On Thursday, the PFL announced in a press release the naming of a new CEO. John Martin will be taking the place of Peter Murray, who now becomes CEO of PFL International and will be reporting directly to Martin.
Who is John Martin?
Martin served as CFO of Time Warner Cable and “was an early advocate for expanding UFC’s cable distribution, recognizing the immense potential of MMA.” When he was 32, he was named Head of Investor Relations at Time Warner.
Martin served as Chairman and CEO of Turner LLC from 2014 to 2018.
“John Martin is THE ideal CEO to lead the next chapter of growth at PFL – he is a proven media, content, and sports executive who is a respected global leader and business operator at scale,” said Donn Davis, PFL Founder and Chairman.
“I am thrilled to work closely with John to deliver on the vision to make PFL everything the fans, fighters, and sport of MMA deserves.”
Martin has a martial arts background, earning a black belt in karate and a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He competed in numerous amateur tournaments through his early 40s.
“MMA represents the biggest opportunity in sports, and the PFL has secured a unique position that will never be replicated. I’m incredibly excited about the future of the PFL and confident that we’re only at the beginning of what this organization will achieve,” Martin said. “My two greatest passions are leading media companies and MMA, so stepping into the position of PFL CEO is truly a dream role for me.”
PFL’s next show PFL Champions Series 2 goes down Saturday July 19 on ESPN+.
