Raush Manfio expresses dissatisfaction with the Professional Fighters League’s handling of his defeat to Natan Schulte at PFL 6 on June 23rd.
Manfio and Schulte, who are close friends and training partners at American Top Team in Florida, competed against each other in Atlanta for a spot in the lightweight semifinals. Schulte emerged victorious by unanimous decision in a lackluster bout. However, overnight, the organization made a sudden decision to suspend both fighters due to what they deemed substandard performances. As a result, former UFC fighter Shane Burgos was awarded the playoff spot.
Brian Butler, Manfio’s manager, described PFL’s decision as unfavorable for the promotion. He considered the suspension of Manfio unnecessary and distasteful, especially since Manfio was already eliminated from the playoffs with his defeat. Even two weeks after the controversial ruling, Manfio remains furious.
During an episode of the MMA Hook podcast Trocação Franca, Manfio stated, “We clearly had poor performances, but we cannot be accused of any wrongdoing. I wish there would be an official investigation to validate my claims, as I don’t know any other way to prove my honesty, but an investigation would vindicate us.”
Initially scheduled to face each other in June 2021, Manfio ended up fighting Anthony Pettis a week later, while Schulte competed against Alex Martinez, both winning their respective bouts.
When PFL approached Manfio again to fight Schulte, he initially declined. However, PFL officials informed him that a replacement fighter would take his place for the remainder of the season. After consulting with his friend, Manfio reluctantly agreed to the fight but hoped that circumstances would change, as they did in 2021, allowing them to face different opponents.
As professional MMA fighters under the same organization, Manfio acknowledged that he couldn’t legally object to fighting Schulte, even though he believed there was no need for them to match up at that particular moment. However, he strongly disagreed with the decision to suspend both fighters.
“Can people criticize our performance? Absolutely, it was terrible,” Manfio admitted. “I didn’t expect my emotions to affect me that much. I entered the fight with the mindset of Goku and Vegeta, thinking it would be my day to win. I even had the number ’18’ written on my hand, symbolizing what would have been my 18th victory. During warm-ups, everything seemed normal. But once the fight started, I didn’t want to hurt Natan. I wanted to win. I was upset when the fight ended, knowing that a loss meant taking three steps back. Credit to him, but I was furious. I wanted to win.”
Manfio believed that both fighters performed poorly due to the emotional strain they experienced. However, he found it illogical for the promotion to suspend them both.
“The suspension of Natan made the fight meaningless,” Manfio argued. “I would never agree to fight Natan if it weren’t for a spot in the semifinals or the semifinals/finals themselves. A regular fight, like those we see in the UFC, would never have been arranged between us. I believe the UFC would share the same sentiment.”
Due to the smaller roster and the tournament’s format with ten fighters, Manfio recognized that he couldn’t legally complain about the fight itself. However, he demanded a retraction from PFL because it affected his sponsorship opportunities and subjected him to accusations from fans that he and Schulte fixed the fight.
“It would have been much easier if we had done that,” Manfio remarked. “In that case, I wouldn’t be giving this interview, and I would have madeRaush Manfio is dissatisfied with the Professional Fighters League’s (PFL) handling of his loss to Natan Schulte at PFL 6 on June 23rd.
Manfio and Schulte, who are training partners at American Top Team in Florida, competed against each other for a spot in the lightweight semifinals. Schulte won the fight by unanimous decision in a lackluster contest. However, the PFL announced overnight that both fighters were being suspended due to substandard performances, and former UFC fighter Shane Burgos was given the playoff spot.
Brian Butler, Manfio’s manager, criticized PFL’s decision, calling it unfavorable for the promotion. He believed that suspending Manfio was unnecessary and distasteful, especially since Manfio was already out of the playoffs with the defeat. Even two weeks later, Manfio remains angry about the decision.
During an episode of the MMA Hook podcast Trocação Franca, Manfio expressed his frustration, saying, “We had bad performances, but we shouldn’t be accused of anything. I wish there could be an official investigation to prove that I’m telling the truth.”
Originally scheduled to fight in June 2021, Manfio ended up facing Anthony Pettis a week later, while Schulte fought Alex Martinez, with both fighters winning their respective bouts.
When PFL offered Manfio the opportunity to fight Schulte again, he initially declined. However, PFL officials informed him that a replacement fighter would take his place for the rest of the season. After discussing it with Schulte, Manfio reluctantly agreed to the fight but hoped that circumstances would change, allowing them to face different opponents, as had happened in 2021.
As professional MMA fighters in the same organization, Manfio acknowledged that he couldn’t legally complain about fighting Schulte, even though he felt there was no need for them to fight at that time. However, he strongly disagreed with the decision to suspend both fighters.
“We had a bad performance, but the promotion’s actions were unfair,” Manfio admitted. “The fight lost its purpose when they suspended Schulte. I would never have agreed to fight him if it wasn’t for a spot in the semifinals or the semifinals/finals. In a regular fight, like in the UFC, I would never fight Schulte, and I believe the UFC wouldn’t book that fight either.”
Manfio believed that both fighters performed poorly due to the emotional stress they experienced. However, he found it illogical for the promotion to suspend them both.
“The suspension of Schulte made the fight pointless,” Manfio argued. “I want PFL to retract the suspensions, restore Schulte’s playoff spot, and clear our names with the public. I also want to fight again later this year as a sign of good faith from the company. Otherwise, I won’t trust them.”
Manfio expressed concerns about his future with PFL and mentioned the possibility of legal action if he were denied a spot in the playoffs. He worried that PFL might suspend him for the 2023 season and then terminate his contract in 2024.
“The accusation that we fought below the standards is terrible,” Manfio said. “If two unrelated fighters had a bad performance, they wouldn’t have done what they did to us. It’s clear that they used our friendship to benefit another fighter. I don’t know what they were thinking, but I believe that justice will prevail in the end.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about PFL suspension
What is Raush Manfio unhappy about regarding the Professional Fighters League (PFL)?
Raush Manfio is unhappy about the way PFL handled his loss to Natan Schulte, particularly the decision to suspend both fighters due to substandard performances and award the playoff spot to Shane Burgos.
Why does Raush Manfio feel the suspension is unfair?
Manfio believes the suspension is unfair because he was already eliminated from the playoffs with his defeat, making the suspension unnecessary. He also argues that both fighters had poor performances due to emotional stress, and suspending them both makes no logical sense.
What does Raush Manfio want from PFL?
Manfio wants PFL to revoke the suspensions, reinstate Schulte’s playoff spot, and clear their names with the public. He also wants to fight again later in the year as a sign of good faith from the company. Otherwise, he expresses a lack of trust in PFL.
Is Raush Manfio considering legal action?
Raush Manfio mentions the possibility of suing the company if he is denied a spot in the playoffs for the million-dollar prize. He is concerned about PFL suspending him for the 2023 season and potentially terminating his contract in 2024.
What impact does Raush Manfio think the promotion’s decision had on his reputation?
Manfio is worried about the accusations from fans that he and Schulte fixed the fight, which affects his sponsorships. He states that he would have had an easier time if he had actually fixed the fight, but as a person of faith, he is not capable of such actions.
More about PFL suspension
- Professional Fighters League (PFL) Official Website
- Raush Manfio’s Profile on PFL’s Website
- Natan Schulte’s Profile on PFL’s Website
- Shane Burgos’ Profile on PFL’s Website
- MMA Hook Podcast
- American Top Team Official Website
