Professional Fighters League signs multiyear deal with ESPN

ESPN has added more mixed martial arts content, agreeing to a multiyear deal with the Professional Fighters League.

Six regular-season events, three playoffs and the league championship on Dec. 31 will air on either ESPN2, ESPN Plus or ESPN Deportes beginning in May. The shows will air mostly on Thursday nights, beginning May 9.

Three hours will air on ESPN Plus and two hours will be shown on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. The league’s first season last year was on NBC Sports Network.

The season features fighters in six weight classes, including two women’s divisions. Each fighter will compete twice during the regular season. The top eight in each weight class will advance to the playoffs, where each fighter must fight and win twice on the same night to advance to the finals. The winners of the title bouts will earn $1 million.