PGF adds four franchises, doubles to eight teams for Season 10

The Professional Grappling Federation said Sept. 8 it signed four new seven-figure franchise agreements, expanding to eight teams for Season 10 and moving halfway to its planned 16-team cap. The league says the growth strengthens its case as a season-based, team-driven model for professional Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling.

Why it matters: - PGF’s expansion adds 40 professional roster spots and gives the league a larger national footprint. - The move is a commercial signal for a sport that has usually been built around isolated events instead of recurring teams and seasons. - A bigger franchise base also gives PGF more inventory for sponsors, broadcasters and regional fan engagement.

What happened: - The Professional Grappling Federation announced four new seven-figure franchise agreements on Sept. 8 in Las Vegas. - The new teams are the St. Louis Outlaws, Carolina Copperheads, Houston Wranglers and Dallas Mustangs. - PGF now has eight teams, up from four, for Season 10. - The existing franchises are the Las Vegas Kings, Philadelphia Phenoms, Alabama Twisters and Colorado Wolverines.

The details: - Season 10 will feature five weight classes: 145, 155, 170, 185 and 205 pounds. - Each team will carry 10 athletes, creating 80 roster positions across the league. - Each franchise will preselect one athlete in each weight class before drafting five more competitors from PGF’s national qualifier pool. - The Season 10 Draft is scheduled for Jan. 17, 2027. - Season 10 is scheduled to run across 10 regular-season competition dates from March 2 through March 30, 2027, with playoffs on April 7. - PGF says it has more than 60 hours of fully produced prior-season competition available for replay, marathon viewing and on-demand use. - PGF says its media network has recorded more than 72 million aggregate platform-reported views. - That total includes 55.2 million views across PGF-owned YouTube, Instagram and Facebook channels and 16.8 million views through creator-led distribution. - The league’s submission-only format removes striking and centers the competition on grappling skill and submission finishes. - Ownership groups, media platforms and commercial partners interested in the next phase can contact marketing@pgf.world. - More information is available on PGF’s website. - PGF also has a YouTube channel.

Between the lines: - PGF is trying to package grappling like a traditional sports league, with franchises, standings, broadcasts and a championship narrative that can carry across a full season. - The league is also positioning itself as a repeatable live property for media buyers, not just a one-night competition. - Zoltan Bathory framed the expansion as proof that the model is moving from proof-of-concept to a scalable league structure. - Brandon McCaghren said the format gives athletes recurring exposure and fans a reason to follow the sport from qualifiers through the title match.

What’s next: - PGF plans to expand next to 12 teams by adding four more markets and ownership groups. - The league then plans to add four final franchises to reach its permanent 16-team cap. - The expansion process is still open to ownership and media partners for the next phase.

The bottom line: - PGF has doubled in size and is now halfway to its planned cap, but the bigger test is whether the league can turn franchise growth and strong viewership into lasting mainstream traction.