March 12, 2025 4: 20 pm ET
Josh Thomson worries about the state of PFL, and there’s one recent moment he experienced with PFL co-found Donn Davis that understates why.
“Let me give you an example,” Thomson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I worked the (Battle of the Giants) Riyadh show for them. Donn Davis literally walked up to me, ‘Hey, man, love watching your fights. I’m pumped to watch your fight tomorrow night.’”
Thomson, a former Strikeforce champion, hasn’t competed since Bellator 172 – in 2017.
“I just shrugged it off,” he said.
Thomson, who co-hosts the “Weighing In” podcast with John McCarthy, said the PFL has been a mess since their acquisition of Bellator, for which he fought and worked as a commentator. Many fighters, such as Patricio Freire, Aaron Pico, and Patchy Mix have wanted out due to being shelved, with former champion Freire recently getting his wish.
Thomson thinks it’s important for fighters to have options outside of the UFC and doesn’t like what he’s seeing out of PFL. He was particularly critical of Davi