Yeah the season thing doesn’t work the way it’s set up now - 2 fights is not nearly enough to decide rankings. It feels very hollow . Them just holding a big tournament without anything else wouldnt really be that interesting. Maybe they could try double elimination and eliminate the season aspect
I’ll explain the disconnect. For most PFL fighters desire to win a million dollars greatly usurps the desire to get “more points”.
The point system is set up the way you would want in theory. However, these are the choices you are given as a fighter under this rule set:
Go for the finish at all times and get an extra 1, 2 or 3 points. These extra points might get you one or two places up in the season rankings, which doesn’t matter as long as you make the playoffs. This also requires skill and confidence that you can get a finish, and an additional risk of getting finished yourself. Finishes could get you closer to a million dollars by guaranteeing you win the fight (if you get a finish), but also put you at risk for being further away from a million dollars if you get finished yourself and lose.
Fight your style of fight and be an opportunist, taking the finish if it comes. This may get you extra points, or just 3 points for a decision win. This comes with a risk of letting fights be closer than they should, and leaving the decision in the judge’s hands. There is an equal moderate risk of losing/winning fights, and equal moderate chances of losing/winning a million dollars.
Fight safe. Don’t look for the finish, and do everything you can to win the fight while avoiding damage. If you’re skilled enough you can get away with getting the 3 points for decision wins, and still win enough fights to make the playoffs. When you’re fighting safe you greatly reduce the risk of getting stopped or losing yourself, because you aren’t looking to do damage to your opponent. Therefore you increase your chances of winning and getting a million dollars.
If you think about it, beyond the numbers you’re shown on the screen during a PFL show, you’re rewarded for winning fights. You definitely get bonus for finishing, but unless you finish all or most of your fights (which a lot of fighters can’t or aren’t willing to try), getting stoppages won’t make enough of a difference. On top of that, just because you get finishes, doesn’t mean you’re good enough to reach the finals or even semifinals. You may just be a kill or be killed fighter in which case the points mean fuck all when you lose to the first legit guy you face.
Of course this is all based on what I’ve seen, I haven’t looked at any of these guy’s records.
Their intention when creating the point system was 100% to encourage the fighters to go for finishes. With the weird point system, the playoffs, and millionaire dollar prize, we sadly got the opposite.