PFL News & FeaturesPFL Replaces Peter Murray With Ex-Time Warner Exec John Martin as CEO
There has been a major behind-the-scenes shakeup for the
Professional Fighters League.
In 2018, former William Morris Endeavor Executive Vice President Peter Murray took over as the CEO of the PFL. Murray transformed the league significantly, implementing a tournament structure and eventually overseeing the takeover of Bellator MMA after its purchase. On Thursday, the promotion announced that Murray would be transitioning to run the PFL International branch of the company as its chief executive offer, while John Martin will become its new CEO effective immediately.
Donn Davis, PFL Chairman, released a brief statement about Martin’s appointment to CEO, writing, “John Martin is THE ideal CEO to lead the next chapter of growth at PFL – he is a proven media, content and sport executive who is a respected global leader and business operator at scale. I am thrilled to work closely with John to deliver on the vision to make PFL everything the fans, fighter and sport of MMA deserves.”
Martin, who graduated from the Wharton School at the University at Pennsylvania in 1989 and completed his MBA at Columbia Business School in 1994, start training in college under various martial arts. According to the PFL, their new exec holds a karate black belt and a blue belt in brazilian jiu-jitsu. Additionally, he claims that he watched mixed martial arts during its early days, even inspiring him so far as to enter amateur tournaments for a few decades.
The new CEO put out his own statement on his appointment, saying, “MMA represents the biggest opportunity in sports, and the PFL has secured a unique position that will never be replicated. I’m incredibly excited about the future of the PFL and confident that we’re only at the beginning of what this organization will achieve. My two greatest passions are leading media companies and MMA, so stepping into the position of PFL CEO is truly a dream role for me.”
In 2018, former William Morris Endeavor Executive Vice President Peter Murray took over as the CEO of the PFL. Murray transformed the league significantly, implementing a tournament structure and eventually overseeing the takeover of Bellator MMA after its purchase. On Thursday, the promotion announced that Murray would be transitioning to run the PFL International branch of the company as its chief executive offer, while John Martin will become its new CEO effective immediately.
Donn Davis, PFL Chairman, released a brief statement about Martin’s appointment to CEO, writing, “John Martin is THE ideal CEO to lead the next chapter of growth at PFL – he is a proven media, content and sport executive who is a respected global leader and business operator at scale. I am thrilled to work closely with John to deliver on the vision to make PFL everything the fans, fighter and sport of MMA deserves.”
New PFL CEO Comes With Combat Sports Background
Martin, who graduated from the Wharton School at the University at Pennsylvania in 1989 and completed his MBA at Columbia Business School in 1994, start training in college under various martial arts. According to the PFL, their new exec holds a karate black belt and a blue belt in brazilian jiu-jitsu. Additionally, he claims that he watched mixed martial arts during its early days, even inspiring him so far as to enter amateur tournaments for a few decades.
The new CEO put out his own statement on his appointment, saying, “MMA represents the biggest opportunity in sports, and the PFL has secured a unique position that will never be replicated. I’m incredibly excited about the future of the PFL and confident that we’re only at the beginning of what this organization will achieve. My two greatest passions are leading media companies and MMA, so stepping into the position of PFL CEO is truly a dream role for me.”
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