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(Exclusive) PFL CEO Peter Murray on "Must-See" Battle of the Giants

The PFL CEO discussed the promotion's massive October PPV and ongoing plans for global expansion.

Drew Beaupre

(PFL)

Ahead of the biggest card that the PFL has ever put on, MMA KO's Drew Beaupré spoke to PFL CEO Peter Murray about the Battle of the Giants PPV and the promotion's big plans for the future.

"The Best Card Of The Year"

The main and co-main events of Battle of the Giants will see Francis Ngannou and Cris Cyborg each make their long-awaited PFL debuts, and Murray firmly argues that those fights combined with everything else on the card make it one of the biggest sporting spectacles of the year.

“We have some of the biggest athletes in MMA, meaning giants of the sport. And with a lot on line - you have three world title fights…Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira. Francis is the undisputed MMA heavyweight champion of the world, Renan is a two-time PFL champion. They both have amazing credentials. Francis returning to the cage – it has all the drama after his hiatus, if you will, since leaving the UFC relative to competing in MMA. Obviously he’s taken on boxing in a for-real way, we saw that on display earlier this year… So you’ve got a world title heavyweight fight. It’s been over two years since MMA fans have gotten a chance to seen Francis in the cage, so highly-anticipated. And this is a new belt. This is the PFL Super Fights belt. It’s a belt that must be won and defended and ongoing.”

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“Then the co-main event – one of the greatest in the game, Cris Cyborg. Going up against another formidable opponent in Larissa Pacheco, who’s also a two-time PFL champion in two different weight classes… And then to add to the excitement and the card - in my view, the best card of the year – you have another title fight, middleweight Bellator title fight. Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards. You bring in this U.S. vs. U.K., I mean we’re going around the world with some of the best. And then leading into that we have Husein [Kadimagomaev] and Zafar [Mohsen] and then AJ McKee and Paul Hughes."

The undercard for Battle of the Giants also features former Bellator titleholder Raufeon Stots taking on Marcos Breno in a bantamweight tilt, and Murray is excited to see how some of the rising talent earlier on the card will take advantage of the spotlight at such a big event.

"So when you look at just the top of the card alone, this is a must-see event for MMA fans, and I think I’d put it up against any UFC card and debate it. I think that’s what sport is about, how this event compares, and so it’s obviously in the conversation not only of MMA but all of sports, the Battle of the Giants on October 19. And yesterday, the team announced the five showcase fights that’ll lead into the PPV… Those five showcase fights are very much about the future of the sport. And it’s a showcase opportunity for what I would call top athletes who are rising stars. And we’re giving them the stage to show the world what they have on a massive card.”

Full Card Revealed for PFL Super Fights - Battle of the Giants

Ngannou And Cyborg Set For PFL Debuts

Ngannou will be returning to MMA for the first time since he defended the UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 when he meets Ferreira, and more than a year will also have passed since Cyborg last competed in MMA when she enters the SmartCage to square off with Pacheco.

Both fighters have kept busy with boxing in the interim since their last MMA fights, and given their respective credentials Murray explains that there was never a thought about giving them any sort of warmup opponent for their respective PFL debuts.

“Both Francis and Cris, I mean they are world champions. They don’t need warmup fights in MMA, they’re only gonna fight the very best. And so Cris trains year-round, she’s boxing as well. Francis is always in shape, earlier this year and last year he really dedicated his training to boxing. But he’s got a lot of muscle memory, and once again this is Francis’ jungle, the MMA cage. It’s gonna be exciting…A debut for Francis with the PFL, a debut for Cris with the PFL, and they’re going up against two, two-time PFL champions, both from Brazil. So this is a must-see event.”

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"We Were In His Corner The Whole Way"

Ngannou’s desire to test himself in boxing was one of the major factors that encouraged him to leave the UFC and sign with the PFL, and Murray says the timing for “The Predator” to make his PFL debut worked out perfectly following boxing matches with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

(Exclusive) PFL CEO Peter Murray on "Must-See" Battle of the Giants
Francis Ngannou knocks down Tyson Fury during the Heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou at Boulevard Hall on October 28, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. / (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

“It was actually perfectly-timed. We went into this eyes wide open with Francis regarding his priorities last year and into the early part of this year to box. And so we were in his corner the whole way in boxing, and proud of what he took on. The Tyson Fury fight – that was an amazing fight, I happened to be there. There was obviously some controversy with the outcome, but who knows? Maybe there’s a rematch for the two. The 'W' went Tyson’s way, but many say that Francis won that fight. And then he goes up against the very best in the world, I mean Tyson Fury and AJ – two best heavyweight boxers in the world. …So timing worked out great for Francis and the PFL, and we get to finish the year big with this fight on October 19.”

Super Fights Belts & Global Expansion

The Ngannou vs. Ferreira and Cyborg vs. Pacheco matchups will both be for the PFL’s inaugural Super Fights belts at heavyweight and women’s featherweight, and Murray says the introduction of those prestigious new titles is a major development as the PFL continues to expand all across the globe.

“So if you envision our product or our franchises, we have four. With the PFL Super Fights division, that PPV division, the very best of the sport on top there. And Top 10-ranked athletes in the co-mains and the top of these cards, real star power. And then we have the Champions Series where we have the opportunity to have obviously Bellator champions, and then going forward perhaps PFL champions in that new series as we continue to innovate. And then we have our global season where we have athletes from over 40 nations represented on that roster. And then what feeds into the global season are our international leagues. International leagues are our fourth franchise, and today we have two up and running – PFL Europe in its second season. We have PFL MENA in its first inaugural season.”

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“We’re launching PFL Africa with Francis as our Chairmen next year. We already have the roster pulled together, we’ll be making announcements in the coming months and how that rolls out, and we’re excited about that official launch. And what I can tell you is, PFL Australia/Pacific will launch in 2026. And then on top of that PFL LATAM and PFL Asia. So we’ll have six international leagues up and running within two years…So it really is a pathway for our fighters. Regionally, globally, and then they can climb up to the very top tier to PPV events. And that’s what we’re excited about, supporting the athletes’ journey around the world. And candidly, advancing and growing the sport, and putting a system in place that does not exist.”

Returning To Riyadh

The PFL will return to Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for Battle of the Giants after previously holding the first PFL vs. Bellator event there in February.

Saudi Araba (and Riyadh in particular) has quickly become a hub for combat sports over the last few years, and Murray promises that partnership will carry on into the future.

“Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, fight capital of the world. So we’re excited. We have a long-term strategic partnership with Surge as part of the PFL, as part of our organization. We’re committed to helping develop a world class ecosystem within Saudi Arabia, not just delivering mega events but developing future champions. So we’re really embedded within the ecosystem of Saudi Arabia as it relates to developing, expanding their presence in sport globally, locally. But also creating and developing future champions, so it’s a natural fit for us to stage the biggest MMA event of the year, and no other place than to do it in Riyadh.”

PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants takes place on October 19 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the event will be available via ESPN+ PPV in the United States and DAZN PPV worldwide.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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