Josh Thomson worries about the state of PFL, and there’s one recent moment he experienced with PFL co-found Donn Davis that understates why.
“Let me give you an example,” Thomson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I worked the (Battle of the Giants) Riyadh show for them. Donn Davis literally walked up to me, ‘Hey, man, love watching your fights. I’m pumped to watch your fight tomorrow night.'”
Thomson, a former Strikeforce champion, hasn’t competed since Bellator 172 – in 2017.
“I just shrugged it off,” he said.
Thomson, who co-hosts the “Weighing In” podcast with John McCarthy, said the PFL has been a mess since their acquisition of Bellator, for which he fought and worked as a commentator. Many fighters, such as Patricio Freire, Aaron Pico, and Patchy Mix have wanted out due to being shelved, with former champion Freire recently getting his wish.
Thomson thinks it’s important for fighters to have options outside of the UFC and doesn’t like what he’s seeing out of PFL. He was particularly critical of Davis and PFL CEO Peter Murray.
“I wish PFL would get their sh*t together,” Thomson said. “The bottom line is we need another promotion (other than the UFC). We need another promotion that has access and can build upcoming talent. I don’t know if they can build it. Mike Kogan is there so, I know that there’s a potential for the athletes to be built. Do I have faith in Donn Davis and Pete Murray? I have absolutely no faith in them in being able to get the job done. They don’t watch the sport, they don’t know the sport, they don’t know their athletes. …
“If you don’t know, you don’t know. So, if you’re not following the sport – (Davis has) come out and said ‘I don’t watch fights, I don’t know everything that’s going on.’ That’s not how you build stars. You’ve got to know who they are.”
The PFL ditched its regular season format and instead this year is running eight separate division tournaments, with the brackets announced Tuesday. As of now, it’s unclear what the PFL plans for its prized signing, Francis Ngannou, who debuted for the promotion last October. Also, when will Jake Paul, who signed a deal with the PFL in January 2023, make his promotional debut – if ever?
While Thomson is skeptical of the original PFL brass, his faith remains in Kogan, the former Bellator matchmaker who worked for Scott Coker and was retained by PFL during the acquisition.
“Mike Kogan can definitely step in and do that,” Thomson said. “He’s built stars in Elite XC, in Strikeforce, and he’s helped alongside with (Scott) Coker, Rich Chou, and those guys. He can do it again for the PFL, but you’ve got to give him some reigns to go ahead and do that.”
Related
Aaron Pico implores Donn Davis to ‘do what is right,’ grant PFL release so he can join UFC
Bellator champion Patchy Mix still frustrated with PFL: ‘I’ve been shelved’
Donn Davis defends activity of Bellator fighters, hears from Patricio Freire in response
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Josh Thomson urges PFL to ‘get their sh*t together’
