PFL boss John Martin has only been in his new job for a matter of weeks, yet he talks about the company as if it’s been his life’s work.
A seasoned and successful media executive, Martin was chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting between 2014 and 2018, a period in which he oversaw 130 channels across nearly 200 countries, leading the company to $13 billion in annual revenue and nearly $5 billion in operating income. It's fair to say he knows how to tap into what consumers want.
Sitting down with The National in Dubai ahead of Friday's PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai – The Rematch – the PFL's second major event in the emirate this year – Martin enthuses that MMA is entering a new era, and that the PFL can define it.
He is kicking off his reign with a bang. On Friday, Usman Nurmagomedov defends his lightweight title against Paul Hughes, the headline act in one of the most highly anticipated bouts of the year. Their first bout, also at the Coca-Cola Arena back in January, was a barnburner. Although Nurmagomedov took a majority decision, Hughes had a strong case for the upset.
Victory extended the Dagestani fighter's undefeated streak to 19 wins (one no contest). Irishman Hughes bounced back from that loss with a spectacular 42-second KO of Bruno Miranda in May, thus laying the groundwork for a blockbuster rematch.
For Martin, it encapsulates everything compelling about MMA: a clash of styles, traditions and narratives that transcend the cage.
“The first fight was incredibly exciting and Paul Hughes really shined,” Martin says. “He was a Cage Warriors champion, he beat AJ McKee in America, and people took notice. His fight with Usman last January went the distance and was close. Then he came back and had a 42-second stoppage in the UK.
“And for Usman, he wants to end the conversation altogether. So you have Irish versus Dagestanis, which I think is an interesting dynamic. There’s such great tradition behind both of these guys. For the PFL, it underscores that we, organisationally, have great fighters on our roster. One of the things that I want to do, as the new CEO, is make sure we showcase as many of these great fighters as we can as we host events around the world.”
A big part of Martin's vision is to position the PFL as a leading brand and a chance to take MMA beyond the cage.
“I would love for the PFL over time to evolve from just being a live events global MMA sports company into being a broader-based media company,” he says. “And thinking about that with that level of ambition, I think the UAE is a very important part of the world.”
For Martin, storytelling must be at the core of the sport’s growth. “Looking at fighter stories, tapping into who they are from a personality standpoint, their backstories, and then distributing them around the world – that’s where my background comes in.
“The way you engage fans now is different. They’ll stay with you longer, they’ll spend more time with you, they become your best brand ambassadors. That engagement is critical.”
Beneath the corporate polish, Martin speaks with the passion of a lifelong fan. Now in his 50s, he traces his connection to the sport back 30 years.
“I became a mixed martial artist when I was 25. I did it for 15 years. I fought in amateur tournaments. I've been watching the UFC since UFC 1,” he says.
When asked if this feels like his dream job, Martin doesn’t hesitate. “It is,” he replies. “In many respects, it is.”
In just seven years, the PFL has already built strong foundations. The organisation boasts a world-class fighter roster, has 26 media partners broadcasting in 170 countries, and is always on the lookout to expand its global reach. The next step, Martin says, is about scaling up, raising the fan base and monetising in new and innovative ways.
It is here where the UAE can play a big part. In July, The Professional Fighters League strengthened its ties with Dubai after announcing Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum had joined the promotion's global ownership group. The country has become a priority market, part of a broader PFL strategy built on a distinctly global focus, one Martin sees as setting his organisation apart.
“Mixed Martial Arts has no borders. It’s instantly identifiable around the world. It’s the third-largest fan base in the world,” he says. “The commitment the PFL has towards developing fighters in various parts of the world is different. We’ve got a league set up in the Middle East and North Africa … I’m honoured to lead a company that can put on big-time events like this anywhere around the world.”
The PFL is also about legacy. Martin says he wants his organisation to build a lasting presence in the region with at least one big event in Dubai a year.
“This is an important part of the world for many reasons. There’s already an engaged audience, but there’s also so much commerce happening, so much global interest and new levels of investment. MMA is being validated as a mainstream sport, even in the US. For this part of the world, having us here is important as we think about growing opportunities.”
As in all sport, particularly at the top level, competition is fierce. The UFC, the world's lead MMA promotion, casts a shadow over all rivals. Martin concedes as much, even admitting he tried to acquire a stake in the UFC during his time at Time Warner. Though the UFC are “clear leaders” in the MMA world, Martin believes there is room for the PFL to flourish.
“I don’t believe UFC is going to be a winner-take-all. I don’t believe it’s a global monopoly. So if it’s not a monopoly, PFL occupies a very strong number two position. And as UFC and PFL continue to grow the category, our ability to draft up – and maybe even close the distance a little bit – provides a huge landscape to grow value for stakeholders and fans.”
The PFL also has one of the most bankable stars in the sport. Francis Ngannou remains the PFL’s marquee figure in what is generally considered the marquee division of all combat sports: heavyweight.
The Cameroonian joined the PFL in May 2023 on a multi-fight deal after failing to agree fresh terms with the UFC. He has only fought once under the PFL banner, pummeling Renan Ferreira to score a first-round KO to claim the heavyweight championship in October 2024 in Riyadh.
Under his agreement with the PFL, Ngannou has also been allowed to pursue a boxing career. His fighting future remains unclear, but no matter what his future holds – in the cage or the ring – Martin is keen to work with him.
“Francis is here in Dubai,” Martin says. “He’s done a fantastic job working with us to launch PFL Africa – we were the first premium MMA company to host an event on the continent – and he’s been a huge ambassador for that. His fight career is still ongoing, and we want to talk about what’s next.”
Martin is careful not to be drawn on specifics. “It might be Africa, it might be somewhere else, but we want to put him in an extremely attractive, high-profile location. He’s a global name.”
For now, all eyes are on Dubai for a night that carries more weight than a title alone. For Martin, it is about proving the PFL’s ambition, showing this is an organisation capable of hosting the sport’s biggest nights anywhere in the world.
“We’ve held events in 11 countries across four continents,” he says, reeling off the numbers like a badge of honour. “Saudi, Dubai, Africa, France – places people didn’t think we could go. We’re just getting started.”
Naga
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 2 (Willems 25', Shelvey 88')
Manchester City 2 (Sterling 22', De Bruyne 82')
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
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Persuasion
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Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Automatic
Power: 530bhp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh535,000
On sale: Now
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 390bhp
Torque: 400Nm
Price: Dh340,000 ($92,579
The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Power: 295bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: Dh155,000
On sale: now
Ahmed Raza
UAE cricket captain
Age: 31
Born: Sharjah
Role: Left-arm spinner
One-day internationals: 31 matches, 35 wickets, average 31.4, economy rate 3.95
T20 internationals: 41 matches, 29 wickets, average 30.3, economy rate 6.28
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
