The PFL’s big photo op cardboard checks might stay the same size if they’re back this fall, but the numbers on them will be noticeably smaller.
The promotion made its name on a season format in which fighters must qualify for a playoff tournament, and the winners of those tournaments, over six divisions, took home $1 million. It allowed the PFL to say it had, arguably, some of the biggest disclosed paydays in the game.
But $1 million division winners now will be a thing of the past for the PFL. Season champions will get a bonus check for $500,000 now on top of their contracted earnings leading up to the championship bout.
In addition, the PFL no longer will operate its regular season with points-based results to determine playoff qualification and seeding. In previous seasons, fighters in each division had two regular season fights in which they could earn points – 3 for a win with up to 3 possible bonus points based on a finish and the round.
MMA Junkie confirmed the changes with people with knowledge of the PFL’s new contract language. The people asked to remain anonymous since the PFL has not made a public announcement of the changes, which first were reported by Al Zullino on social media.
I got a sneak peek at some new PFL contracts, and there are some interesting highlights.
It looks like the one-million-dollar tournaments are gone. pic.twitter.com/IXRWPCPZZg
— Al Zullino (@phre) January 7, 2025
The changes are likely to lead to a shift in the type of names who wind up in the individual division fields. The season formats now are expected to be more prospect-based than they have been previously, with bigger stars fighting on bigger events, rather than working their way through the season.
The PFL in 2024 absorbed the Bellator roster and also brought in superfight titles, which were won by Francis Ngannou and Cris Cyborg. Since 2018, the PFL has had six full seasons, each with six $1 million winners at the end of it. The 2024 group of six all were new champions.
