PFL could be headed for one of the most dramatic rebrands in modern MMA, with the company exploring whether to revive the Bellator name under new executive leadership.
On a recent episode of his Uncrowned show, Ariel Helwani said new PFL boss John Martin is considering a name change that could effectively phase out the PFL brand altogether.
“They are exploring a rebrand, and one of the options is bringing back Bellator MMA as the official brand. They could eliminate PFL and restore Bellator, which they own. A full rebrand — PFL champions would become Bellator champions,” Helwani said.
The discussion comes as Martin looks to launch what he sees as a new era for the promotion. Since acquiring Bellator — whose final event under that banner was Bellator Champions Series in London in September 2024 — the company has already moved away from PFL’s traditional season-and-playoff structure and reshaped its schedule.
Now the bigger question is whether the Saudi-backed league is also prepared to abandon the identity it spent years building and instead lean on a brand that still carries more recognition with many longtime MMA fans.