Jake Paul and the PFL announced a partnership with the Professional Fighters League. Paul indicated that he will participate in MMA and boxing.
Paul and partner Nakisa Bidarian have an equity share of the PFL according to the New York Times.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered. Welcome to the Professional Fighters League @jakepaul pic.twitter.com/pgMDUprK6S
— PFL (@PFLMMA) January 5, 2023
According to the PFL release announcing the partnership, he is creating a PPV division called “PFL PPV Super Fights.” Paul and Bidarian will be using the division to recruit more fighters for the division. The fighters in the division will earn “50% of the revenue from PPV events.” The release also stated that there will be 2 PFL PPV events in 2023 with more in the coming years.
Paul plans to fight twice in 2023. Once in MMA and once in boxing. He’s already called out Nate Diaz.
I signed to @PFLMMA Nate where you at? @NateDiaz209 pic.twitter.com/pneHvrykxR
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) January 5, 2023
The new division will not affect the PFL league which will coincide with the PPV division. Per the Times article the PPV division “is expected to blend fights with influencers and celebrities who show some “level of fighting proficiency” with bouts between established professional fighters.” DAZN has a similar division which mainly involves YouTube stars boxing.
Payout Perspective:
It definitely feels like the PFL is making a move to be the second-best organization in the U.S. PPV is a big hurdle for the company but if Jake Paul fights Nate Diaz in boxing (or MMA) that would be a huge draw for the promotion. As for the 50/50 split, it is still up in the air as to what that means for the fighters. What is it based on? Gross? Net? And what is the actually split derived from? If it is from PPV buys, it may not amount to as much as it sounds? But, we shall see.
Overall a good move the promotion as it sets out into 2023.
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