NEWS | How the PFL's season format led to a new and improved Chris Wade

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Chris Wade is a professional mixed martial arts fighter. He likes other sports, as well, and frequently discusses such things on his Twitter account, going against the grain of most in his chosen line of work. So, the Islip-raised Wade understands exactly how the Professional Fighters League’s format of a regular season and playoffs works. It makes perfect sense.

Fighters earn points for wins and finishes. Those points create a standings table for the dozen fighters in each weight class. Those at the top of the standings advance to the postseason. What Wade, 31, didn’t realize until he went through it last year was just how much things would change for him physically, mentally and financially.

"It helped me get out of the gym for a little bit and focus on myself mentally and physically,” said Wade, who reached the semifinals of PFL’s first season last year. “It let me kind of disconnect for a little bit. Maybe not every fighter is like this. I feel like I’ll go away and work on myself in that way, and I’ll come back and I’ll be smoking people. I feel better.”

He begins his second PFL season on Thursday when he faces fellow lightweight Nate Andrews at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum for PFL 2. He has known the date of his fight for several months and he already knows when he fights next (July 25 at PFL 5 in Atlantic City). Freeport’s Andre Harrison also fights at PFL 2 in the featherweight division.


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