PFL’s Switch to Tournament Format Thrills Dan Hardy

Dan Hardy became a staple of the Professional Fighters League in 2023, as he took over as a broadcast commentator, the head of fighter operations for PFL Europe and one of the company’s most prominent public figures. A new look ushers in the PFL’s latest campaign, with the promotion moving away from its regular-season points format and introducing the PFL 2025 World Tournament.

A total of 64 fighters are set to compete across eight different brackets: heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and women’s flyweight. As a mixed martial artist who has firsthand experience in tournaments, Hardy pointed to it as his preferred setup.

“I liked the regular season and the points format, but for a new fan—especially if they just joined halfway through the season—it can be difficult to understand,” he told Sherdog.com. “I like an old-school tournament. I like the challenge of eight fighters, with a path you know that you’re on and you know who you’re up against. It feels like a proper martial arts tournament, and we’ve added more weight classes. I love it. I’m excited.”

As the PFL forges ahead with building its brand and a stronger fanbase, Hardy believes the new format can capture the public’s imagination and draw in a wider audience.

“I think it’s going to look refreshed and feel refreshed,” he said. “Of course, the trajectory of the fighters is going to be far more clear. We’ve got four events in a short period of time, and we’re making a lot of noise about it. New content is being created, which I encourage everyone to check out because it’s what the PFL has been missing. Honestly, we’re hoping people join us for the first round of the tournament and follow the fighters’ journeys throughout.”

Fighters only get one shot! Watch the PFL World Tournament LIVE at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Bunching together the events could also be a major boost for the competitors, according to Hardy. However, he still thinks they should focus on getting in and out of the cage as quickly as possible, even with knowing their schedule.

“The priority should be early finishes, which is easier said than done given some of the matchups,” Hardy said. “This is again why I always tell the tournament fighters to focus on the first fight. If you’re hesitant, fighting cautious or take the safe route, it’s just pulling your focus on the fight. Finishing has to be a priority, and a big part of that is game planning.”

Though he can find intrigue in all eight tournament divisions, Hardy pointed to the 185-pound weight class as being of particular interest. The middleweights get their shine at PFL 2025 World Tournament First Round 3 on April 18.

“Obviously, we have really, really strong brackets across the board,” Hardy said. “I’m excited for middleweight, and the reason why is because we have a bunch of fighters that are going to be fighting at their natural weight class—the likes of Sadibou Sy, Impa Kasanganay, who was a champion at light heavyweight, and Joshua Silveira. Fighters are just going to be healthier, more efficient and put on better performances. The world tournament allows us to accommodate more weight classes, which will in turn give us better performances.”