Q&A: PFL CEO on 2024 season, Ngannou, Cyborg

Before the PFL's 2024 regular season begins Thursday in San Antonio, theScore sat down with PFL CEO Peter Murray to discuss a wide range of hot topics.

(Editor's note: Interview lightly edited for length and clarity.)

theScore: What do you think about how the first Bellator Champions Series event unfolded two weeks ago in Belfast?

Murray: I thought it was a great event. The fights were great, the atmosphere was great. The fans in (Northern) Ireland really show up. It was the first time we had been to Belfast. It was a great night and a great start to the series, and I think it's only going to get better and better.

theScore: The PFL season kicks off this week. What are you most looking forward to from the first batch of events?

Murray: This year, what's new and exciting is we have the Bellator fighters. About 50% of the regular-season roster are made up of Bellator fighters. It's really up a level, the overall quality of competition. We'll see how the Bellator talent fares not only against the PFL champions and those returning top athletes, but in the format. We call it the toughest test in MMA. Fighters, over seven months, have to fight four times. It's really a grueling format, and it's not for all top fighters.

theScore: What has been the biggest challenge the PFL has faced since acquiring Bellator in late 2023?

Murray: I think our team has done an amazing job in communicating and aligning with the athletes relative to their contracts and the game plan to compete this year. We launched Champs vs. Champs - that was less than two months after the acquisition. And now we've launched the Bellator Champions Series. So I would say we're ticking the boxes there.

And now the fighters are settled. There's always apprehension when there's some uncertainty with a new ownership group coming in. But I think things are fairly well settled, and the pieces are in place in terms of the franchises, and the decisions have been made with respect to which fighters are going where - whether it be the Bellator Champions Series, the PFL global season, or on our pay-per-view event.

theScore: How did the PFL decide which fighters will compete in the regular season and which will compete in the Bellator series?

Murray: We have six specific weight classes in the regular season. So we focus our decision on what fighters in those weight classes make the most sense. With respect to the Bellator Champions Series, that is the very top of the roster. Those reigning Bellator champions defending their belts, two title fights on every card, plus a No. 1 contender fight - those are easy selections based on the overall criteria.

theScore: Fans would've loved to see AJ McKee in the season. Why did the PFL see him as better suited for Bellator?

Murray: I love AJ. We tried to sign AJ a couple years ago. The tracks have come together, and now we have the opportunity to stage his fights and promote him. It just made the most sense. Given AJ's caliber of talent, we felt he'd be most challenged and it'd be the best opportunity for him within the Bellator Champions Series.

theScore: Is there any appetite for a trilogy bout between McKee and Bellator featherweight champion Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire?

Murray: I don't know this year, but it's definitely a conversation. PFL executive Mike Kogan and the team are working through those details.

theScore: Do you see a future in which the Bellator Champions Series is merged into the PFL to create one brand?

Murray: No. Absolutely not. We're really focused on presenting the very best of MMA year round, across all of our franchises: our Super Fight division, our global season, our international leagues, and the Bellator Champions Series. Separate and distinct organizations, brands, competitive platforms, and fighters. Two separate and distinct organizations and rosters. But what we are excited about is year after year for the PFL champions to take on the Bellator champions in that annual Super Bowl of MMA.

theScore: PFL chairman Donn Davis recently said he felt the promotion's relationship with Bellator women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg was in a good place. But Cyborg refuted that in a social media post and asked for an in-person meeting. What are the next steps?

Murray: From my point of view, nothing but respect for Cris. She's one of the greatest athletes to ever step in a cage. She's a true champion. And it's a real privilege now to have the opportunity for her to compete as part of the PFL platform. Cris knows that. I've shared that directly with her and her team. Now that we have the roster that we have, we can put the big fights together for Cris. We're excited. She's boxing now, and our plans are to have her fight Larissa Pacheco on a major summer card with Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira. All systems go. There's nothing but an open dialogue. Both Donn and I have spent time directly with Cris. I think a lot of this stuff is just noise. But nothing but respect for Cyborg.

theScore: Is there any chance we see Cyborg in the cage earlier than that? She has said that she's ready to fight now.

Murray: I never rule anything out. We're very focused on a specific schedule, but we never rule anything out. We do want to make the Pacheco fight happen. That is definitely a priority.

theScore: Ngannou has talked about doing a third boxing match before making his PFL debut. At what point is he contractually obligated to fight in the PFL?

Murray: We have a partnership, we have an agreement. We're very supportive of Francis' journey in boxing. Francis is committed to competing in MMA, returning to the PFL SmartCage. And that'll happen this fall. It's on. It's gonna be great.

theScore: How do you feel about Ngannou coming out and saying he might box again first?

Murray: Listen, Francis is gonna continue to box as well. There's no controversy here. He's managing his career. We're building our platform. He's a major part of it. We've already announced his opponent. So more to come.