What happened: On Ariel Helwani's show, PFL executive John Martin conceded the promotion struggles with mainstream awareness, saying "not enough people know about us." Martin praised Jake Paul's MVP Promotions for excelling at capturing attention and said PFL has to learn from that approach. The comments come days before MVP's high-profile MMA card debuts on Netflix on May 16.

Why it matters: The admission is notable because PFL has spent heavily on talent acquisition — including absorbing Bellator — yet still trails UFC and now an upstart MVP in cultural reach. With MVP about to land on Netflix's global stage, PFL faces a widening distribution gap heading into its 2026 regular season. Martin's candor signals a likely pivot toward more marketing-forward programming and personality-driven storylines.

What to watch: Watch how PFL packages its July 18 Austin card, including the Van Steenis–Eblen rematch, for signs of a louder promotional push. MVP's Netflix debut on May 16 will set the new attention benchmark PFL is chasing.