With the UFC gearing up for a potential mega White House event in 2026, PFL founder Donn Davis made his own plea to get in on the action and received quick criticism for it. What was meant as a power maneuver to share the attention with the UFC backfired instead. Instead of rallying excitement, Davis’s idea drew widespread mockery from the MMA media world.
As UFC fans and combatants celebrated Donald Trump’s announcement of a July 4th fight night outside the White House, Davis noticed a lane and attempted to squeeze in. Davis took to social media to propose that the PFL stage its own card, headlined by Francis Ngannou. “PFL goes first, then UFC later in the night,” he posted, adding a concept image suggesting fights between Ngannou and Vadim Nemkov, Cris Cyborg, Usman Nurmagomedov, and others.
To many, the move was not just bold but also opportunistic. While the PFL founder’s objective may have been to position the promotion as an equal competitor to MMA’s largest platform, many regarded it as another example of the promotion misreading the room. MMA Fighting‘s Jed Meshew, speaking on Submission Radio, did not mince words.
“He can’t tweet, man. I’ve been saying it forever,” Meshew said, quickly dismissing the offer. He portrayed Davis not as a promoter addressing fans, but as a salesman in investment mode. “These are the bullet points you put on a deck at a conference,” he added. “It’s just the most cringeworthy s— in the world, and it’s just going to get you dunked on.”
From there, the takedown only escalated on the podcast. “There’s no upside to doing this. Clearly just trying to grab some shine however he can. Total misstep. But that’s the PFL story; they take two steps forward and three steps back semi-religiously, it seems.” And with one last punch, he sealed the deal: “Donn, get off Twitter, man. Do your LinkedIn posts, buddy. That’s where you need to be doing your posting.”
MMA: UFC 270-Ngannou vs Gane, Jan 22, 2022 Anaheim, California, USA Francis Ngannou red gloves before his fight against Ciryl Gane during UFC 270 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports, 22.01.2022 21:31:20, 17551354, NPStrans, Francis Ngannou, Honda Center, MMA, TopPic PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxA.xVasquezx 17551354
Donn Davis may have wanted to capitalize on the UFC’s White House moment, but the criticism made it clear that ambition isn’t the issue; presentation is. In an attempt to secure a seat at the table, the PFL ended up reminding everyone why it is still stuck in the waiting room. And to make matters even worse, some fighters he pitched for the event may not stay in his promotion for long either.
Donn Davis’ pitch may fail to deliver as several fighters leave
As if the outrage to his White House post wasn’t enough, Donn Davis now faces a more practical problem: the fighters he selected to design his fantasy card may not even be in the PFL by July 4, 2026. The optics were already weak, and now the foundation is showing cracks. It’s one thing to play a bold card and be roasted for it. It’s another to create a card around names who may be wearing UFC gloves a year from now.
Vadim Nemkov, one of Davis’ top picks for the event, has already fought out his PFL/Bellator contract. After submitting Tim Johnson earlier this year, Nemkov technically entered free agency. And while Dana White stated in January that his name “hadn’t come up,” that silence doesn’t mean Nemkov isn’t circling.
When a fighter of his level reaches the open market, it’s not long before the UFC comes knocking. The same goes for Johnny Eblen. The former Bellator middleweight champion is reaching the end of his contract and has been open about his desire to prove he is the greatest in the world. That path almost always leads to the UFC.
If either man leaves, it does more than just change the poster; it reveals the disconnect between vision and control. Donn Davis proposed a scenario, but he may not even own the components required to build it. And if both Eblen and Nemkov leave, the PFL card becomes less of a daring alternative to the UFC’s much-anticipated fight card and more of a fantasy that fizzled before it even left the internet.
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