Ex-NFL star Lynch to invest in MMA league PFL

04/29/2021

MMA columnist for ESPN.com
Analyst for “MMA Live”
Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun

Former All-Pro NFL running back Marshawn Lynch has joined the PFL as an investor and brand ambassador, the promotion announced Thursday.

Lynch, whose fandom of MMA is well known, is the latest celebrity to partner with the league. He joins a list that includes comedian Kevin Hart and music artist Wiz Khalifa.

“I’m really on that owner hype right now, ya feel me,” Lynch said in a statement. “Pro teams, leagues, companies and brands, I’m wit it. Ownership allows you to be closer to the action, to keep learning and making a difference. At the end of the day, the PFL opportunity is another blessing, that’s all I can really say. PFL is the future of MMA and it’s always a win-win when you can work with like-minded folks.”

Terms of Lynch’s financial investment were not disclosed, but PFL will waste no time integrating his name into its product.

PFL’s second event of 2021 is scheduled to air tonight on ESPN2, from Atlantic City. The event is headlined by former UFC and Bellator MMA welterweights Rory MacDonald and Curtis Millender. At the conclusion of the event, PFL will announce a “BeastMode Fighter of the Night,” a nod to Lynch’s nickname in the NFL.

Lynch, 35, won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014. He utilized MMA training during his time as a professional football player and appeared as a live commentator for Karate Combat in 2020.

The PFL has a regular season and playoff format, which is unique in MMA. The promotion opted to postpone its entire season in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, resuming its normal schedule last week in Atlantic City.

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