Natan Schulte and Raush Manfio are feeling a sense of disappointment after they were suspended by the PFL for their lackluster performance during their fight last Friday night. Despite Schulte getting a unanimous decision win which would have fetched him a place in the 2023 PFL playoffs, the promotion chose to promote Shane Burgos instead, leaving Schulte helpless.

As a result, Schulte won’t have a chance to earn the $1 million prize that could have been his if he emerged victorious at the end of the season. Schulte vented his frustrations and challenged Francis Ngannou, who recently signed a lucrative deal with the PFL and was given a spot on the PFL Athlete Advisory Board to take a stand on the matter.

Schulte’s tweet read, “I am extremely dissatisfied with the decision made by the PFL last night to allow Shane Burgos into the playoffs. I ask Francis Ngannou, who advocates for fighter rights, if he believes this decision was right. You remember the Francis Ngannou vs Derrick Lewis fight where he didn’t even throw six punches throughout the fight but still wasn’t penalized.”

Meanwhile, Manfio’s manager Brian Butler, who works for Suckerpunch Entertainment, released a statement in Manfio’s defense, pointing out that he was punished even though he did nothing wrong. According to the statement, the fight was not called into question for legitimacy, but PFL still opted to punish both fighters despite being longtime friends and teammates.

Butler expressed his disappointment with the PFL, stating that the promotion prides itself on fighter advocacy, yet it made such an arbitrary ruling. Butler added, “Situations like stylistic mismatches and lackluster fights are commonplace in the sport, but what sets the PFL apart is the ‘tournament/point format’ that ultimately sorts itself out.

Despite the PFL’s decision, messages made to the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission regarding the Schulte vs. Manfio fight have not been answered at this time. It is unclear if the result of the bout is coming under question since no official statement has been issued confirming the situation. The decision is, however, an arbitrary ruling made by the PFL in regards to the playoff format that the promotion controls.