Professional Fighters League (PFL) may undergo a total rebrand of the total rebrand they did back in 2017.
Starting to sound like an identity crisis … or maybe the Ship of Theseus.
New CEO John Martin, who replaced former CEO Peter Murray, was recently talking to Ariel Helwani about his goals for 2026 and beyond. In addition to scrapping its tournament format, PFL is also considering a facelift for its “new era.”
Here’s an excerpt from their conversation:
Martin: They have all been extremely supportive
of me and what we’re trying to do. Everybody’s in alignment. We’re all now rowing in the same boat.
Helwani: Would you consider a rebrand? Fresh start?
Martin: Yeah, we’re still maybe considering.
Helwani: Okay, it’s still on the table. When will you make that decision?
Martin: Soon.
Helwani: Is it in the works?
Martin: Yeah.
Helwani: Now, when you say rebrand, like, name change, logo change?
Martin: Possibly.
Helwani: Okay, wow. Within 2026?
Martin: Mm-hmm.
Helwani: Wow, okay. There’s a lot happening here.
Martin: There is a lot happening. I think we want a signal that this really is a new era.
Helwani: Okay. So, a total change?
Martin: Mm-hmm.
Here’s the clip:
Too little, too late?
No doubt I’m in the minority here, but I actually enjoyed the promotion’s tournament format. It created divisional stakes in a time of arbitrary matchmaking and forced athletes to compete more regularly. Trying to “conform” just makes PFL a UFC clone with fewer marquee matchups.
