LAS VEGAS – PFL’s decision to overrule their own point system rubbed many the wrong way, including UFC lightweight Grant Dawson.
Last week, the PFL announced that they had removed 2019 PFL champion Natan Schulte from the 2023 lightweight playoffs – even though Schulte had qualified based on his results – as they deemed that Schulte and his opponent Raush Manfio, who’s a close friend and teammate, didn’t put their “best efforts” in the fight, which they are contracted to do.
This pushed Shane Burgos, a former UFC fighter and one of PFL’s biggest signings, into the playoffs after originally being eliminated.
Like many online, Dawson disagrees with the decision and thought his American Top Team teammate shouldn’t have been removed.
“That’s a boycott PFL situation,” Dawson said at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 47 media day. “That makes no sense. They’re two former world champions, two former tournament winners, so for them to fight not even in the tournament, it makes no sense.
“I think that there were some politics that went behind it. I don’t know the whole story, (but) I think there were some politics that went behind it.”
Schulte and Manfio did fight in a lackluster bout, and it was unusual given their styles. Their corners also gave little to no instructions throughout the bout.
Regardless, the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, which regulated the 2023 PFL 6 event in Atlanta, told MMA Junkie neither Schulte nor Manfio would face any regulatory suspensions beyond medicals for their fight, making the bout above board in terms of regulation of a professional MMA fight.
It was solely PFL’s decision to alter the outcome of what their point system dictated its 2023 playoffs.
“They matched those two up and were hoping that some type of controversy would happen, so that they could slip Shane Burgos into the tournament,” Dawson said. “Again, super happy for Shane, love that dude, but I think that was that kind of situation. I’m really bummed out for Natan.”
Dawson (19-1-1 MMA, 7-0-1 UFC) returns to the cage this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 47. He takes on Damir Ismagulov (24-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in a lightweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 47.
