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The PFL has shifted to a traditional rankings system, enhancing its investment in top fighters. Recent events in various cities have clarified title pictures and highlighted rising competitors.
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The Professional Fighters League has seen plenty of movement in its first year under a traditional rankings system, as the company distances itself from the tournament format for which it was once known. The change has also resulted in the organization making a concerted effort to invest in its most recognizable and accomplished competitors. Over the past month alone, the PFL has traveled to Madrid, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Belfast, Northern Ireland, with many of those shows featuring native sons and daughters. Those four events have cleared up the title picture in several divisions while also allowing fast risers to elevate their respective names into high-level matches.
In this inaugural addition of the PFL winnerās circle, we dive into what some of the promotionās biggest winners over the past month had to say:
āI donāt care who it is, what organization or whatās going on, [the] PFLās got the best 145-pounder in the world. I know that. If other people donāt believe it, well, Iām willing to show it. I enjoy my life. Thatās my money, man. I go in there, donāt get hurt, wait for that call and [get] right back into deployment. The āMercenaryā is going to take somebody out again.ā
āI am the guy thatās going to take the company to the next level, 100%. Iām going to work for it. My dream was to become a champion in one of the biggest organizations in the world. I did that. Now, I did not believe I would be taking one of the biggest organizations in the world to Madrid, Spain, but I did that. You need to dream bigger. Just dream as far as you can without thinking you can fail. So now, my next dream is to not only be the face [of the company] but knowing that Iām the man that can take the organization to the next level. Iām down for anything that the PFL wants to do to help the company grow.ā
āI think [the rematch with Costello is] the biggest fight you can make for the PFL. Itās the biggest fight in my career. Actually, not my career. Itās going to be the biggest fight for Costelloās career, though. My biggest fight was when I originally won the title, but maybe this is the second biggest. After itās doneāyou never know how itās going to goāmaybe itās the biggest. Regardless, itās the biggest fight that the PFL can make, and I think fans all around the world want to see this fight again.ā
The PFL has moved away from its traditional tournament format to a conventional rankings system.
A.J. McKee and Costello van Steenis are among the notable fighters sharing their insights on recent performances.
The PFL held events in Madrid, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Belfast, Northern Ireland.
A.J. McKee declared himself the best 145-pounder in the world and expressed confidence in proving his skills.
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āIāve had a brief discussion over the phone with my coaches, and weāll have another conversation, but Iām honestly thinking my next fight will be at 145 pounds. Iāve been watching all the 145-pound guys, and Iād say Iāve watched [the] last five fights [of everyone who is ranked] in the last four days. Thatās the truth. All Iāve done is study every one of them, and I like my chances at that weight class. Iāve felt absolutely unbelievable all week in my fight at 145 pounds, and that was me half clamoring onto 135. Iām going to have high energy at the weight class. Iām going to be a problem.ā
āBefore the fight, I was thinking, āIām going to go out there and the whole crowd is going to be against me.ā Iām in their city fighting, and I watched a lot of other fighters when they walk out to āSweet Caroline,ā especially the Irish, [and] the crowd goes crazy. They all sing along. So I was like, āYou know what? Iām going to troll them. Iām going to play āSweet Caroline,ā and theyāre going to be so drunk by the time Iām going to fight.ā I was going to be fighting at like 1 a.m. āTheyāre going to be so drunk that they all are going to sing along with me and not realize that theyāre singing with me and not booing me.ā There was a lot of thought process, and I asked the PFL not to play āSweet Carolineā the whole night so that would be the first time they heard it on my walkout.ā
āThe biggest change for me definitely was the mental side of training. I felt like Iāve always physically showed up in the gym every day. Iām always working the hardest in the room and trying to improve, but I found [in] a lot of my last performances, I struggled mentally more than anything. I struggled to find true confidence in myself, in my preparation. I felt like that was a massive missing piece for me. So in the last year, Iāve done a lot of work, and Iāve got a sports psych now. Iāve just really invested in myself, obviously physically, but mostly mentally in the last year. The biggest thing Iāve learned is trust your prep and let go.ā