UFC light heavyweight Tuco Tokkos found himself escorted out of the PFL’s world tournament final in Atlantic City last Friday, marking what he claims was his third ejection from a PFL event. The incident occurred after Tokkos voiced sharp criticism about what he perceived as biased officiating during the promotion’s championship match.
The controversy erupted during PFL’s nine-fight card, which featured a welterweight title bout between Thad Jean and former Bellator interim champion Logan Storley. According to Tokkos, his vocal disapproval of the evening’s officiating decisions ultimately led to his removal from the venue.
“I just got kicked out of PFL for like the third time,” Tokkos revealed in an interview. “I just—I got a big mouth, you know? I think that PFL kind of has a favorite guy in the fight.”
The Kill Cliff FC product specifically criticized the officiating during the co-main event featuring Jesus Pinedo, claiming the referee made questionable stand-up calls that favored Pinedo’s opponent.
“Pinedo was like, getting takedowns. I think they stood him up from full mount at one point. It was like stuff you would never see in the UFC. The guy’s dominating, he’s on top, he’s landing strikes, and they’re standing him up,” Tokkos explained.
His frustrations extended to the featherweight final between Movlid Khaybulaev and Jesus Pinedo, where he believed the promotion showed clear favoritism. “I was like, what is this? They obviously want the red corner [Khaybluaev] to win,” he stated.
The main event decision also drew Tokkos’ ire, as he felt his teammate Logan Storley was unfairly scored against in his loss to Thad Jean. “My boy Logan Storley lost the decision. And yeah, the other guy maybe won more rounds, but they gave him like, every round. It was insane… I was like, there’s no way. Logan definitely won two rounds.”
These observations led Tokkos to make unfavorable comparisons between PFL and his home promotion. “So, I was like, man, this is why UFC is the best,” he said. “Because for the most part, it’s fair. I know we see robberies, but it’s just like, the fights are just more legitimate, man. It’s more fair fights.”
According to Tokkos, security approached him specifically after he voiced these concerns publicly at the venue. “I was saying all that stuff out loud, and then I went in the back after the fight with my boys, Logan, and the security came and kicked me out. Even though there was like a hundred people backstage that weren’t corners. They came and specifically came for me because they don’t like that I talk.”
Tokkos went on to suggest his UFC affiliation provides him protection to speak freely. “But thank God I’m in the UFC. Dana loves it when we expose other promotions. So I’m gonna keep talking my s**t. I got nothing to fear from PFL… PFL is trash,” he added.
Beyond the immediate controversy, Tokkos expressed broader concerns about PFL’s long-term viability as a promotion. When asked about the organization’s future prospects, he offered a mixed assessment while noting the significant talent exodus following PFL’s acquisition of Bellator MMA in 2023.
“I don’t know,” Tokkos replied when questioned about PFL’s sustainability over the next few years. “It was a good thing because they had money and they were paying guys. I have teammates that fight for PFL, and they’re getting paid, which is great. I’m happy about that.”
However, he pointed to stark differences in audience engagement and venue attendance between the two promotions. “Like, every single UFC show sold out. They could go to Alaska—they’re sold out in the biggest arena in Alaska, 20,000 people. Every weekend, they’re sold out,” he explained. “I just went to PFL. 500 people in there. They’re giving away tickets. Buy two, get two free. They’re like 25 bucks.”
Tokkos concluded his criticism by talking about fundamental problems with the promotion’s approach to competition. “I hope they keep going, but I don’t know how much money they’re making. I don’t know who really watches it, you know? And it goes back to what I said, because they have favorites. The fights ain’t legitimate.”
The evening wasn’t without other controversies, as the card featured what many considered one of the year’s worst referee stoppages. Fighter Nathan Kelly’s head bounced off the canvas 11 seconds after he had tapped out to a guillotine choke, with the referee missing the submission due to positioning issues.
