Boss of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Peter Murray says that a Newcastle event is going to 'rock the house' when it lands at the Vertu Motors Arena on Saturday.
The event will see the PFL kick off their exciting upcoming tour of Europe right here in Newcastle, before moving onto subsequent cards in Berlin, Paris and Dublin in the coming months.
And the successful American businessman said that the PFL has big plans to show the Toon what it's all about come Saturday evening, promising top class entertainment from the world of mixed martial arts, start to finish.
Speaking exclusively to Chronicle Live this week, Peter said: "We're going to rock the house here. You know, close to a dozen fights, these are the fights once again - and we have a performance model - once the athletes win, they advance into the next phase of the season.
"So not only the athletes that we talked about previously from the region of Newcastle showcasing their capabilities to try and get into PFL Europe, but the athletes who are in PFL Europe are fighting for their chance to become PFL Europe champions. And what comes with that is a six-figure purse at the end of the season, in Dublin.
"And that's real money for these athletes, the stage they're at within their pro careers. So part of the PFL model is not only top platforms to compete on, top competition to compete against and the format, we also have the ability to compensate the fighters more versus other regional promotions - and then give them a massive payday opportunity.
"And again, they break through there, they then have the opportunity to get into the global league and compete at the next level for a much larger purse - that million dollar journey, that million dollar prize pool. It's all connected, we're creating a system that did not exist in the sport to develop athletes and programme the sport for fans where they can actually invest in a season."
When probed on what the opportunity means for some of the local talent on the card tomorrow evening itself, Peter went on: "This is the biggest interview of their entire careers. They will be on main platform on DAZN, this event will be distributed globally to over 140 countries around the world live.
"And Dan Hardy - our head of fighter operations for PFL Europe - is not only evaluating obviously our PFL Europe competition and athletes. This is an opportunity for those local fighters here from throughout the Newcastle region if you will to showcase what they have. And if there's a fighter or two who really breaks through, they'll have the opportunity to sign with the PFL Europe next season."
The DAZN sports streaming service is available from as little as £9.99 a month and can be accessed on Smart TVs, on games consoles, firesticks, Android boxes, and as of today, if subscribed through Sky, on Channel 429.
It has today also been announced that ITVX will be showing a one-hour highlights show, which will drop into the streaming service 24 hours after the live broadcast concludes. The show will also be shown on ITV4 the Friday after each event, with the first programme airing March 31.
James Frewin, senior vice president of PFL International, said: ‘’ITV is the home of entertainment in the UK and we are delighted to be partnering with a platform that is synonymous with media and sport. MMA has become a mainstream sport here in the UK, so when you add to this the PFL’s unique season format based on true values and meritocracy it makes us the perfect partner for ITV.’’
For those who want to go and watch the event live, it will take place at the Vertu Motors Arena, Newcastle on Saturday. Tickets start at £10 and ringside seats are available for under £60.
Speaking about accessibility, Peter added: "We're a brand of access. The fans have access to our products linear, as well as on streaming platforms all around the world, and here with DAZN.
"And we have a number of different price points for different experiences within this arena - some that are very, very exclusive and premium. But then there are other tickets to your point that just provide an opportunity for that hardcore fan from here in England, throughout the region of Newcastle to come and check out some of the best talent candidly for Europe coming through - and to see how they're going to fare.
"So you know, we're a brand of access - but this is a premium experience."
You can grab tickets for tomorrow's PFL Europe event, ranging from £10 to £52.25 here.
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