Las Vegas, NV — PFL President Ray Sefo was on the red carpet at the 14th Annual World MMA Awards on Friday, where Cageside Press had a chance to question the exec on free agency, and gauge their interest in promoting a fight with Jake Paul.
Needless to say, the organization, which just wrapped up their 2022 season last month, intends to continue to build through free agency — by signing both big names, and up-and-comers.
On their 2022 season, Sefo noted that “We ended up crowning six new champions, all from six different countries which was amazing. There were a few upsets that night as well. We had Biaggio Ali who started the night, and he set that bar right out of the gate with a bang. He came out, finished his opponent, the next fight, that fight got finished. I think they set the bar, and everybody turned up and really put on a great night of entertainment.”
Over the last couple of years, the PFL has signed some big-name free agents, including Anthony Pettis and the now-retired Rory MacDonald. While those have struggled, others like Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Stevie Ray have paid off, while smaller names have grown into stars, with Brendan Loughnane a prime example.
The lesson learned? “These big names, they’ve earned the right to be called stars of the sport. But what it does tell me is, we do have real talent at the PFL. We do have world class fighters. And so as we move forward, obviously for us, it’s signing whoever becomes available and becomes a free agent,” Sefo told us. “We’re open to whoever. But yeah, For us it’s signing the big names, the young up-and-coming stars, a kid that probably nobody really knows, but has an amazing record and comes out and performs. And that’s what we’ve kind of found not only through the Challenger Series, but through the season as well.”
Asked about Jake Paul, who has had a lucrative celebrity boxing career while flirting with MMA, Sefo would be interested in seeing him in the PFL cage.
“I’ve heard that he’s thinking about going and interested in going to MMA. 100%, we definitely would be interested if that’s something he wants to do,” said Sefo. Of course, at this point, it’s simply a wish. “Until we get that phone call that says ‘hey, I’m interested in doing this, this, and this,” you really don’t know, right? It’s just like air in the wind. And so you just have to wait and see what the outcome is, or what he really wants to do.”
Watch our full interview with the PFL’s Ray Sefo from the 14th Annual World MMA Awards above.
