New MMA property Pro Fighting League will cross over with NASCAR tonight when the PFL stages its inaugural fight at Daytona Int'l Speedway's infield, the latest promotion tying together MMA and NASCAR. The PFL is a new league that took over fighting operations from the World Series of Fighting, which NBC Sports has aired for five years. The league was looking for ways to mimic the NHL’s Winter Classic by having a unique outdoor event. In consultation with NBC, the series landed on staging the event at DIS’ UNOH Fanzone around the start of NBC Sports’ '17 NASCAR schedule.
The fight will take place ahead of the PFL’s full launch in January and will air at 10:30pm ET on NBCSN following the completion of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Coca-Cola Firecracker 250. All Friday ticket holders are allowed access for free. PFL execs said that the series is talking to Daytona owner ISC about staging other fights at ISC venues, but that those events would not occur until the '18 NASCAR season. The venture with PFL comes about a month after MMA property Bellator staged fights at SMI-owned Charlotte Motor Speedway.
