Rewatch Fact: This is the best PFL season I've ever watched

[EndlessCritic]

I've been highly critical of PFL's format for years, and continue to think the points system is completely moronic.

But, it is hard to deny how entertaining this season has been so far. The influx of Bellator talent has given us some completely stacked cards, that are on par with most of the UFC's product.

Kudos to PFL.

 

[TorontoTO]

I've been highly critical of PFL's format for years, and continue to think the points system is completely moronic.

But, it is hard to deny how entertaining this season has been so far. The influx of Bellator talent has given us some completely stacked cards, that are on par with most of the UFC's product.

Kudos to PFL.

The issue is that it will get stale as previous pfl seasons have since it’s gonna be the same people fighting each other over and over again

 

[EndlessCritic]

The issue is that it will get stale as previous pfl seasons have since it’s gonna be the same people fighting each other over and over again

That's a future PFL problem.

The reality is none of the current Bellator champs (aside from Carmouche) have participated in this season. Simply having the Bellator champs in next year's season would be enough new blood to keep it fresh.

 

[SokoudjouFanboy]

It's been pretty damn good. I'm not excited about the season format anymore and think they should just move to single elimination tournaments and mix a bunch of non season bouts into each card, but you can't really complain about the talent in the season. It's top notch.

One thing that kills me about the season format is one guy will lose and miss the playoffs when the guy he beat gets in because the guy who just lost won his last fight by finish or whatever. It's just stupid. I get that it's a season but it's a 2 fight season lol... it just doesn't work. The recent example is Mads Burnell beating Clay Collard yet Clay is in the playoffs. It's just weird to stomach.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

It's kind of being like the warmest winter olympics but yes.

 

[TorontoTO]

It's been pretty damn good. I'm not excited about the season format anymore and think they should just move to single elimination tournaments and mix a bunch of non season bouts into each card, but you can't really complain about the talent in the season. It's top notch.

One thing that kills me about the season format is one guy will lose and miss the playoffs when the guy he beat gets in because the guy who just lost won his last fight by finish or whatever. It's just stupid. I get that it's a season but it's a 2 fight season lol... it just doesn't work. The recent example is Mads Burnell beating Clay Collard yet Clay is in the playoffs. It's just weird to stomach.

Same thing happened with Vassell and Moldavsky

 

[SokoudjouFanboy]

Same thing happened with Vassell and Moldavsky

Same thing happens multiple times every year. It's really fucking stupid and makes no sense from a casual's perspective. The idea of win and advance is as easy a concept to understand as there is. Lose and advance anyway because you had more points due to your last match? I understand but I'm a 0.1% MMA autist. The casual MMA fan trying in earnest to follow PFL is going to be confused.

16 man tournament, reserve bouts on each card. Win a reserve bout but don't get in the next round? Fight in another reserve bout. Maybe even against someone who lost in the round prior. Meanwhile you have other non tournament fights on each card that (hopefully) have a level of intrigue. This isn't that hard.

 

[skylolow]

I think PFL should switch up the format a little. I think they should only do like 2 or 3 weight classes a year for the tournaments. Then do more standalone events now that you got a much larger talent pool. Not too mention your saving millions that can be invested in other fighters, help the company's bottom line, or maybe do 2M payout for each of the tournament winners. Doing as many weight classes as they do currently is just exhausting and does become stale for fans and the fighters. Spreading them out more will probably give fans much better quality tournaments on paper which should mean better ratings. PFL's biggest issue has been poor name value in the eyes of most fans in the tournaments and that doesn't make fans tune in.

 

[TorontoTO]

Same thing happens multiple times every year. It's really fucking stupid and makes no sense from a casual's perspective. The idea of win and advance is as easy a concept to understand as there is. Lose and advance anyway because you had more points due to your last match? I understand but I'm a 0.1% MMA autist. The casual MMA fan trying in earnest to follow PFL is going to be confused.

16 man tournament, reserve bouts on each card. Win a reserve bout but don't get in the next round? Fight in another reserve bout. Maybe even against someone who lost in the round prior. Meanwhile you have other non tournament fights on each card that (hopefully) have a level of intrigue. This isn't that hard.

Most casuals I saw talking about pfl points had no idea about how it works and were confused why the loser advances to the playoffs

 

[EndlessCritic]

I think PFL should switch up the format a little. I think they should only do like 2 or 3 weight classes a year for the tournaments. Then do more standalone events now that you got a much larger talent pool. Not too mention your saving millions that can be invested in other fighters, help the company's bottom line, or maybe do 2M payout for each of the tournament winners. Doing as many weight classes as they do currently is just exhausting and does become stale for fans and the fighters. Spreading them out more will probably give fans much better quality tournaments on paper which should mean better ratings. PFL's biggest issue has been poor name value in the eyes of most fans in the tournaments and that doesn't make fans tune in.

Completely agree with 1-2 tournaments per year idea.

 

[Deleted member 513083]

It's been pretty damn good. I'm not excited about the season format anymore and think they should just move to single elimination tournaments and mix a bunch of non season bouts into each card, but you can't really complain about the talent in the season. It's top notch.

One thing that kills me about the season format is one guy will lose and miss the playoffs when the guy he beat gets in because the guy who just lost won his last fight by finish or whatever. It's just stupid. I get that it's a season but it's a 2 fight season lol... it just doesn't work. The recent example is Mads Burnell beating Clay Collard yet Clay is in the playoffs. It's just weird to stomach.

I agree with the single elimination tournaments, that way someone who beats a can or easy opponent will not end up in the top 4 instead of a way better fighter that had harder matchups.

I also feel this elimination format would be way easier to understand for casual watchers and tournaments always get people excited. Look at football a lot of people do not care about league football but once the world cup comes around people start watching who wouldnt watch usually.

 

[MMAddict21]

They need to drop the season bullshit. If you want to compete with the UFC you can’t just not hold events for 4 months.

 

[Bubzeh]

This is the kind of wholesome content I like to read. Great thread.

 

[TorontoTO]

They need to drop the season bullshit. If you want to compete with the UFC you can’t just not hold events for 4 months.

Ya it’s wild they continue with this format since they just go silent for 2 months and everyone forgets they exist. You need consistency, show fights every Friday evening, even if it’s a mini event with 5 bouts. Do studio events at the Mohegan.

Pfl can’t even get their events on the same day of the week since they alternate between Thursday and Friday for no reason

UFC doesn’t even need to really promote nowadays since their fans know to show up every Saturday evening to get a card. Bet tons of fans don’t know who is fighting either since some of these main events are fucking awful and they still draw

The regional pfl stuff doesn’t even fill the gap since they don’t stream in America…pfl Europe and mena are unavailable unless you pirate

 

[Royce Greasy]

I've been highly critical of PFL's format for years, and continue to think the points system is completely moronic.

But, it is hard to deny how entertaining this season has been so far. The influx of Bellator talent has given us some completely stacked cards, that are on par with most of the UFC's product.

Kudos to PFL.

I've preferred PFL cards so far over the UFC, the last PFL with LHW's was better than the Whittaker UFC card imo although the Whittaker was the best fight the rest was piss poor especially the Pavlovich fight lackluster boring crap.

 

[Royce Greasy]

They need to drop the season bullshit. If you want to compete with the UFC you can’t just not hold events for 4 months.

Agree and the fighters honestly don't take it that serious they're just out to get a win anyways, they should adopt Bellator's old format that Rebney used to employ that way you get a lot of unexpected fights and newer talent getting exposure, the playoffs and point system is a bunch of convoluted crap just for the sake of being different and the gimmick has worn out.

 

[TheBrownRanger]

Awesome in that Bellator fighters have been whooping the PFL guys left and right? I agree.

Anyways, PFL needs to adopt the Bjorn tournament season format. The regular season can go away, merge Bellator in its entirety, and start creating stacked cards. The PFL format was fun in 2018 but that was long ago.

 

[Kungpowking]

I still dislike the seasonal format, but the Bellator roster has really taken things to the next level.

 

[TadDunbar]

Nah. I've been bored to death

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Ya it’s wild they continue with this format since they just go silent for 2 months and everyone forgets they exist. You need consistency, show fights every Friday evening, even if it’s a mini event with 5 bouts. Do studio events at the Mohegan.

Pfl can’t even get their events on the same day of the week since they alternate between Thursday and Friday for no reason

UFC doesn’t even need to really promote nowadays since their fans know to show up every Saturday evening to get a card. Bet tons of fans don’t know who is fighting either since some of these main events are fucking awful and they still draw

The regional pfl stuff doesn’t even fill the gap since they don’t stream in America…pfl Europe and mena are unavailable unless you pirate

They don't even need to have a season finale really. There's no reason why every weight class has to start the tournament at the same time. Why not start the tournaments in different months and then you've got tournament finals headlining cards once a month rather than one night where you're paying out a million dollars to a fight buried on the prelims that hardly anyone watches.

Having six 5 round fights in one night is pretty exhausting anyway.