Donn Davis has some thoughts on the UFC reaching an agreement to settle two antitrust lawsuits for $335 million.
News of the settlements broke Wednesday after a disclosure was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by TKO Group Holdings, which is the UFC’s parent company. Pending a sign-off from Judge Richard Boulware, who has been overseeing the case, the lawsuits will not go to trial.
The PFL co-founder was asked about the development just hours later and his first thoughts were something he’s been telling the MMA community all along.
“My main thought is what I’ve been consistent saying: If you’re a top fighter, or you’re an emerging star, it’s the best time in the market for you,” Davis said on The MMA Hour. “You used to have one option really at the premium level, and with the PFL, you have two. The difference between two [options] and one [option] is much more than one.
“For all of you who have ever had a job offer, having two job offers versus one job offer is all the difference in the world.”
Since PFL absorbed Bellator MMA into one big promotion, Davis has made headlines for his belief that PFL is now positioned as a future “co-leader” in MMA alongside the UFC.
While PFL has a lot of work to do to catch up to the powerhouse that is UFC, Davis sends a confident message to fighters that if you’re a name in the sport looking to get what you feel you are worth, you don’t have to fight for the UFC in order to make that happen.
“To me, the biggest difference is not the antitrust lawsuit,” Davis said. “The biggest difference is the emergence of PFL to be a premium option on a global scale with the same distribution, the same ability to pay, the same great option for you.
“That’s made the most difference for fighters, I believe. But obviously, it’s a good outcome for fighters [on Wednesday]. But I believe PFL being on level for fighters as UFC has made the most difference in the last three or four years.”
