The Professional Fighters League has announced former Turner and Time Warner executive John Martin is joining the organization as its new Chief Executive Officer.
The PFL confirmed the news on the morning of Thursday, July 10, with a press release. This followed an initial hinting of a move in PFL's management by longtime boxing promoter Don King on social media the evening before, as well as a series of posts on X (fka Twitter) from Robert Joyner.
Martin will oversee all aspects of the PFL's operations, including the promotion's finances, management, strategies, and personnel decisions.
"John Martin is THE ideal CEO to lead the next chapter of growth at PFL," Donn Davis, PFL Founder and Chairman said in the statement. "He is a proven media, content, and sports executive who is a respected global leader and business operator at scale. 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."
PFL Gains New CEO In John Martin
Martin replaces Peter Murray, who the PFL says will be transitioning to a role as CEO of PFL International, "where he will lead the accelerated launch and growth of the PFL’s International Leagues" and serve under Martin.
Martin previously served as Chairman and CEO of Turner from 2014 to 2018, overseeing the various cable networks, content, and digital platforms run by the company -- including the Turner Sports brand, as well as the TBS, TNT, and CNN channels. He left Turner in 2018 following the AT&T-Time Warner merger.
Prior to that role, Martin worked at Time Warner, working as Head of Investor Relations before going on to become CFO of Time Warner Cable and eventually CFO of Time Warner Inc. During his role there, Martin was an early advocate for expanding the UFC's cable distribution, having become a fan of the UFC since the promotion's earliest events.
Martin himself has been a martial artist since his 20s, earning a black belt in karate and a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
"MMA represents the biggest opportunity in sports, and the PFL has secured a unique position that will never be replicated," Martin said in the statement. "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. 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."
The PFL made significant changes in 2025, establishing the PFL Champions Series -- a rebrand following the official dissolution of Bellator, which the PFL purchased in late 2023 -- as well as eliminating its regular-season and playoff format in favor of eight World Tournaments, all of which will conclude at three PFL events in August.
PFL's Jonathan Coachman recently told MMA Fighting that the Champions Series will see eight PFL champions crowned, and the PFL World Tournament winners will go on to challenge those champions.
The PFL has also been expanding on the number of international leagues, with PFL Europe starting in 2023, PFL MENA starting in 2024, and PFL Africa set to start next Saturday, July 19, with the PFL Cape Town event.