Professional Fighters League Revenue, Valuation, Funding & Investors
Professional Fighters League is valued at $500M as of August 2023.
Last Professional Fighters League valuation
$500M
Undisclosed stage · Aug 2023
Last Professional Fighters League funding round
$100M
Undisclosed stage · Aug 2023
Professional Fighters League revenue
$100M
Series E · May 2022
Key investors in Professional Fighters League
Elysian Park Ventures
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Ted LeonsisKevin Hart
- Mark Burnett
Red Swan Ventures
SWaN & Legend Venture Partners
About Professional Fighters League
Professional Fighters League is a mixed martial arts organization hosting seasonal events broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+ in the United States plus 160 countries via premium networks. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia, PFL features a playoff format with $1 million grand prizes per weight class. Roster includes fighters like Kayla Harrison and Ray Cooper III.
Founded
2017
HQ
New York City, NYWebsite
Status
Privately held
Customer focus
B2C
Revenue model
Product sales, Advertising
Revenue
$100M (May 2022)
Valuation
$500M (Aug 2023)
Professional Fighters League Valuation
Professional Fighters League is currently valued at $500M, based on its undisclosed-stage round in August 2023.
The $100M round was led by SRJ Sports Investments.
Professional Fighters League's valuation has grown 1.3x from $400M at its Series D in February 2021 to $500M in August 2023, across 3 priced rounds.
Professional Fighters League valuation by funding round
Revenue multiple| Date | Stage | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2023 | Undisclosed stage | $500M | - |
| May 2022 | Series E | $500M | 5.0x |
| Feb 2021 | Series D | $400M | - |
Professional Fighters League Revenue
Professional Fighters League's latest recorded revenue is $100M, as of its Series E in May 2022. At a $500M valuation, that implies a 5.0x revenue multiple.
Professional Fighters League revenue by funding round
| Date | Revenue * | Valuation | Revenue Multiple | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2022 | $100M | $500M | 5.0x | Series E |
* Revenue (or ARR) figures are the values recorded alongside each funding round. Typically run-rate revenue at the time of the deal, or a reported LTM (last 12 months) revenue.
Professional Fighters League Funding History
Professional Fighters League has raised a total of $303M across 6 funding rounds.
Professional Fighters League's first fundraising round was a $28M Series B in August 2018. The most recent completed round was a $100M undisclosed-stage round in August 2023.
Professional Fighters League funding rounds
| Date | Stage | Investors | Raised | Valuation | Deal Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2023 | Undisclosed stage | SRJ Sports Investments (lead) | $100M | $500M | The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion that operates in a sports-season format with regular seasons, playoffs, and championships, positioning itself as the second-largest MMA organization after UFC. In August 2023, SRJ Sports Investments, a sports-focused entity launched by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), made its inaugural investment by acquiring a minority equity ownership stake in PFL valued at $100 million, with funds supporting global expansion, fighter recruitment, fanbase growth, and launch of the PFL MENA regional league in 2024. The deal also includes hosting PFL PPV Super Fights mega-events in Saudi Arabia and broader MENA expansion. PFL's leadership, including CEO Peter Murray and Founder Donn Davis, highlighted the partnership's alignment on global MMA growth, star fighters, and mega-events. SRJ aims to accelerate Saudi Arabia's sports economy, nurture martial arts talent, promote gender equality, and develop sports IP, media, and venues in the MENA region. The investment underscores Saudi Arabia's expanding sports portfolio, including MMA alongside soccer, golf, boxing, and motorsports, with SRJ potentially signaling future Middle East-focused strategies in global sports events. |
| May 2022 | Series E | Waverley Capital (lead); Alex Rodriguez | $30M | $500M | Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global mixed martial arts (MMA) organization that hosts events across the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with plans for expansion into Asia, Australia, and Latin America. It features a world-class fighter roster, with 30% ranked in the top 25 of their weight classes by independent rankings, and its events are broadcast live to 170 countries via 26 media partners. In May 2022, PFL completed a $30 million Series E equity financing round led by Waverley Capital, with participation from Alex Rodriguez among others. According to CNBC reporting, this round valued the company at $500 million post-money, an increase from $400 million in 2021. The capital supported PFL's innovative sports league model and growth trajectory as the fastest-growing MMA promotion at the time. The Series E round positioned PFL for continued innovation and expansion in the competitive MMA landscape, differentiating itself through a unique seasonal and tournament format. Waverley Capital's leadership in the round highlighted investor confidence in PFL's premium live-event strategy and global ambitions. Later developments include a 2026 strategic capital raise involving Knighthead Capital Management and 885 Capital, which expanded their ownership stakes to become lead owners, used to retire debt and fund operations. This followed the 2022 Series E and underscores ongoing investor support for PFL's international events, such as those in Dubai, and direct fan engagement strategies. PFL also established a new nine-member board and leadership under CEO John Martin to drive product evolution and global reach. |
| Feb 2021 | Series D | Ares Capital (lead); Elysian Park Ventures (lead); Knighthead Capital Management (lead) | $65M | $400M | The Professional Fighters League (PFL), a mixed martial arts (MMA) organization launched in 2018 as a rebranded World Series of Fighting, raised $65 million in financing on February 18, 2021, led by Ares Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and Knighthead Capital Management. This round brought the league's total investment to $175 million. The funds were earmarked for international expansion, product innovation such as the SmartCage broadcast technology powered by IBM, top talent acquisition, and global audience growth ahead of the 2021 season starting April 23 in Las Vegas. PFL differentiates itself in the MMA market with a unique seasonal format featuring regular seasons, playoffs, and $1 million championship bouts in six weight classes, allowing fighters up to five bouts per year. Ownership includes Washington sports executives like Ted Leonsis (Washington Wizards, Capitals, Mystics) and Mark Lerner (Washington Nationals). The league airs on ESPN2 and ESPN+, with growing U.S. viewership; executives anticipated doubling from 361,000 for the 2019 championship. The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, positioning 2021 as a key growth year with new signings like Fabricio Werdum, Rory MacDonald, and Anthony Pettis. PFL positioned itself as the disruptive No. 2 player worldwide in the underserved MMA market, aiming to accelerate momentum through this capital injection. |
| Jan 2020 | Series C | SWaN & Legend Venture Partners (lead); Mark Lerner; Ted Leonsis; David Blitzer | $50M | - | Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a mixed martial arts promotion founded by Donn Davis, positioning itself as a challenger to UFC by offering more premium fight events and targeting underserved markets in the MMA space with a global fanbase of 650 million. The league emphasizes execution over ideas, building through partnerships rather than direct competition. PFL has raised significant capital over multiple rounds, totaling $263M across 9-11 rounds as of recent data, with investors including SRJ Sports Investments, Waverley Capital, Alex Rodriguez, and others. A specific Series C round in early 2020 led by SWaN & Legend Venture Partners raised $50M, with participation from early investors like David Blitzer, Mark Lerner, and Ted Leonsis. Partners from SWaN & Legend, such as Fred Schaufeld and Anthony Nader, are also involved in Monumental Sports & Entertainment ownership. Later developments show PFL's growth, with a $500M valuation in May 2022 and $1B valuation achieved later, alongside first-year revenue over $100M in 2024 after seven years of operation. Additional funding included an Unattributed $100M round on August 30, 2023. PFL focuses on global expansion, partnerships for investment, sponsorship, distribution, and fighter recruitment, aiming to scale significantly in the MMA market dominated by UFC valued at around $20B. The company balances current operations with future growth, maintaining openness to new capital amid high-growth challenges. |
| Apr 2019 | Series C | Jimmy Iovine (lead); Mark Burnett; Ted Leonsis; Kevin Hart | $30M | - | - |
| Aug 2018 | Series B | Red Swan Ventures; Tony Robbins; Temerity Capital Partners; Brandon Beck; Elysian Park Ventures; Mark Burnett; Debra Cafaro; Kevin Hart; Mark Leschly | $28M | - | The Professional Fighters League (PFL), founded by venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, restructured the former World Series of Fighting into a unique MMA league with a sports-season format featuring regular seasons, playoffs, and championships across six weight classes. On August 8, 2018, PFL announced a $28 million Series B equity investment from sports, entertainment, and business figures including Kevin Hart, Mark Burnett, Tony Robbins, Ted Leonsis, Brandon Beck, and others such as Debra Cafaro, Elysian Park Ventures, Mark Leschly, Red Swan Ventures, and Temerity Capital Partners. The funding supported PFL's inaugural 2018 season, which included 72 elite fighters competing in regular season events in June, July, and August, playoffs in October, and a New Year's Eve championship with a $10 million total prize pool, broadcast on NBC Sports Network and streamed on Facebook Watch. The league differentiated itself with a proprietary scoring system encouraging early finishes (75% of fights ending in knockout or submission) and aimed to create compelling fighter narratives through its tournament structure. Mark Burnett planned to develop additional programming like a 'Challengers Series' for aspiring fighters, leveraging his MGM Television role. PFL's 2018 season marked its debut at Madison Square Garden's Hulu Theater, establishing it as a challenger to UFC with innovative formatting. |
Who has invested in Professional Fighters League?
19 investors have backed Professional Fighters League across its funding rounds, including Elysian Park Ventures, Ted Leonsis, Kevin Hart, Mark Burnett, Red Swan Ventures and SWaN & Legend Venture Partners.
Lead investors include SRJ Sports Investments, Waverley Capital, Ares Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Knighthead Capital Management and 2 other investors.
Professional Fighters League Investors
| Investor | HQ | Rounds | Role | First check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 2 | Lead | Aug 2018 | |
| Mark Burnett | Los Angeles, CA | 2 | Participant | Aug 2018 |
| Ted Leonsis | Washington, DC | 2 | Participant | Apr 2019 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2 | Participant | Aug 2018 | |
| Washington, DC | 1 | Lead | Jan 2020 | |
| New York City, NY | 1 | Participant | Aug 2018 | |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1 | Lead | Feb 2021 | |
 Mecca | 1 | Lead | Aug 2023 | |
| New York City, NY | 1 | Lead | Feb 2021 | |
| Mark Lerner | United States | 1 | Participant | Jan 2020 |
| Tony Robbins | San Diego, CA | 1 | Participant | Aug 2018 |
| Washington, DC | 1 | Participant | Aug 2018 | |
| Brandon Beck | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | Participant | Aug 2018 |
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all 19 Professional Fighters League investors. Start Free Trial | ||||
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Start Free TrialAcquisitions by Professional Fighters League
Professional Fighters League has acquired 2 companies to date.
Last acquisition by Professional Fighters League was on July 29th 2026. Professional Fighters League acquired Most Valuable Promotions for undisclosed valuation.
Latest Acquisitions by Professional Fighters League
| Description | Most Valuable Promotions is an event management company that stages sports and entertainment gatherings featuring professional athletes and performers. | Bellator MMA is a Chicago-headquartered mixed martial arts promotion that hosts tournament-format events broadcast on Showtime and Paramount Network. Featuring weight classes from featherweight to heavyweight, Bellator has crowned champions like Patricio Pitbull and Gegard Mousasi. Launched in 2008, it competes with UFC through quarterly cards and international expansion to Europe and Japan. |
| HQ Country | - | |
| HQ City | - | Chicago, IL |
| Deal Date | 29 Jul 2026 | 20 Nov 2023 |
| Valuation | undisclosed | $100M |
| EV/Revenue | ||
| EV/EBITDA | ||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Professional Fighters League acquisitions and their M&A valuation multiples. Start Free Trial | ||
Professional Fighters League Competitors
Professional Fighters League competitors include listed companies like Ollamani and Parken Sport, and private ones like Suning Sports, TMRW Sports, Kunlun Fight and Unrivaled.
| Company | HQ | Status | Revenue | EBITDA | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Nanjing | Private | - | - | $2.6B | - | |
| Orlando, FL | Private | - | - | $500M | - | |
 Mexico | Publicly listed | $378M | $39M | $684M | 1.9x | |
| Beijing | Private | - | - | $350M | - | |
| Miami, FL | Private | $30M | - | $340M | 11.3x | |
 Denmark | Publicly listed | $290M | $87M | $305M | - |
Professional Fighters League Public Comps
Professional Fighters League is still privately-owned, but its public comps include Beijing Jingxi, Borussia Dortmund, Maoyan Entertainment, Fiera Milano, Avex, Fenerbahce SK, Falcons Beyond Global, Ollamani, Olympique Lyon and Parken Sport.
| Last FY | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EBITDA | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | |
| $50M | ($43M) | 9.0x | - | (10.3x) | - | |||
| $606M | $133M | 0.7x | 0.8x | 3.1x | 3.6x | |||
| $691M | $124M | 0.1x | 0.1x | 0.7x | 1.0x | |||
| $437M | $150M | 1.9x | 1.8x | 5.5x | 6.2x | |||
| $942M | $40M | 0.2x | 0.2x | 3.6x | - | |||
| $176M | $17M | 2.3x | - | 22.9x | - | |||
| $15M | $10M | 24.2x | - | 36.0x | - | |||
| $378M | $39M | 2.1x | 1.9x | 20.5x | 11.3x | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Professional Fighters League competitors and their valuation data. Start Free Trial | ||||||||
Common questions about Professional Fighters League
| When was Professional Fighters League founded? | Professional Fighters League was founded in 2017. |
| Where is Professional Fighters League headquartered? | Professional Fighters League is headquartered in New York City, NY, United States. |
| Is Professional Fighters League publicly listed? | No, Professional Fighters League is a private, VC-backed company. |
| What is Professional Fighters League's valuation? | Professional Fighters League was last valued at $500M in its undisclosed-stage round in August 2023. |
| How much funding has Professional Fighters League raised? | Professional Fighters League has raised $303M across 6 funding rounds. |
| What was Professional Fighters League's last funding round? | Professional Fighters League's last funding round was a $100M undisclosed-stage round in August 2023, led by SRJ Sports Investments. |
| Who are Professional Fighters League's investors? | Professional Fighters League's investors include Elysian Park Ventures, Mark Burnett, Ted Leonsis, Kevin Hart, SWaN & Legend Venture Partners, Red Swan Ventures, Ares Capital, SRJ Sports Investments, Knighthead Capital Management, Mark Lerner and 9 others. |
| What is Professional Fighters League's revenue? | Professional Fighters League's latest recorded revenue is $100M (May 2022). |
| What is Professional Fighters League's revenue multiple? | Professional Fighters League's latest valuation implies a 5.0x revenue multiple ($500M valuation on $100M of revenue). |
| Which companies are comparable to Professional Fighters League? | Companies comparable to Professional Fighters League include Suning Sports, TMRW Sports, Ollamani, Kunlun Fight, Unrivaled and Parken Sport. |
| How many companies has Professional Fighters League acquired? | Professional Fighters League has acquired 2 companies, including Most Valuable Promotions and Bellator MMA. |
| What was the largest acquisition by Professional Fighters League? | The $100M acquisition of Bellator MMA in November 2023 is the largest acquisition Professional Fighters League has made to date. |
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