Former PFL CEO Peter Murray leaves promotion after a short international stint

Former CEO of the Professional Fighters League, Peter Murray, is no longer part of the organization.According to a release on Thursday, the promotion announced that Murray, a founding CEO when World Series of Fighting was rebranded as PFL, has left the company. Murray initially joined in 2018 as a former director of William Morris Endeavor, where he oversaw a litany of changes to the fighting league, including the creation of a tournament system. He also oversaw the takeover of Bellator MMA after its purchase, which led to many Bellator staffers being transferred to help run PFL.

In July 2025, the PFL restructured its key leadership roles, moving then-head Murray to the international branch. His place was taken by John Martin, who previously served as Time Warner’s chief financial officer and chairman of Turner. Murray was put in charge of developing the other leagues under the PFL umbrella, including PFL Europe, PFL MENA, PFL Africa and the potential spin-off of PFL Australia. The release did not say Murray was leaving immediately, but rather that he was “leaving the organization.”

Rumors of PFL’s demise have been greatly exaggerated

The announcement after of PFL states:

“The Professional Fighters League today announced that Peter Murray, CEO of PFL International Leagues, will leave the organization. As founder and CEO of PFL, Peter played an integral role in the growth and evolution of the league over the past eight years, helping to strengthen the organization’s business operations, expand its global footprint and establish PFL as a force in the sport of MMA. His leadership and dedication have been critical during a period of significant development for the company.”The release ended by writing: “Peter’s impact will continue to be part of the sport and the foundation of PFL as the organization continues to build for the future.”

PFL president Donn Davis also added a brief statement about Murray.

“PFL would not be here today without the ruthless entrepreneurship and selfless leadership of Pete Murray,” Davis wrote. “He has been my trusted and valued partner in building the company and I look forward to his continued support.”

After the PFL release, Uncrowned reported that in addition to Murray’s departure, other members of the team also left. “…I was told that the company recently laid off some long-time employees,” said Ariel Helwani.