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2025 PFL World Tournament: New MMA competition explained
We may only be a few days into 2025, but the MMA world is preparing for another exciting 12 months of action.
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) will once again be staging its popular tournament format, this time with a few changes.
Gone is the regular season format and in comes a single elimination tournament with the winner being crowned champion.
DAZN News explains the new-look format for this year's PFL events below.
2025 PFL World Tournament: What is the new format?
In previous years, the PFL has opted for a 'regular season' format with a league table determining who makes the playoffs and final to compete for the championship.
This year a single-elimination tournament will be in use with 64 fighters across eight weight classes competing for the PFL Tournament title.
In order to achieve this feat, fighters will have put together three wins in five months to win the coveted belt.
2025 PFL World Tournament: Which weight classes will be included?
For this year's PFL tournament action, the below weight classes have been chosen with eight fighters competing in each bracket.
- Heavyweight
- Light heavyweight
- Middleweight
- Welterweight
- Lightweight
- Featherweight
- Bantamweight
- Women's flyweight
2025 PFL World Tournament: How long are the fights?
The first round and semi-final fights will consist of three, five-minute rounds.
When it comes to the finals, each fight will be five, five-minute rounds.
2025 PFL World Tournament: How much prize money will be won?
The tournament will pay out over $20 million in prize winner with the newly crowned champion earning a $500,000 bonus.
2025 PFL World Tournament: Dates and location
The following dates have been confirmed for each stage of this year's PFL World Tournament.
First round
- April 3, 2025
- April 11, 2025
- April 18, 2025
Semi-finals
- June 12, 2025
- June 20, 2025
- June 27, 2025
Championships
- August 1, 2025
- August 15, 2025
- August 21, 2025
