On Thursday, the Professional Fighters League will kick off its 2025 World Tournament across ESPN’s family of networks. Ahead of the tournament’s start, the fight promotion announced two key additions to their broadcast team: Kennedy Smith as a cageside reporter and Greg Hamilton as the lead cage announcer. In a press release on Tuesday, the PFL revealed these exciting changes.
Hamilton is best known for his role as a WWE ring announcer from 2015 to 2021, initially starting on WWE’s NXT before moving to Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown. He was ultimately let go after a controversial online exchange with rapper Westside Gunn regarding the use of his voice without permission in one of Gunn’s songs. Meanwhile, Kennedy Smith has served as the game day host for the Houston Roughnecks in the UFL for the past two seasons and acted as an in-game host for the Washington Nationals in 2024.
Both Hamilton and Smith expressed their enthusiasm for this new venture. Smith stated, “I am thrilled to be joining the Professional Fighters League as a Cageside Reporter. The PFL’s World Tournament bracket is so innovative, and will give fans a chance to really get to know these fighters on a deeper level and root for them on their way up. I’m so excited to be the one to bring those stories to the world!” Hamilton shared similar excitement: “There’s never been anything like this in the world of MMA, so being chosen as the cage announcer is an incredible honor. It’s like the NCAA tournament meets combat sports. When I got the call, I was numb for about 5 minutes, and then the goosebumps started popping up on my arm. This is what my career has been leading up to.” He added, “Having joined the PFL family, I cannot wait for fans to see what’s coming. The TV presentation is spectacular, and with PFL: Origins uncovering the real stories behind each competitor, it becomes clear that terms like ‘One Shot’ are not hyperbolic; these are real people with real lives, putting everything on the line. When it’s over, it’s over. Period. If that type of competition doesn’t excite you, check your pulse!”
While the PFL has yet to pose significant pressure to the UFC, it may soon become the only MMA promotion featured on the ESPN family of networks. Reports indicate that executives of the TKO Holdings Group are “absolutely furious” with ESPN for the numerous glitches that plagued the broadcast of UFC 313, which denied paying customers the opportunity to watch the event. Ultimately, only time will reveal whether the PFL can close the gap with the UFC and challenge for the top MMA promotion title. However, the addition of experienced personalities like Hamilton and Smith to their broadcast team should support the promotion in that endeavor.
