PFL’s Evolving Landscape Under CEO John Martin

It’s not every day you come across a mix of high-level executives and amateur mixed martial artists, but the Professional Fighters League (PFL) sees them in a unique overlap. John Martin, who assumed control of the MMA organization last July, shared with the Post on Wednesday that he has trained in various martial arts, including karate, jiu-jitsu, muay thai, and judo. “I genuinely loved it—it’s what I immersed myself in during my career,” he admitted.

Now, Martin’s focus is steering the PFL into a new chapter. The promotion’s first event of 2026 took place in Dubai on February 7th.

Once known for its quirky seasonal approach, the organization has shifted to hosting annual tournaments, presenting itself more as a traditional MMA promotion.

Under Martin’s leadership, the PFL plans to host 16 events in significant cities worldwide. Madrid is next on the list for March 20th, followed closely by Pittsburgh and Chicago. However, Martin was noncommittal about an event slated for Boston, which has been mentioned by several MMA sites for late April.

The tournament-style format will persist, with eight more events focusing on regions such as Africa and MENA. The Dubai event showcased the new core offerings of the PFL.

Martin commented, “I think we kicked off really well in Dubai, giving fans a glimpse of what’s to come from PFL.”

He highlighted the importance of dual championship matches in lightweight and welterweight categories, emphasizing the shift towards a permanent title belt instead of a seasonal one.

Usman Nurmagomedov, who is not just the cousin of UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov but also an undefeated champion, is set to defend his lightweight title against Alfie Davies, the winner of the 2025 tournament. While Nurmagomedov defended his title fairly easily, Ramazan Kramagomedov, another competitor from Dagestan, surprisingly retired at just 29 after winning the vacant welterweight title—an unexpected turn that surprised many, including Martin.

Of these fighters, Nurmagomedov emerged as the PFL’s top pound-for-pound male fighter, a new feature in the organization’s revamped ranking system.

Although Martin played down the notion of Nurmagomedov being the face of the PFL, it’s clear that a fighter with such a respected name is someone worth keeping when contract negotiations arise. “Attracting and retaining quality fighters is crucial,” Martin explained. “Nurmagomedov has one match left on his contract, and I’m eager to sit with him to discuss his future and how we can ensure he chooses to stay with us.”

As the PFL seeks to solidify its place under Martin’s new leadership, especially with an impending expiration of their ESPN contract, keeping talented fighters like Nurmagomedov is vital.

Up until this year, ESPN had been the broadcast partner of both the powerhouse UFC and PFL, which is regarded as the second-best MMA organization in the U.S. and beyond.

With the UFC transitioning to Paramount+, the PFL will now become ESPN’s sole MMA show, an opportunity for lasting collaboration.

Martin expressed his intention to meet with ESPN, saying, “They used to have the UFC but that’s changed now. I hope they stay in the martial arts arena, and we would be ideal partners.” He added, “It’s also important for us to have strong partners as we grow rapidly.”

Essential to achieving this, Martin stated, is having “partners who’ll promote us.” He also underscored the necessity of keeping a consistent schedule so fans know what to expect. Interestingly, he shared how people around him struggled to find the PFL’s 2026 season opener earlier this month.

“We were featured on ESPN Unlimited, and I can’t tell you how many friends and colleagues reached out, unsure where to find us. They’d ask, ‘I know an event is occurring; where do I tune in?’” Martin recalled.

“We need to do a better job of promoting ourselves. It’s important for fans to know our events are on ESPN if they’re in the U.S.,” he mentioned.

It seems Martin is still very much in the fight—although not in the cage, he is advocating fiercely for the future of the PFL.