Professional Fighters League Takes a Major Step in Light of Coronavirus

The Professional Fighters League has suspended its 2020 season in light of the outbreak of Coronavirus.

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto first broke the news followed by a confirmation from the promotion. The PFL posted an official statement on its website. The league will now return in Spring 2021. The season for this year was scheduled to begin in May later this year. However, the way Coronavirus has affected the USA, there is hardly any possible scenario where life gets normal at that time.

Despite being out of action, the league will pay a monthly stipend to the fighters on its contract. However, the press release did not mention the amount of stipend. The press release also contained a statement from the CEO of the league Peter Murray.

“In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Professional Fighters League has rescheduled our upcoming 2020 season for Spring 2021. PFL is a global MMA league with athletes from over 25 countries, and our decision is guided by the health and safety of our fighters, fans, partners, and event personnel.”

The PFL was formerly known as the World Series of Fighting. The league had revamped its roster by making some exciting new additions. The biggest of which included former UFC and Bellator Welterweight star Rory MacDonald. Even in the past, the PFL/WSOF has been the home of several exciting fighters. The next challenger for the interim Lightweight belt of the UFC, Justin Gaethje, also competed in the promotion.

The format of the Professional Fighters League makes it one-of-a-kind

The PFL is the first MMA promotion in the world that presents the sport in a league format. A ‘win-or-go-home’ type of playoffs follows the league to crown the champion. The winner in each weight class receives a prize of $1 million.

In 2019, the league had six weight classes. Six events spanning from May to August made up the regular season. Three events made up the playoff of the league. The season concluded with the Championship fights on New Year’s Eve.

The postponement of the league is a stark reminder to the impact that Coronavirus has had on the world of sports. The situation right now is unprecedented. None of the stakeholders has a definite idea about what to do. Therefore, various promotions are dealing with the situation as they see fit.