TLDR
- Donn Davis resigned as PFL chairman after eight years leading the promotion he founded in 2017
- The departure follows recent exits by CEO Peter Murray and president Ray Sefo
- Former Time Warner executive John Martin now serves as CEO and faces the league
- Knighthead Capital Management and 885 Capital expanded ownership stakes with new investment
- PFL’s broadcast deal with ESPN expires at the end of 2026 as the promotion enters a critical period
Sources: Sherdog | ESPN | MMA Fighting
Donn Davis announced Wednesday he is stepping down as chairman of the Professional Fighters League after eight years leading the mixed martial arts promotion. The 63-year-old executive made the announcement on social media, marking the end of his tenure at the company he founded in 2017.
“Today I’m stepping down as chairman of PFL,” Davis wrote on X. “I care deeply about each employee, value highly every investor, respect greatly our fighters, and appreciate sincerely all our fans who supported this company. I gave you everything I’ve got.”
Davis led a group of investors who purchased the World Series of Fighting in 2017 and relaunched it as the Professional Fighters League. The promotion operated under a regular season and playoff format before switching to traditional matchmaking under new leadership.
Donn Davis Steps Down as PFL Chairman https://t.co/2z3fMN4M90
— LowKickMMA.com (@LowKick_MMA) January 21, 2026
Wave of Leadership Departures
Davis’s exit follows recent departures by other senior executives at PFL. Former CEO Peter Murray and president Ray Sefo both left the company in recent weeks.
John Martin, a former Time Warner executive, now serves as CEO and has become the primary face of the league. Martin took over leadership as the promotion shifts its operational structure.
The leadership changes come as PFL enters a critical period for the company. The promotion’s current broadcast deal with ESPN expires at the end of 2026.
In his statement, Davis reflected on building PFL from the ground up. “My vision was to create an innovative and premium MMA company as the valuable alternative for those that want or need it,” he wrote. “We started with nothing except universal skepticism. Against all odds, we succeeded.”
Davis called PFL “the clear No. 2 MMA company worldwide and the only other premium product” in the sport.
New Investment and Board Structure
The departure announcement came alongside news of a strategic capital raise for PFL. Knighthead Capital Management and 885 Capital both expanded their ownership stakes in the company.
“This capital raise marks a pivotal moment for PFL,” Martin said in a press release. “With a stronger financial foundation, engaged ownership, and experienced leadership in place, we are positioned to build a more compelling product for fighters and fans while accelerating our global ambitions.”
The company also announced a restructured nine-member board of directors. The new board structure takes effect as the promotion moves forward under Martin’s leadership.
PFL has already scheduled its 2026 calendar with events planned across multiple continents. The season kicks off in February with lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov defending his title in Dubai.
Two more events are already scheduled for Spain and Pittsburgh later in the year. The promotion continues to operate as the second-largest MMA company globally behind the UFC.
Davis closed his statement by praising the company’s impact on the sport. “PFL changed the great sport of MMA for the better,” he wrote. “Meaningful innovations, unique global expansions, fighter empowerment and the company is just getting started.”
He ended with a personal reflection: “I’ve loved fighting to build PFL. What do you fight for?”
