Having two close friends enter the octagon comes with complexities. This is why Raush Manfio’s manager has called out the PFL for dismissing the fighter and his recent opponent Nathan Schulte.
But how did the two end up facing off against each other in the first place? And what brought on the suspension? Continue reading to find out the details of this controversy!
At 2023 PFL 6, which took place Friday in Atlanta, 2022 lightweight champion Raush Manfio lost to his dear friend and daughter’s godfather Natan Schulte.
The fight had few meaningful exchanges and was lackluster. Following the bout, Natan Schulte was suspended by the PFL and withdrawn from the playoff position. Manfio was also barred from participating in the campaign for the remainder of 2023. According to the promotion’s statement on Saturday, the combatants “did not meet the norms all PFL competitors agree to uphold in competition.”
Butler stated that making a subjective decision like this was a bad look. He mentioned that judges frequently make bad calls with less repercussion. According to Butler, Raush and Natan were best friends and had been exclusive partners for years. He stated that Natan was the godfather of Raush’s daughter and emphasised that they knew their styles, tricks, and techniques inside and out.
Butler further commented that situations like bad-style matchups and lackluster fights were normal in the sport, but what made the PFL unique was that this would ultimately resolve itself. He pointed out that their client received only half of his pay and zero points to move forward in the tournament, which he found distasteful and unnecessary.
The official “2023 Rules and Regulations” document on the promotion’s website has several regulations covering the semifinals, point delegation, and playoff qualifying. Fighters will accrue points during the regular season as per their performance and will be ranked in division standings by that, according to Article 1.1.c. The top four teams in each division at the end of the regular season advance to the playoffs.
But Article 3.1.b provides the framework for matchmaker-style selection of playoff players, stating that semifinal pairings shall be chosen at the league’s discretion. At any point, the league may alter the matches. Article 2.3 stipulates that the promotion may modify the points at any moment, which decides who advances to the PFL playoffs and who does not.
According to the promotion’s official lightweight rankings, Schulte went back below the playoff qualification line after losing his three points against Manfio. So, what do you think of PFL’s antics? Let us know in the comments!
