Josh Thomson calls out PFL, says he has no faith they can be a top promotion: “They don’t know the sport”

Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson isn’t a fan of the PFL.

Thomson has been retired since 2020, despite not fighting since 2017. Since then, he has gotten into commentary as he was an analyst for Bellator and even did some commentary for the PFL. Yet, he says after being around the PFL he realized they won’t be a top promotion, especially with how they are run.

“I wish PFL would get their shtt together. The bottom line is we need another promotion (other than the UFC). We need another promotion that has access and can build upcoming talent. I don’t know if they can build it. Mike Kogan is there so, I know that there’s a potential for the athletes to be built,” Thomson said on MMA Jukie Radio. “Do I have faith in Pete Murray and Donn David? I have absolutely no faith in them in being able to get the job done. They don’t watch the sport, they don’t know the sport, they don’t know their athletes.”

Josh Thomson takes aim at Donn Davis and PFL

Part of the reason why Josh Thomson doesn’t have hope for the PFL is due to Donn Davis. He doesn’t think Davis is the right man to lead a promotion, especially given he doesn’t watch MMA.

“Let me give you an example, I worked the Riyadh show for them. Donn Davis literally walked up to me, ‘Hey, man, love watching your fights. I’m pumped to watch your fight tomorrow night.’ I just shrugged it off. Like man, If you don’t know, you don’t know. So, if you’re not following the sport, and he has come out and said ‘I don’t watch fights, I don’t know everything that’s going on.’ That’s not how you build stars. You’ve got to know who they are,” Thomson added.

Ultimately, the hope for Thomson is that the PFL can fix their problems and become a top promotion in MMA to rival the UFC. However, the former UFC fighter doesn’t have much hope that it will happen.