KEY POINTS

  • Representatives of PFL rang the New York Stock Exchange Bell to open trading on Wednesday, August 3
  • The 2022 PFL playoffs begin on Friday, August 5 in New York City
  • PFL has enjoyed continuous success and growth over the past four years

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) rang the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Bell on Wednesday morning, August 3 to open up trading for the day and effectively open its 2022 playoff season.

On hand for the ceremonial bell-ringing were PFL chairman and co-founder Donn Davis, CEO Peter Murray, president Ray Sefo and senior vice president for corporate communications Loren Mack, as well as athletes like Claressa Shields, Anthony Pettis, Chris Wade and Renan Ferreira.

A tradition that dates back to the late 1800s, ringing the trading floor bell signals the start or the end of trading for the day.

More than just a little ceremony, the bell-ringing also serves a purpose as it ensures that no trades happen before opening or after closing.

Over the years, multiple celebrities and sports personalities have been invited to ring the NYSE Bell, and PFL is just the latest to participate.

The ceremony also provides a fitting kickoff to the league’s 2022 playoff round, which begins on Friday, August 5th, at the Hulu Theater of the iconic Madison Square Garden.

Friday night’s PFL Playoff 1 card will feature semifinal bouts in the lightweight and light heavyweight divisions and will be headlined by former UFC titleholder Anthony Pettis, who is currently one of the early favorites to win a world title this season.

From New York, the PFL playoffs head over to the United Kingdom for shows in Cardiff on August 13th and in London on August 20th.

Ringing the NYSE Bell is just one of the latest milestones in PFL’s four-year run.

In that relatively short period of time, the promotion has become one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the world and has shared the apex of the mixed martial arts (MMA) industry with organizations such as the UFC, Bellator and ONE Championship.

PFL has achieved continuous and constant growth and success thanks to its unique tournament-style format and an ever-growing roster of talented fighters from all over the world.

Moreover, the outfit has put an emphasis on international expansion, which has allowed PFL to be seen in over 160+ countries on the biggest broadcast platforms all over the world.

This expansion has branched out to talent building as PFL plans on launching a European-based league that aims to showcase up-and-coming talents from the region in 2023.

Heading into its 2022 season, PFL made the bold claim that this would be its biggest season yet.

So far, PFL has delivered on this promise with growth in terms of audience and reach.

If the league continues on a trajectory like this, it’s quite possible that there will be more bells to ring in the future.

PFL, NYSE Bell
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) led by chairman and co-founder Donn Davis (center) ring the New York Stock Exchange Bell to open trading on August 3, 2022. PFL