nt"

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – Money has never been Natan Schulte’s motivation to fight, and that’s still the case heading into PFL’s second season.

But, as he held the $1 million check that he earned as the lightweight winner of PFL’s inaugural season, Schulte can say that life has improved since his playoff final win last December.

“It certainly changed for the better,” Schulte told MMA Junkie in his native Portuguese. “I no longer have to worry about other things, having to work or having money to pay the bills. Now I can relax and do only what I need to do, which is train.”

Schulte is set to return to the PFL cage on May 23, when he’ll kick off his Season 2 run. After going up against a lineup of reasonably well-known UFC veterans in Chris Wade (twice), Jason High, Johnny Case and Rashid Magomedov in Season 1, Schulte (15-3-1) is now set to meet a fresh face in 25-year-old Road FC vet Bao Yincang (12-6-1).

All the better for Schulte, who is actually quite interested in being part of PFL’s welcoming committee this time around.

“I want to fight new guys,” Schulte said. “The five guys I fought before were former UFC fighters, very tough guys, but I want to fight the new signees.”

Schulte also welcomes the added visibility he will have heading into the second season of PFL, after the promotion signed a multi-year deal with ESPN. The more people watching them, Schulte says, the better – and he has no problem with making a few more fans.

Adding a second $1 million to his bank account probably won’t be too bad, either, but Schulte says that’s not his main drive going into it.

“I always said I don’t fight for money,” Schulte said. “Those of us who fight, people who come from Brazil, we don’t make real money fighting until we get into a good event and really make money.

“I do it because I love it, because I feel like it’s my place. I’ll go back a lot more motivated, not because I won $1 million, but because I love doing this.”

When PFL first revealed its ambitious format and, of course, its hefty final prize, there was some skepticism going around. But Schulte and the big check that he held throughout the interview would like to encourage fellow fighters to come join them.

“I think people at first, in the first few fights, didn’t believe the prize would be paid,” Schulte said. “But come on over, because the event is very well-organized, very well-structured and treats its athletes very well. For sure, athletes who come to fight at this new promotion will be very happy.”

To hear more from Schulte, with special assistance from fellow American Top Team stablemate and UFC bantamweight contender Pedro Munhoz, check out the video above.

And for more on the PFL’s upcoming schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.