The sport of mixed martial arts is as healthy as it has ever been globally, and MMA in the United States is certainly no exception. Between the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Bellator, there is no shortage of high-level, big-platform MMA for fans of the sport to ingest on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, many are beginning to appear on offshore sports betting sites.
However, a recent-merger between the PFL and Bellator complicates the volume of high-level MMA. Still, thanks to UFC Fight Pass, fight fans should have no problem getting their fix from feeder leagues showcasing the top talent yet to be signed to a UFC, PFL or Bellator. Because these promotions often classify, or even market themselves as “feeder leagues,” growth can be tough to come by as far as any one of them becoming sizable enough to break out from the pack and compete with a PFL or Bellator. That does not mean, however, there are not plenty of regional (or otherwise) American MMA promotions on the rise in the present day.
These three promotions have done well to separate themselves from the pack, for one reason or another.
Cage Fury Fighting Championships
The top regional promotion in the Tri-State area (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey), Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) brings a unique flavor of coverage to the table any time they run an event. Much of the growth CFFC has seen recently is thanks to the vision of Robert Haydak, a Vineland, N.J. native who purchased the promotion in 2007 and currently has it on par with top feeder organizations such as the LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance).
There are no shortage of high-level MMA fighters who have derived from CFFC. The most recent export, UFC women’s flyweight Fatima Kline, became a champ-champ in the promotion at both 125 and 115 pounds. Meanwhile, the promotion has produced UFC fan favorite after UFC fan favorite, such as Bassil Hafez, Jeremiah Wells, Katlyn Chookagian, and Pat Sabatini. Plus, the promotion served as a starting point for tested veterans and borderline legends of the sport such as Paul Felder, Aljamain Sterling and Jim Miller.
The prospect resume certainly speaks for itself, but CFFC does more than simply produce MMA events. The company also plays host to the spin-off brand, Fury Pro Grappling, which typically holds two or three grappling events of year featuring “super fights” between professional MMA fighters and pro grapplers. One of these shows is typically conducted at the end of every year at the 2300 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has yielded barnburners between the likes of Craig Jones and Sean Brady, Gillian Robertson and Rose Namajunas, and Clay Guida and Chase Hooper, just to name a few.
Completing the unique flavor of a CFFC show is the commentary of top MMA journalist John Morgan, and two-time UFC veteran and professional wrestler CM Punk. When Punk is on the road with WWE, various MMA fighters will fill in on color commentary. Given the lack of success he had in the UFC, it may surprise you to know Punk is one of the better color commentators in the game, bringing a balance between knowledge, fandom, and love of the sport similar to a Zuffa-era Joe Rogan.
Fury Fighting Championship
Not to be confused with CFFC, Fury Fighting Championship is a promotion based out of Texas that has gained a heap of momentum thanks to its platform on UFC Fight Pass, as well as its sheer volume of events. What makes it unique to other promotions broadcasting on UFC Fight Pass, however, is the regional nature of the promotion.
Fury FC is based out of Humble, Texas, and owned by Eric Garcia, a former pro fighter who sought to give top prospects a platform to showcase themselves. The promotion predominantly runs its events out of Houston, San Antonio or Dallas, and has been known to build supercards around a UFC Weekend, particularly when the global leader comes to town in a major Texas market. Back in 2022, Fury FC dabbled with shows in California and Louisiana, but has not left its home state since.
While a lack of regional and national expansion would be typically viewed as a hinderance to a promotion’s growth, one could argue it has helped Fury FC. It’s key to remember that as a sport, mixed martial arts is still very much in its infancy. When people think about sports like football, they think of recruiting hotbeds such as California, Florida, and Texas. This is partially due to the population density in each of those states, but also years of focus and practice from high schools and prep schools in the area at getting their athletes ready to play football at a high level.
Between Fortis MMA, 10th Planet Austin and the various incantations of Gracie Barra in the state of Texas, there are no shortage of elite MMA gyms for fighters to hone their skills at, so it’s only fitting there is an MMA proving ground to match that airs nearly every weekend. Not to mention, the centralized location of Texas to other popular MMA camps around the country, such as Jackson Wink MMA Academy, FactoryX Muay Thai, and Arizona gyms such as Fight Ready and the MMA Lab, as well as the proximity to the Mexican border makes Fury FC a great relative location for talent from all over the southwest and midwest United States to congregate.
United Fight League
The United Fight League is a curious case, and an outlier among rising MMA promotions in the United States. Unlike CFFC or Fury FC, the UFL does not stream on UFC Fight Pass. It is also yet to produce the can’t-miss prospect due to make waves in a major promotion.
While the promotion has run all but one of its events out of the state of Arizona, one would hesitate to call the UFL a regional promotion. Based on the company’s mission, it is clear there is a long-term focus on making the promotion viable across the United States if possible. This is due to how closely associated the promotion is to the aspect that perhaps makes it most unique among competitors: it is the first and only MMA promotion to offer signed fighters health insurance, life insurance, and shares in the company.
Owned by Phoenix area-based entrepreneur Harrison Rogers (who also owns F3 Energy), the UFL has the backing and endorsement of several prominent names in the MMA space, such as UFC legends Frank Mir, Quinton Jackson, and Henry Cejudo. Each show also has a unique theme and feel, with the latest show having a “Team Las Vegas vs. Team Phoenix” vibe with Mir and Cejudo set to coach each respective team.
“As a fan of combat sports, I wanted to create a promotion that not only allows fighters to compete in the sport they love but also offers benefits and additional resources to ensure that they are taken care of every step of the way,” Rogers said in a statement given to the UFL website.
Rogers’ bold vision for the future has certainly put the UFL on the radar of fight fans. The events stream live and free on Rumble and have a solid production quality for how few events the promotion has put on. If Rogers and his team can up the frequency of events and get a bankable main event on the calendar in 2025, the UFL could be a part of the everyday MMA landscape in the next 5-10 years.
