Tag: PFL News

MMA or Boxing? Francis Ngannou Claims MMA Fighters Hit Harder – but it’s not quite so simple

Francis NgannouFrancis Ngannou, the Cameroonian heavyweight who currently holds the UFC lineal world title, claims that MMA fighters hit harder…

Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou, the Cameroonian heavyweight who currently holds the UFC lineal world title, claims that MMA fighters hit harder than boxers. Ngannou has competed at the highest levels of both MMA and boxing but explains that it’s not quite as simple as saying one is over the other.

Francis Ngannou

Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou has had an incredible life journey. He started working in sand mines as a child to pay for his schooling and support his family. Later, he left home and crossed the continent of Africa only to spend months in a camp in Morocco. Later, he was arrested and was homeless in Paris, France.

Francis Ngannou backed for taking stance against UFC he's a real man with f*cking balls
Mandatory Credit: AFP

Just a few years after that, he would become the UFC heavyweight world champion, earning the title by stunning knockout, and even defending this crown. Due to contract disputes with UFC brass, Ngannou vacated his title and walked away from the organization.

Francis Ngannou lands in top 10 WBC rankings amid calls for title fight rematch with Tyson Fury
Mandatory Credit: Justin Setterfield

Against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou took on the best of the best in the world of heavyweight boxing. He also signed with the PFL and will fight the towering Brazilian knockout artist, and champion, Renan Ferreira on October 19 at the PFL Battle of the Giants.

Who Hits Harder? MMA or Boxing?

Speaking in an interview with Piers Morgan, Francis Ngannou explained which athletes hit harder, MMA fighters or boxers? He answered:

“I would say MMA [fighters]. It depends on the punch, it depends on how. But remember, MMA fight is like 4oz glove. Sometimes you get hit, not by the gloves, but by the knuckles. So, the sensation is different even if the punch isn’t very hard, the sensation is very different because it’s like bone to bone.”

The heavyweight fighter added that he will continue to compete in both boxing and MMA in the future. Ngannou said:

“You can be sure I’m not done here. It wasn’t my day. He was way better than me today. It sucks but it’s the game. We all know that.” [Ht Mirror]

Jake Paul to make MMA Debut in the PFL in 2025 Says CEO “It’ll be a spectacle.”

Jake Paul to make MMA Debut in the PFL in 2025 Says CEO "It’ll be a spectacle."Jake Paul will soon be turning his attention to MMA after his blockbuster fight against heavyweight legend Mike Tyson….

Jake Paul to make MMA Debut in the PFL in 2025 Says CEO "It’ll be a spectacle."

Jake Paul will soon be turning his attention to MMA after his blockbuster fight against heavyweight legend Mike Tyson. The CEO of the PFL Peter Murray confirmed recently that the Youtuber-turned-boxer will be competing in MMA in 2025.

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson

Officially scheduled for November 15, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Jake Paul will face the boxing legend ‘Iron‘ Mike Tyson. The bout will consist of eight rounds, each lasting two minutes

Jake Paul transitioned from being a star on YouTube to the professional boxing ring. Along the way, he has defeated UFC athletes such as Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley, among others. Mike Tyson, who turns 58 just weeks before the fight, is a legendary former heavyweight champion with a storied career that includes becoming the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title. However, he has been inactive for nearly 20 years aside from a long exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr.

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson

Jake Paul in MMA

After his blockbuster boxing match against Mike Tyson, the US-born athlete Jake Paul will turn his attention to MMA in the PFL. In an interview with Bloody Elbow, PFL CEO Peter Murray confirmed that 2025 will be the date. He said:

“We have a partnership with Jake and we’re looking forward to supporting him in MMA. We’re going to stage that mega event next year and more to come on that too, that will happen. There’s a number of opponents who continue to line up.

“Conceptually this event continues to getting bigger and bigger. Jake has committed to take on a for real, legitimate fighter. So it’ll be a spectacle.”

Jake Paul

On October 19, the PFL is set to broadcast live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card is headlined by a heavyweight title fight between former UFC champion Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira, the towering knockout machine. MMA legend Cris Cyborg faces Larissa Pacheco, the PFL champion, in the co-main event.

Dan Hardy Advocates for Ending Elbow Ban in PFL: ‘It Keeps Fights Moving’

Dan Hardy Advocates for Ending Elbow Ban in PFL: ‘It Keeps Fights Moving’Top MMA mind Dan Hardy has some ideas for the PFL, most notably the elbows in the organization. The…

Dan Hardy Advocates for Ending Elbow Ban in PFL: ‘It Keeps Fights Moving’

Top MMA mind Dan Hardy has some ideas for the PFL, most notably the elbows in the organization. The former UFC welterweight contender shared his thoughts after a weekend in PFL Glasgow.

Dan Hardy on PFL Elbows

Speaking to RG.org in an interview, Dan Hardy explained his stance. He said:

“There are certain times when I’m watching fights and I can feel a fight slows down in positions where elbows would keep it moving. And even talking to judges after some of the earlier events, they were like, ‘Man, it changes the ability to score on the floor a lot when they can’t elbow.’ So that, for me, is an easy one.

“It’s a super simple solution. We should reintroduce elbows at the first opportunity. The fighters would love it, the fans would love it. Elbows are in the unified rules of mixed martial arts.

“We should apply the unified rules to everything that we do – all the promotions that we have under the PFL banner. And we should realign ourselves with the real mixed martial arts fans.”

Dan Hardy
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari – Zuffa LLC

Elbows are largely allowed in the PFL except for tournament fights. The PFL holds annual tournaments where fighters will need to fight just months separately and want to avoid cut issues. But, in non-tournament bouts, elbows are allowed.

The PFL just had an electric show in Glasgow, Scotland this past weekend featuring one of the best fights of 2024 between Lewis McGrillen and Dean Garnett.

Dan Hardy was highly impressed with this fight.

PFL

Francis Ngannou, the lineal MMA world champion, will face the knockout machine Renan Ferreira on October 19 live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the PFL. It is set to be a battle of heavyweight world champions in the main event.

Video - Francis Ngannou faces off with Renan Ferreira after emotional outburst pre-PFL debut

Exclusive | The Scholar and the Fighter, From PhD to PFL: Dr. Souhil Tahiri “Don’t set limits on yourself.”

Souhil TahiriSouhil Tahiri has defied the odds for his entire life. Despite doing poorly in school, he would later get…

Souhil Tahiri

Souhil Tahiri has defied the odds for his entire life. Despite doing poorly in school, he would later get his PhD. Despite not wanting to be a professional fighter, the French-Algerian is now competing in the lightweight semi-finals in PFL MENA taking place on September 20.

Dr. Souhil Tahiri

All he wanted to do was try to quit smoking, so one day Dr. Souhil Tahiri registered at an MMA gym. Speaking in an interview with Tim Wheaton of LowKickMMA, he explained:

“I just wanted to quit smoking and get in better shape. I’d never done combat sports or any sports before that. My main goal was to quit smoking and maybe get some abs or something basic like that.”

But what added to his drive was coaches telling him that he should not be doing this as he was a scholar. At this point, he was working on a PhD in mathematics. Therefore, a career in MMA simply didn’t add up. But he persisted anyway as he pushed himself to constantly be a better version of himself.

“I kept going with it. I started both journeys at the same time, and everybody kept telling me that it was too late to do combat sports or boxing, that I needed to focus on studying. Even in boxing, when I went to the gym, the coach would say, ‘You’re just a scholar. You’re good at studying, no need to put so much effort into boxing. You won’t go any further.‘”

A vital pillar of Souhil Tahiri is that one never stops growing, or learning. Whether it’s in the ring, cage, or classroom; people should strive to be their very best. Therefore, he kept pushing himself.

“Don’t set limits on yourself … I’m trying to motivate those around me. If you have goals, believe in them and work for them. Maybe you’ll get results, maybe not, but you’ll always benefit in some way.

“Yes, it’s possible. You have to put in hard work, believe in what you’re doing, and just keep showing up. Never let yourself down. Even on bad days, keep going to the gym, keep going to school. I failed many exams and lost many fights, but I kept showing up no matter what. Alhamdulillah, now I’m in the PFL, I have my PhD, and I have a job. So, yeah, things are going well.“

PFL MENA 3

Now, Dr. Souhil Tahiri will face the experienced Sanda fighter Mohsen Mohammadseifi in the semi-finals of the PFL MENA tournament. PFL MENA 3 goes down on September 20.

See the full interview with Souhil Tahiri below:

Souhil Tahiri

Exclusive | Omar El Dafrawy On Driving MMA’s Growth in Egypt: “More and more Egyptians making waves.”

Omar El DafrawyPFL MENA athlete Omar El Dafrawy has been making an impact in the nation of Egypt in growing the…

Omar El Dafrawy

PFL MENA athlete Omar El Dafrawy has been making an impact in the nation of Egypt in growing the sport of MMA at the core level. On Friday, September 19, he will be competing in the Semi-finals of the PFL MENA welterweight tournament.

Omar El Dafrawy on Egyptian MMA

Whether it’s Judo, Boxing, Wrestling, Taekwondo, or Karate, the nation of Egypt has a rich history in combat sports and has collected dozens of Olympic medals. MMA is a natural step for the people of the nation but it still needs a push. Omar El Dafrawy and his gym Fitbox are looking to make an impact.

In an exclusive interview with Tim Wheaton of LowKickMMA, El Dafrawy explained:

“A lot of people are transitioning, but we need more high-profile coaches to guide them through that. We have strong bases in boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, and judo, with Olympians and gold medalists. When the right people who genuinely care about the sport get involved, things will continue to change. I’ve seen it happening, especially as I’ve traveled and invested in myself as an athlete … We’re seeing more and more Egyptians making waves.”

Combat sports is booming in Egypt, and MMA is right at the forefront, he added:

“There are a lot of high benchmarks being set. I think I’ve restructured the sport back home. My background is academic, and people saw that the sport is for everyone, not just those with tough upbringings. They saw that you can be educated—I have a bachelor’s degree—and still be a full-time fighter. There’s a huge gap in the market for education on training and preparation, but that’s what I’m trying to deliver through Fitbox. As for numbers, MMA is booming. There are at least 20 promotions back home, with more popping up. For example, the national kickboxing tournament has 800 fights over two days, just with kids.”

PFL MENA 3

Upcoming at PFL MENA 3, on September 20, El Dafrawy is looking to build on his impressive win streak and advance to the PFL MENA finals later this year. But standing in his way is the experienced Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi. On this matchup, the Egyptian MMA athlete explained:

“I’ve studied my opponent, and I feel confident that I can knock out Jarrah.”

Jake Paul

YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul will soon be competing in MMA in the PFL but still has yet to have an opponent picked. Omar El Dafrawy is throwing his name in the mix whether it be under boxing or MMA rules. Omar El Dafrawy said:

“I want to punch him in the boxing ring first! But seriously, I like what he’s been doing. He’s calling out the people who don’t treat fighters well, like Dana White. That’s why I chose PFL. It’s about building myself and having financial security. PFL gives fighters the freedom to box if they want and respects the fighters. That’s what the sport needs—promotions that understand fighters.”

See the full interview with Omar El Dafrawy below:

Senior Vice President Loren Mack Helping the PFL Shape the Future of MMA

Loren Mack PFLOver the past five years, the PFL has rapidly expanded, solidifying its position as a global mixed martial arts…

Loren Mack PFL

Over the past five years, the PFL has rapidly expanded, solidifying its position as a global mixed martial arts powerhouse.

PFL

While much of the PFL’s growth can be credited to its unique season-based format and a strong roster featuring top combat sports athletes, another key driver of its success lies with the individuals working behind the scenes and in the front office, whose contributions have been instrumental in the league’s rise.

Loren Mack

One of those individuals is Senior Vice President Loren Mack, who joined the company in 2020. A long-time executive in sports and entertainment. Mack’s relentless drive has played a major role in the organization’s rise and has helped push the PFL to the top of the competitive world.

Mack has long been part of the MMA industry, having worked in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the early years of the promotion’s time under ZUFFA. During his stint with the UFC, Mack saw the company take off in popularity following the now-legendary first season of The Ultimate Fighter. From there, he witnessed the company’s sustained growth, gaining an understanding of what it takes for an MMA promotion to become successful.

As he did with the UFC, Mack helped Cayman Island-based promotion ONE Championship into an impressive “golden era” and become the backbone of MMA in Asia. The past few years have been quite difficult for ONE Championship, however, as the promotion has lost a number of its marquee names and most popular champions. The promotion’s distribution is also quite tiny, and a number of their top talents have also been released due to a lack of opportunities to fight. 

On top of this, ONE also had to deal with setbacks leading to layoffs in the organization’s offices.

Mack, who had left ONE Championship, saw that he had a real opportunity to make an impact with the PFL following an unexpected hour-long conversation with entrepreneur and business savant Donn Davis, founder and chairman of the league. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since coming on board, Mack has been a crucial part of some of the PFL’s most significant expansions, including breaking into markets in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, and  Asia. During this time, the PFL has also brought in some of the most high-profile names in combat sports.

“We’ve brought in stars like Jake Paul, Francis Ngannou, Aspen Ladd, Shane Burgos, Amanda Serrano, Savannah Marshall, and we even re-signed Claressa Shields,” Mack said. “Those are some of the absolute biggest names in the combat sports world, and all of them will be competing inside the PFL SmartCage.”

More recently,  the PFL has also made even more groundbreaking moves including the landmark purchase of Bellator MMA, securing a long-term broadcast partnership with ESPN, and expanding its global reach to over 160 countries globally — including recent deals in Japan and South America.

Mack’s strategic approach has helped the PFL become a global MMA powerhouse and a legitimate destination for fighters who aspire to showcase their talents on the global stage.

“Finally, the sport of MMA has two world-class promotions in the PFL and the UFC. Having two global platforms that elevate the sport benefits not just the fans, but the fighters as well,” Mack stated. “As we continue to grow, innovate, and reimagine MMA, we have placed emphasis on engaging fans all year long through impactful storytelling and unprecedented access to the sport, our fighters, and the action inside the cage”

Mack, alongside Davis and CEO Peter Murray, has helped steer the PFL to greater heights, as the league has distinguished itself from other MMA promotions through its innovative season-based format. Similar to other sports leagues that feature a regular season, playoffs, and championships. At the end of the global season, champions are crowned and awarded million-dollar purses.  

“When you have some of the best fighters in the world competing for the biggest prize in MMA. there will always be opportunity for content, and that has been a huge factor in the growth of the PFL — not just as a brand, but as an organization as well,” Mack explained. With Mack and the PFL leadership team focused on expanding globally, the league is well-positioned to become a true competitor to the UFC.