Former Bellator welterweight champion and UFC title challenger Rory MacDonald made news this week when he became the most high profile name to sign with PFL.
MacDonald (21-6-1) has been an elite fighter for years, taking on the biggest names and fighting for championships across multiple promotions. The Canadian fighter’s decision to join PFL was a surprising to many, and immediately questions came up about whether it was the right move for him.
Here are a few reasons why PFL might not be the best fit for MacDonald – but also why it could be perfect for him.
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Why it doesn’t work
The fighting style doesn’t mesh
MacDonald has finished just one fight in the past five years, and it’s been more than eight years since he put someone away inside the first round. Given how heavily the PFL regular season format rewards stopping a fight as quickly as possible, that might not bode well for him.
If MacDonald wants good playoff position, he’ll need to take a lot more risks than we’ve seen from him over much of the past decade. The competition in PFL’s next welterweight season is almost certain to be a noted step down from what MacDonald faced in Bellator and the UFC, though, so perhaps that generates more convincing performances.
The physical demand could be too much
MacDonald has been a professional fighter since 2005 and has fought at least once a year since, with 2006 his busiest stretch as he fought four time. Then 2014 and 2019 were the only years he fought three times, and every other year was fewer. With the PFL schedule, MacDonald could be looking at five fights from May to December if he wants to win $1 million.
After all these years in the fight game, can MacDonald’s body endure that much training and competition in such a short window? It’s a legitimate concern. And as we’ve seen over PFL’s first two seasons, the schedule doesn’t stop for anyone or anything. If MacDonald suffered an injury, that would be a significant blow to the organization’s welterweight season and investment in him.
There’s no certainty past 2020
The takeaway from many after MacDonald’s signing was that PFL was going all in on trying to ink big names for its 2020 season, which has potential to be its last. Next season will close out PFL’s two-year broadcast partnership with ESPN, and surely the company will look for a renewal and more beneficial financial terms. If nothing materializes, though, then the promotion – and all its athletes – could be in trouble.
Next page: Why it works
Why it works
The personality fits
MacDonald never has been one for promotional fodder, and in that regard PFL is the place to be. Yes, PFL fighters still have to do interviews, attend media events and oblige to many of the same responsibilities as those in the UFC or Bellator. However, there’s no pressure to sell anything. For a soft spoken and reserved athlete like MacDonald, who nary has a bad word to say about others, that takes away a layer of stress.
The money potential is there
According to MacDonald, the deal he signed with PFL is the most financially lucrative of his career. And that appears to not even count the $1 million prize that could come at season’s end. If MacDonald can thrive and maximize his earnings with PFL, he could set up a truly promising future for himself, his wife and two children.
The format could bring back the old ‘Red King’
Assuming MacDonald advances to the PFL playoffs in 2020, he will find himself in a long-desire scenario of potentially fighting twice in one night. Many believe MacDonald has gone soft in recent years, and in many ways he brought that perspective on himself when he vocalized uncertainty about his position in the sport after his draw with Jon Fitch at Bellator 220 in April.
Despite that, the man once labeled “The Canadian Psycho,” the man who said having his nose bloodied and smashed to bits by Robbie Lawler in a UFC title fight loss was the “greatest moment” of his life, is still in there somewhere. MacDonald could find himself fighting five times next year, and that savage side will have to come out if he wants to go all the way and take that $1 million prize.
