While past years have seen a swath of MMA organizations hoisting tentpole events to gather the attention and passion of the masses, 2023 was a bit of a different story.
Bellator MMA scaled down drastically and ended its run with a shrug before its sale to the Professional Fighters League made the front page. That tourney-based league also did not seem to dazzle despite a record number of shows, including a few excursions to Europe. Rizin Fighting Federation and Invicta Fighting Championships could not grab headlines like the days of old.