyes are better. I can see things coming at me sooner, I'm hitting harder, and my hand-speed is faster."So, I think it's improved my fight game tremendously. I'm just excited to get back to PFL, MMA, and showcase my skills."Though he's a striker at heart and has not tested beyond a white belt in jiu-jitsu, Collard said he remains confident of finishing MMA fights on the ground or the feet."I think everybody in PFL is going to try to take me down - they're stupid if they don't," he said."I think I am one of the best strikers in the game today, and I decided to go to PFL to prove that but I still think I'm dangerous anywhere."If they want to lean more toward the striking, that definitely benefits me. I consider myself more a striker but you got to be well-rounded and well-prepared for anywhere the fight goes in mixed martial arts."Unlike other mixed martial arts firms where athletes vie for rankings in standalone matches, the PFL has a league structure with a play-off and a post-season.Every year builds toward a big New Year's Eve show where 12 fighters compete against one another in different weight classes. The six winners leave the arena with a $1 million check each.The lightweight division's current champion is Natan Schulte, and Collard wants to fight - and beat - Schulte straight away."Obviously, I want to take down the champ and I hope I match-up with him first so I can take him out early," Collard said, living up to that statement he only wanting tough fights.Collard added that he'd then want to fight his friend, Johnny Case, as the PFL recently signed his Las Vegas training partner."Mr. Hollywood and I trained together, sparred together, rolled together, and so it'll be fun to get in there and actually fight," said Collard."Those are the two I'm excited to fight. One, because he's the champ and I'm excited to take him out, and the other because we've exchanged blows as friends, and I hope we can do that in a fight."That's just the business, man," Collard said when we asked whether it would be awkward punching a buddy in the face."It's just another day in the office. I don't care if we're friends. That's my belt we're working towards and he wants that belt, too. When we get in the cage, it's just business, I'll beat you up, and then I'll shake your hand after."<h2>Collard targets titles in boxing and MMA</h2><div type="image" title="Clay Collard knockout boxing" height="1449" width="2000" msid="79698090" hostid="261"></div>Though he is contractually obliged to compete in the PFL, Collard told us he'd love to balance his MMA day job with one in which he could venture into the boxing ring and build enough momentum where he can secure a title shot."I would like to box, still, throughout the year when we have break [in the PFL season]," he said."Eventually, I'd like to win a belt in boxing and mixed martial arts."So I'll focus on the PFL season, win that belt, then come back to boxing, talk a little crap and hopefully get a big fight."Collard fights LaVallais in an eight-round middleweight match on ESPN+ before the broadcast shifts to ESPN for a three-bout main event.Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/the-incredible-journey-of-richardson-hitchins-floyd-mayweather-protege-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The incredible journey of 23-year-old American boxer Richardson Hitchins, one of Floyd Mayweather's most-treasured students</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/chris-colbert-young-american-boxers-are-taking-over-the-sport-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Colbert says young Americans like him are 'taking over boxing' and will soon force the older heads to step back</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/americas-got-talent-shakur-stevenson-wants-to-worlds-no1-boxer-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shakur Stevenson wants to shake off comparisons to Floyd Mayweather and become the world's No.1 boxer on his own terms</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/errol-spence-jr-writes-boxing-comeback-tale-of-the-year-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Errol Spence Jr. writes the boxing comeback tale of the year as he wins gloriously a year after wrecking his Ferrari at high-speed</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/weve-entered-a-golden-era-of-boxing-exhibitions-2020-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We've officially entered a golden era of showbiz boxing, and it's all down to Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, and Floyd Mayweather</a>

Lockdown cult hero Clay Collard wants to be one of those rare beasts who can win belts in boxing and mixed martial arts

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5dbca787e0ee7e61d3383f23-2000/ali%20isayev.jpg" border="0" alt="Ali Isayev" data-mce-source="Twitter / PFL MMA" data-link="https://twitter.com/ProFightLeague/status/1190100838892441600" /></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Ali Isaev, a Russian wrestler, came-from-behind to win a buzzer-beating knockout on Thursday.</li><li>Isaev is one of 12 fighters competing for a million dollar payday on December 31.</li><li>The PFL Championships take place at the end of the year and will make six champions much richer.</li><li>Watch Isaev's finish below.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Ali Isaev, a Russian wrestler, scored a wild, dramatic, buzzer-beating knockout win over his opponent Denis Goltsov at Professional Fighters League 9 (PFL) to become one of 12 athletes competing for a $1 million payday at the end of the year.Isaev fought twice in one night Thursday to win a place at the PFL 10 event on December 31 at the Hulu Theater, Madison Square Garden, New York. Earlier in the evening he had beaten Kelvin Tiller by decision.Isaev needed the finish, which he scored with just one second left on the clock, as he may well have been trailing on the cards after an edgy fight with Goltsov.Watch it here:He is now in one of the six million dollar bouts on New Year's Eve.Here are the December 31 fights in full:<ol><li>Women's lightweight - Kayla Harrison vs. Larissa Pacheco</li><li>Welterweight - David Michaud vs. Ray Cooper III</li><li>Featherweight - Lance Palmer vs. Daniel Pineda</li><li>Lightweight - Natan Schulte vs. Loik Radzhabov</li><li>Light Heavyweight - Emiliano Sordi vs. Jordan Johnson</li><li>Heavyweight - Ali Isayev vs. Jared Rosholt</li></ol><h2>The December 31 event caps the second year for fledgling MMA firm PFL</h2>PFL says it operates differently than other mixed martial arts firms like the market-leading UFC, ONE Championship, and Bellator, which has expanded its reach into Europe.While those three MMA firms operate on a ranking system, PFL runs on a season format which mirrors leagues like the NFL and NBA.PFL co-founder Donn Davis and company CEO Peter Murray told Business Insider about the difference between their business, and the others."They have to have fighting credentials to get into the PFL," Murray said. "This year we had 68 fighters. We had 15 countries represented on the roster. It's a meritocracy. Fighters earn their way."They get two guaranteed fights in the regular season from May through August, then come the playoffs in October, fighters have the opportunity to make their way into a Championship where each champion will win $1 million in their respective weight class."There haven't been many MMA athletes who have fought for more than $1 million in one night and we have an event where we have six of those."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d68e32e2e22af3bbb3ccf22-2400/kayla%20harrisons%20armbar.jpg" border="0" alt="Kayla Harrison's armbar" data-mce-source="Professional Fighters League" /></div></div></div>Davis also told us that while Bellator, as an example, is in the free agent business, attracting big-name athletes like Cris Cyborg when their respective contracts expire, PFL is in the star-building business.Davis said the rises of Magomed Magomedkerimov and Kayla Harrison in particular are testament to their star-building ability. "We make stars," he said.While Magomedkerimov did not advance to the million dollar finals on December 31, Harrison, the jewel in PFL's roster did, and will fight Larissa Pacheco for the women's lightweight championship on New Year's Eve.Read more:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wladimir-klitschko-plotting-boxing-comeback-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wladimir Klitschko is plotting a spectacular boxing comeback, and he wants to break an old heavyweight record</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-michael-conlan-boxing-revenge-next-fight-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ireland's next top boxer has a rare shot at retribution after losing at the Olympics because of a 'fixed' fight: 'It's personal for my career, my legacy'</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-luke-keeler-challenges-ufc-fighter-to-stay-sober-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An Irish boxer is challenging Conor McGregor to 'stay sober' long enough so they can end their war of words and fight for a world title</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-tyson-fury-really-like-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The real Tyson Fury is quiet, shy, and introverted, according to an Irish boxer who knows him well</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-will-conor-mcgregor-fight-in-his-comeback-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor is linked with comeback bouts against 4 fighters only weeks after being considered an 'irrelevant' has-been</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carl-frampton-wants-to-be-irelands-greatest-boxer-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A second successive loss could finish Carl Frampton, but he fights to be called Ireland's greatest boxer: 'It's make or break'</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">AT THE FINAL BELL! Wow, Ali Isaev! 🔥🔥 Wrapping up the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PFLPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PFLPlayoffs</a> in style. <a href="https://t.co/b1TDMwARVa">pic.twitter.com/b1TDMwARVa</a>- PFL MMA (@ProFightLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1190100838892441600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

An unbeaten Russian fighter scored a wild, last second knockout to win the chance to compete for a $1 million payday on December 31

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="9216802" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="professional-fighters-league">Professional Fighters League</keyword> (<keyword id="1715557" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="PFL">PFL</keyword>) last month announced plans that it would cancel its entire season in 2020.</li><li>The PFL is not like other <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> firms because it operates not on a ranking system, but like a traditional American <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> league that has a regular season, playoffs, and championships.</li><li>It runs from June to December but will not run at all this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Its co-founder <keyword id="9216803" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="donn-davis">Donn Davis</keyword> told Insider it will instead pay fighters $1,000 a month every month not to fight.</li><li>Davis said the PFL would consider stand-alone events in Q4, potential cross-promotions with other businesses, but will instead be using lockdown to work on tech and gambling innovations which it will launch when it can have a full league season from the spring of 2021.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>An MMA boss is paying fighters not to fight in the coronavirus era and wants to change the game with tech innovations when his sport returns for good.It is a stark contrast to how the majority of combat sports businesses are trying to operate in the middle of a pandemic.Take the UFC, for example, which restarted its fight calendar on May 9 at a behind-closed-doors venue in Jacksonville, Florida, in an eerily-empty 15,000 capacity arena. The UFC had to administer 1,200 coronavirus tests to approximately 3,000 people over fight week — with three people testing positive for the disease.Though the UFC was first, it is by no means alone.<ol><li>Bellator MMA <a href="https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/4/21/21229759/bellator-aims-to-restart-schedule-in-june-or-july-on-hollywood-soundstage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will use an audience-free soundstage in Hollywood</a> to restart its combat events in the coming months</li><li>Showtime Boxing, a ViacomCBS property like Bellator, <a href="https://www.boxingscene.com/showtime-boxing-bellator-mma-held-studio-city-ca-sound-stage--148778" target="_blank" rel="noopener">could use the same studio</a></li><li>Top Rank boxing <a href="https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-boxing-back-june-says-083349873.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aims to return in June</a></li><li>Boxing in Britain could proceed behind-closed doors <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11986561/coronavirus-pro-sport-in-england-could-resume-from-june-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by July</a></li></ol>The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an outlier in all of this as the PFL, which operates with a traditional American sports season as opposed to a ranking, canceled its entire 2020 campaign.Co-founder and chairman Donn Davis told Insider last week that the PFL did so to ensure its athletes from 25 countries do not have to travel or train while the novel coronavirus continues to spread through cities.And while <a href="https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/5/12/21255969/tony-ferguson-earns-500000-payday-to-lead-all-salaries-at-ufc-249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">athletes at UFC 249 were paid anything from $12,000 to $500,000</a> to compete last weekend, the PFL is paying its fighters not to fight.<a href="https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/4/22/21231546/pfl-releases-multiple-fighters-suspending-2020-season-coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The PFL released a third of its roster last month</a> but the stable that remains will be given a cash stipend which will be delivered every month from June, when the PFL regular season was supposed to begin, to the end of the year, when the championship bouts were due to be held."We're still a small, emerging company but we've always been fighter-first and fighter-focused, creating a great culture where fighters want to be," Davis told Insider, before confirming the amount they're paying each PFL athlete."It is $1,000 per month, cash, and it starts in June when our regular season would have started and it's paid monthly through the remainder of the year, 2020, to every fighter on our roster."<h2>Why cancel the season when others are getting back in business?</h2><div type="image" title="Kayla Harrison, PFL" height="492" width="983" msid="75722716" hostid="261"></div>For Davis, it's simple. He sees the coronavirus being a part of our lives for the year and thinks it would be unfair to ask fighters to train and travel during an ongoing health crisis.Additionally, he said PFL wanted to keep the integrity of the PFL set-up — a regular season, playoffs, and a championship. That meant writing off 2020, keeping lines of communication open with individual fighters, and looking at ways of improving the quality of the viewing experience for its growing audience on ESPN."The virus will be with us for the next year or so, so the question is — how, as a sports league, do you operate sensibly and smartly but still aggressively for your fans and for your fighters."We all wish we could be back in business today. Today! But how do you operate smartly and sensibly with what will be with us for a year? When PFL looked at everything for fans, for fighters, and for partners we thought the best thing would be to have our season in-tact, with its integrity, from the spring of 2021."It will allow us to have a full season, not a partial season. It will allow us to ensure fighters from 25 countries, which is what we have, are able to train safely and travel safely. You need time. No countries have opened up, no one is able to train, to travel."You need to give fighters appropriate time, several months, to train and travel," Davis said. "Right now, the world isn't open, but talking about opening up in July or August. So if the world opens up in July or August and people need a couple months to train, travel, and to plan, then you're already into Q4 … late fall."<h2>Athlete management has been crucial during lockdown</h2><div type="image" title="Donn Davis, PFL" height="1500" width="2000" msid="75722719" hostid="261"></div>The company CEO Peter Murray and head of fighting operations, Ray Sefo, have been liaising with athletes on a one-to-one basis to inform the roster about ongoing developments with the PFL, the coronavirus, and getting back to business."LeBron James wants to get back out and play basketball," Davis said, before getting animated on the phone call. "LeBron James is frustrated he can't complete his season!"Our athletes are great competitors also, I'm a great competitor also! I want to get back to business and build the PFL!"So are we all we ready to get back to it? Of course! Are we frustrated we can't? Yes."He acknowledged that some fighters are frustrated that "the world's at home right now" but said there are options to explore, even if a PFL season isn't happening at all in 2020.PFL champion <a href="https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/29120270/pfl-champion-kayla-harrison-vows-sit-all-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kayla Harrison recently told ESPN she's still desperate</a> to compete, for example, and she will likely not be alone.Under consideration, is:<ol><li>Isolated "exciting" events in Q4 such as standalone fights more commonly associated with Bellator and UFC</li><li>Cross-promotions with other companies, potentially even involving PFL's champions</li></ol>"Will PFL perhaps look at isolated, exciting events in Q4? If that makes sense," Davis told us. "We have fantastic fighters, we just crowned six champions last year. Will those champions put on great fights against other promotions? Perhaps."Davis added: "As champions and competitors whether you're a founder like me or a fighter like Kayla, we all want to get back as soon as we can and occasionally get frustrated that the world's at home right now."<h2>PFL is now focused on content strategies and tech innovations</h2>Lockdown can be a time for innovative measures. The UFC boss Dana White, for example, is dialed-in on "Fight Island" — a mysterious island he says he has leased which will circumvent travel restrictions imposed on international athletes. It is behind schedule by one month, but White intends on hosting events there starting in mid-June.The PFL is also working on different ways to keep consumers satisfied now, and in the future when its combat calendar restarts in the spring of 2021."The PFL is not standing still," Davis said, before confirming to us the MMA firm will be imminently launching six new TV series on top of the two already launched on ESPN platforms. Davis said this will total 40 hours of new, original content.The idea behind this content drop is this: "We're taking you inside the minds of champions, inside the cage, and inside the life and training of fighters in ways fans may not have seen before."The ref cam has been a popular addition to the viewing experience at home.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—PFL MMA (@ProFightLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1176904195099779073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2019</a></blockquote>And now PFL is working on enhancing that experience further by adding real-time prop bets for gamblers."We created a SmartCage to produce fighter data and fight analytics. We displayed these on-screen last year for the first time to show punch impact, kick speed, and heart-rate. Top Rank, UFC, they've never done these things."Next season in the PFL this will lead to fantasy and gambling prop bets. So fans could engage in real-time in a fight."Will Ray Cooper III exceed a 30 miles per hour punch in this round — Yes or No? You can bet on that, in the spring of 2021 when the PFL comes back."Will a [Natan] Schulte kick exceed 20 miles per hour twice in this fight — Yes or No? You can bet on that. Will Kayla [Harrison's] takedown pressure exceed this number on the mat, on spring of 2021? You can bet on that in the PFL.Davis then said the PFL wants to take the success of the ref-cam and add that to other areas of the sport which combat sports audiences may rarely see."Next year we will take you into the locker room where you can hear the strategies from the fighters of how they plan to win. You'll get that on the PFL app."Davis calls the PFL a disruptive entrant into the mixed martial arts market, and while unconcerned about potentially losing ground to, say, Bellator MMA as other fight firms get back to business later this summer, the company appears willing to take a calculated gamble that a fighter-first strategy in the near-term, while working on TV-enhancing measures for the long term, will pay off when they can launch a full season next year.Read more:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kayla-harrison-says-ronda-rousey-comparison-unfair-as-shes-better-2019-8?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A fighter being hailed as the next Ronda Rousey says the comparison is unfair because she's actually way better</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-behind-the-scenes-at-ufc-in-a-covid19-era-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Behind-the-scenes at UFC 249, the world's first major sports event in a COVID-19 era — which was held in a spookily empty 15,000 seat arena</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kayla-harrison-wont-suffer-the-same-downfall-as-ronda-rousey-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why the next star of women's MMA won't suffer the same cataclysmic downfall as her old training partner, Ronda Rousey</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/earth-scorching-conor-mcgregor-returned-monday-igniting-5-rivalries-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The trash-talking, earth-scorching Conor McGregor returned on Monday, igniting 5 wild rivalries on Twitter</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/magomed-magomedkerimov-russian-wrestling-more-beautiful-than-american-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Khabib Nurmagomedov's childhood friend says Russian wrestling is way more beautiful than the American style</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-professional-fighters-league-wants-to-change-mma-forever-2020-5">Insider</a>

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Former UFC champ Anthony Pettis fights cult boxing hero Clay Collard as the PFL returns for its first show in over a year

Alan Dawson

Twitter will live stream PFL MMA content in a new deal announced 4 days before 2021 season

Alan Dawson

Former UFC champion Anthony Pettis agrees to join the Professional Fighters League

Alan Dawson

PFL MMA is gearing up for its biggest season to date, and is leaning on innovations from the NBA and NFL

Alan Dawson

Lockdown cult hero Clay Collard wants to be one of those rare beasts who can win belts in boxing and mixed martial arts

Alan Dawson

An unbeaten Russian fighter scored a wild, last second knockout to win the chance to compete for a $1 million payday on December 31

Alan Dawson

An MMA boss is paying fighters not to fight in the coronavirus era and wants to change the game with tech innovations when his sport returns for good

Alan Dawson