PFL co-founder Donn Davis is excited about the promotion’s growth in a short time, but knows there is more work to be done to position the company as a co-leader in MMA.

The promotion is in the midst of its fourth season, having just completed the first half of the 2022 regular season after three events at Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In terms of viewership growth, Davis couldn’t ask for much more.

“Our audience per event, we’re now 33% of UFC audience,” Davis told MMA Junkie. “Think of that, that’s insane. This is only our fourth year and they’re in their 30th year, and we’re a third of their viewing audience per event.”

There is potential for the PFL to continue its growth, as it continues to add new pieces to the promotional puzzle. This year, it introduced the Challenger Series, where fighters compete for the opportunity to enter into the PFL’s regular season to fight for a chance at the $1 million championship prize. Carlos Leal was a signee from the new show and defeated two-time champion Ray Cooper III at 2022 PFL 3, proving the underdog story is alive and well.

A similar story emerged last season, when MMA Junkie’s 2021 “Newcomer of the Year” Raush Manfio ran the gauntlet as an underdog throughout the year, and emerged as the unlikely champion of the lightweight division. Davis loves the underdog story and the chance that the promotion offers to create them, but knows the company’s reach needs to improve so more people know what is happening.

“The brand awareness is where we have to improve on,” Davis said. “Everyone who watches us, doesn’t leave. They keep watching. But if you walk in, as I always do, to a Chick-fil-a to get my iced tea or my chicken sandwich, or my Verizon store to pick my new iPad, not as many people have heard of the PFL as they should. So, how do we improve and enhance brand awareness? This is our top of mind. The quality of the product is there, the viewing audience is growing 50% a year, the distribution is there. But the brand in our fourth year, you know, we’re still in middle school. We have work to do.”

Part of that work includes a focus on pay-per-view events starting next year, with two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison leading the charge.

“Kayla’s gonna move to pay-per-view in 2023,” Davis said. “She’s gonna be our first pay-per-view star. We’ve already signed her to be the first fighter in the pay-per-view superfight division and we’re gonna actively make fights for her starting 2023.”

Many fans have been clamoring for a fight between Harrison and current Bellator featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, who is set to become a free agent following the final bout on her contract. The idea is to create marquee matchups that fans would pay to see, and as a result, the fighters would reap the benefits by taking home a portion of the pay-per-view revenue.

Harrison has the privilege of calling herself a champion at the conclusion of the PFL playoffs. In moving to the pay-per-view model, Davis was asked if she would have something other than a larger payday to fight for as well, perhaps a title or championship of some sort.

“Stay tuned,” Davis replied with a smile.