Donn Davis Steps Down as PFL Chairman
Donn Davis, the founder and longtime chairman of the Professional Fighters League, announced his resignation from the role on January 21, 2026, marking a dramatic turning point for the organization he built from scratch eight years ago.
Davis revealed the decision in a statement posted to social media, reflecting on his journey from founding PFL in 2017 to establishing what he described as “the clear #2 MMA company worldwide”. The announcement comes amid significant organizational turbulence, with multiple high-level executives departing and the promotion undergoing major structural changes that have abandoned its founding principles.
“From the moment I founded Professional Fighters League 8 years ago, it has been my life,” Davis wrote in his statement. “Today I’m stepping down as chairman of PFL.”
PFL Founder and Chairman Donn Davis Resigns Amid Massive Executive Exodus
The resignation follows a wave of executive departures that began in July 2025 when John Martin, former chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, was appointed as PFL’s new chief executive. That move saw founding CEO Peter Murray transition to head PFL International before departing the organization entirely in January 2026. Days later, longtime president Ray Sefo, a holdover from the World Series of Fighting era, also parted ways with the promotion.
Under his leadership, PFL secured significant milestones including a $100 million investment from Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments in 2023, the acquisition of rival Bellator MMA in November 2023, and the signing of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Davis claimed PFL had grown to 80 of the top 300 world-ranked fighters under exclusive contract, 24 live events per year across four continents, distribution in 190 countries, and 30 million active social media followers.
Davis himself became a controversial figure within the MMA community. He publicly criticized Frncis Ngannou for missing PFL Africa’s debut event, feuded with UFC commentator Joe Rogan over fighter quality claims, and compared departing two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison to NBA player Kevin Durant joining a super team. UFC president Dana White frequently dismissed Davis and PFL’s competitive threats, at one point stating Davis only comments on things that worry him.
In his resignation statement, Davis emphasized PFL’s accomplishments while expressing confidence in the organization’s foundation. “PFL global footprint, valuable assets, and market position has never before been achieved in MMA outside of UFC,” he wrote. “I’m confident this foundation should lead to great future success.”
The statement concluded with a philosophical question: “I’ve loved fighting to build PFL. What do you fight for?”
PFL’s next event is scheduled for February 7, 2026, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, featuring lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov defending his title against Alfie Davis.
