MMA group promises big paydays

After taking a brief sabbatical to regroup and rebrand, the mixed martial arts promotion now known as Professional Fighter League (PFL) will make millionaires of six fighters by year’s end. Formerly known as World Series of Fighting, PFL officials have developed a league system for a sport that has generally existed as a series of one-off events and will award $10 million in money to athletes involved in the playoffs for the inaugural 2018 season. “We are so excited to launch our inaugural season, and we’re going to do that in New York, in prime time,” PFL CEO Peter Murray told USA TODAY. PFL plans call for 12 fighters each in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight di- visions to compete in two “regular season” contests, with fighters earning points based on the results of their bouts and the method of victory. The top eight in each division are paired together for a single-elimination tournament that sees each bracket winner crowned season champ and awarded $1 million.