The Professional Fighters League has extended its broadcast partnership in Japan with streaming platform U-Next, reinforcing its long-term growth strategy in Asia.
Under the renewed agreement, U-Next will remain the exclusive broadcaster of all PFL content in Japan, including PFL Global events as well as regional competitions such as PFL MENA and PFL Africa.
Exclusive coverage across all PFL properties
The deal ensures Japanese fans continued access to the full PFL ecosystem, positioning U-Next as the central hub for MMA content in the country.
The renewed agreement comes into effect in time for the upcoming PFL Madrid event, marking the next step in the league’s international calendar.
Asia identified as a key growth market
PFL CEO John Martin highlighted Asia as a critical region for the organization’s expansion, with a focus on:
- Signing top Asian fighters
- Expanding regional partnerships
- Increasing event presence across Asia-Pacific
Japanese fighters such as Kana Watanabe, Masayuki Kikuiri, and Takeshi Izumi are already contributing to the promotion’s local relevance.
U-Next strengthens combat sports portfolio
For U-Next, the renewal reinforces its position as a leading destination for combat sports content in Japan. CEO Tenshin Tsutsumi emphasized the platform’s commitment to delivering both domestic and international martial arts programming.
Part of a broader global strategy
The extension follows a recent agreement between PFL and Sportradar, which covers global betting data and streaming rights distribution.
Together, these partnerships underline PFL’s strategy of combining media rights expansion with data-driven fan engagement and betting integration.