World Series of Fighting (WSOF) har under många år varit en av de främsta MMA-organisationerna bakom UFC och Bellator. WSOF har haft en mängd framstående fighters kontrakterade till sin organisation, bland andra; Jon Fitch, Jake Shields, Rousimar Palhares, Thiago Silva, Matt Hamill, Yushin Okami och Vinny Magalhaes. Men nu har dock denna era kommit till ett slut.
WSOF kommer inte att existera längre under samma namn, men organisationen kommer att figurera under ett nytt namn med ett nytt ledarskap. Det nya namnet kommer att vara: The Professional Fighters League (PFL).
Den tidigare presidenten för WSOF, Ray Sefo, har skrivit ett öppet brev via MyMMANews.com angående det nya namnet och ägarbytet. En av de större förändringarna som kommer att ske är att organisationen skall blir mer fighterorienterad. Bland annat kommer varje fighter att erhålla lön varje månad och varje fighter kommer att få möjlighet att bli mästare. Sefos brev återges i helhet nedan:
Dear Fighters,
As many of you know, a new ownership group purchased the World Series of Fighting a few months ago with the aim of putting fighters first and evolving the sport of mixed martial arts. Today I am proud and excited to tell you about those changes.
First: our new name. We are announcing the Professional Fighters League. We believe bringing a league format to MMA elevates it so it can proudly sit alongside other professional sports leagues.
Your are all professional fighters and a league will provide increased and equitable financial opportunities.
Starting in January 2018, we will bring a proven sports format to MMA through regular season, playoff, and championship fights. Fighters will compete across seven weight classes until a champion for each is crowned. Our new league will give every fighter an equal opportunity to compete. No politics, no games. Your ability and skill, and wins, and losses in the Decagon on a world stage will determine the champion.
Professional Fighters League will be fighters-first, and has established a three-point promise to fighters in the league.
- Every fighters will have regular fights, no less than three scheduled per year.
- Every fighters will receive a regular paycheck each month.
- Every fighter will have the opportunity to become champion.
I have been a fighter, a world champion, a coach, and a mentor to many of you. Today marks a new milestone in this sport we all love. I am thrilled and honored to launch this new MMA league alongside Carlos Silva and our fantastic staff.
We will be reaching out with more details in the coming months about the upcoming season. I’m looking forward to the debut of the Professional Fighters League in January 2018. May the best fighters win
Sincerely,
Ray Sefo
