The Professional Fighters League, a new MMA organization, announced a partnership with sports-betting and daily fantasy provider DraftKings on Friday. The partnership will kick off with a fantasy contest for the PFL Championship on New Year's Eve.
The PFL began its inaugural season with 72 fighters in each of six weight classes. It has held 10 events across the country, with fighters advancing based on wins and points to the championship event.
The 2018 PFL Championship will take place on Dec. 31 at the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Winners of each weight class will earn $1 million.
DraftKings will offer a fantasy contest in which entrants pick four outcomes for each of the six title fights on the championship card. Contestants will attempt to predict the winner of the fight, method of victory, what round the fight will end and what time within the round the fight will end. The contest will open Dec. 21, and DraftKings will award $25,000 in guaranteed prizes.
"The winner in this partnership is MMA fans, first with fantasy then over time, gaming," PFL co-founder and chairman Donn Davis said in a release announcing the partnership. "PFL is re-imagining MMA, and we look forward to collaborating with DraftKings to offer new engagement for fans while creating new revenue streams for our business."
The partnership will continue into the 2019 PFL season, with additional custom fantasy games and other gaming innovations, according to the release.
"Our partnership with the Professional Fighters League is another example of our dedication to innovation and our never ending quest to expand our sports offerings," Ezra Kucharz, chief business officer at DraftKings, said in the release. "Like our customers, PFL fans are extremely engaged and passionate, and this collaboration is an excellent example of what DraftKings seeks in partners who can connect with our growing community of players."