This is a list of events and standings for the
Professional Fighters League, a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States, for the 2023 season.
Events
The PFL 2023 season started off with three shows planned in
Las Vegas, Nevada, making a return to the city for the first time in three years. The first show aired on April 1, 2023, with the two subsequent shows airing on the Fridays afterward, on April 7 and 14.[1][2]
The second half of the regular season was held in
Atlanta, Georgia, on June 8, June 16 and June 23.[3]
PFL Challenger Series is an American
mixed martial arts promotion. Young and up-and-coming male and female MMA prospects will compete for a slot in the PFL tournament season and a chance at $1 million. Each week, the PFL Challenger Series will consist of a celebrity guest panel featuring personalities in film, athletics, and music.[7][8][9] The PFL Challenger Series will debut on
fuboTV. The eight events will stream on consecutive Friday nights starting Feb. 18, and run through March. It will also air on its linear network,
Fubo Sports Network.[10]
Starting in 2023, PFL Europe will feature the top emerging European MMA fighters, and will be broadcast during prime local hours with all events staged in Europe. The format will follow the same as the regular PFL Season, with the winner receiving a $100,000 prize and a chance to earn a spot in the 2024 PFL regular season.[19][20][21]
Marcelo Nunes was originally scheduled to face
Renan Ferreira but was unable to continue in the tournament. He was replaced by #5 ranked
Maurice Greene.
Magomed Umalatov was originally scheduled to face
Magomed Magomedkerimov but was unable to continue in the tournament. He was replaced by #5 ranked Solomon Renfro.
Movlid Khaybulaev was originally scheduled to face Gabriel Braga but was unable to continue in the tournament. He was replaced by #5 ranked
Chris Wade.
The PFL points system is based on results of the match. The winner of a fight receives 3 points. If the fight ends in a draw, both fighters will receive 1 point. A no-contest will be scored as a draw. The bonus for winning a fight in the first, second, or third round is 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point respectively. The bonus for winning in the third round requires a fight be stopped before 4:59 of the third round. No bonus point will be awarded if a fighter wins via decision. For example, if a fighter wins a fight in the first round, then the fighter will receive 6 total points. A decision win will result in three total points. If a fighter misses weight, the opponent (should they comply with weight limits) will receive 3 points due to a walkover victory, regardless of winning or losing the bout, with the fighter who missed weight being deducted 1 standings point; if the non-offending fighter subsequently wins with a stoppage, all bonus points will be awarded. A fighter who was unable to compete for any reason, will receive a 1-point
penalty (-1 point in the standings). The fighters who made weight will not receive a walkover, but will earn points and contracted purse amounts based on their performance in the altered matchup.[22]
Nine PFL fighters were suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after failing drug tests; which included former UFC title challenger
Thiago Santos and former PFL heavyweight champion
Bruno Cappelozza. Additional fighters impacted by the suspensions are
Krzysztof Jotko, Rizvan Kuniev, Mohammed Fakhreddine,
Cezar Ferreira, and Will Fleury. Two featherweight season fighters, Alejandro Flores and Daniel Torres, were also suspended. In light of fighter suspensions, they were all removed from the season after the first round of bouts.[23]
This is a list of events and standings for the
Professional Fighters League, a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States, for the 2023 season.
Events
The PFL 2023 season started off with three shows planned in
Las Vegas, Nevada, making a return to the city for the first time in three years. The first show aired on April 1, 2023, with the two subsequent shows airing on the Fridays afterward, on April 7 and 14.[1][2]
The second half of the regular season was held in
Atlanta, Georgia, on June 8, June 16 and June 23.[3]
PFL Challenger Series is an American
mixed martial arts promotion. Young and up-and-coming male and female MMA prospects will compete for a slot in the PFL tournament season and a chance at $1 million. Each week, the PFL Challenger Series will consist of a celebrity guest panel featuring personalities in film, athletics, and music.[7][8][9] The PFL Challenger Series will debut on
fuboTV. The eight events will stream on consecutive Friday nights starting Feb. 18, and run through March. It will also air on its linear network,
Fubo Sports Network.[10]
Starting in 2023, PFL Europe will feature the top emerging European MMA fighters, and will be broadcast during prime local hours with all events staged in Europe. The format will follow the same as the regular PFL Season, with the winner receiving a $100,000 prize and a chance to earn a spot in the 2024 PFL regular season.[19][20][21]
Marcelo Nunes was originally scheduled to face
Renan Ferreira but was unable to continue in the tournament. He was replaced by #5 ranked
Maurice Greene.
Magomed Umalatov was originally scheduled to face
Magomed Magomedkerimov but was unable to continue in the tournament. He was replaced by #5 ranked Solomon Renfro.
Movlid Khaybulaev was originally scheduled to face Gabriel Braga but was unable to continue in the tournament. He was replaced by #5 ranked
Chris Wade.
The PFL points system is based on results of the match. The winner of a fight receives 3 points. If the fight ends in a draw, both fighters will receive 1 point. A no-contest will be scored as a draw. The bonus for winning a fight in the first, second, or third round is 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point respectively. The bonus for winning in the third round requires a fight be stopped before 4:59 of the third round. No bonus point will be awarded if a fighter wins via decision. For example, if a fighter wins a fight in the first round, then the fighter will receive 6 total points. A decision win will result in three total points. If a fighter misses weight, the opponent (should they comply with weight limits) will receive 3 points due to a walkover victory, regardless of winning or losing the bout, with the fighter who missed weight being deducted 1 standings point; if the non-offending fighter subsequently wins with a stoppage, all bonus points will be awarded. A fighter who was unable to compete for any reason, will receive a 1-point
penalty (-1 point in the standings). The fighters who made weight will not receive a walkover, but will earn points and contracted purse amounts based on their performance in the altered matchup.[22]
Nine PFL fighters were suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after failing drug tests; which included former UFC title challenger
Thiago Santos and former PFL heavyweight champion
Bruno Cappelozza. Additional fighters impacted by the suspensions are
Krzysztof Jotko, Rizvan Kuniev, Mohammed Fakhreddine,
Cezar Ferreira, and Will Fleury. Two featherweight season fighters, Alejandro Flores and Daniel Torres, were also suspended. In light of fighter suspensions, they were all removed from the season after the first round of bouts.[23]