The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is in talks to acquire rival mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion Bellator, according to Front Office Sports (FOS).
Paramount-owned Bellator, which is based in California, has reportedly been valued at as much as US$500 million in the deal and the transaction would be primarily in cash. Paramount would also receive some equity in the PFL.
FOS added that the deal could collapse and it has not been determined how the PFL and Bellator would operate if the transaction goes through.
Launched in 2008, the promotion has held nearly 300 events to date, including in Europe. Notable fighters on its roster include Brazilian-American Cris Cyborg.
When Bellator started in 2008 with the vision of Bjorn Rebney, it gave fans an alternative to the UFC and solidified itself as a real player in the MMA sports world. In 2014 Scott Coker inherited a robust pool of fighters and signed big name free agents but in the opinion of many he failed to Promote and Grow.
Bellator president Scott Coker had revealed in June that the organisation was looking for a partner and the PFL could be a candidate. Reports of the PFL as a potential suitor then emerged last month.
For the PFL, the acquisition would be the latest aggressive move from the promotion. Having been valued at a reported US$500 million last year after raising US$30 million in a Series E equity funding round led by Waverley Capital, the company announced Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments had taken a minority stake in the PFL last week. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) owned firm will purportedly inject more than US$100 million into the promotion to help support global expansion and sign top fighters.
In addition, the PFL signed former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in May to support its drive into Africa. Online influencer Jake Paul has also inked a multi-fight deal and been given an equity stake in the company.
Bellator is now on the cusp of folding and we need to save it. If any Bellator fans still exist, let’s band together and buy it and show Scott Coker how it’s done!
Ring Girls: Who makes them wear pants? Total Scott Coker move. We’re copying Gamebreds ring girl outfits. Anyone know what Jade and Mercedes are up to?
Tournaments are back. Old school style, single night events. Win and broke your arm? Better tape it up and go back out there. You have a belt to win!
and to be honest, Bellator’s champions are actually pretty fucking good (the male ones at least). Sergio Pettis (with Patchy Mix coming up), Patricio Pitbull, Usman Nurm, Amasov, Eblen, and Nemkov. all very talented and mostly homegrown talents
MMA DETECTIVE MIKE DAVIS REPORT on PFL and Bellator. Those close to the situation believe that Bellator will now “go away.” Talks are no longer taking place between the PFL and Bellator.
— The Todd Atkins Show 🥋 (@ToddAtkinsMMA) September 15, 2023
This guy has said a lot of things. Everything is a rumour at this point, might as well wait until something is announced.
But By the end of 2024, PFL and Bellator will probably disappear and only the UFC will remain. Every other “big” MMA organization will either disappear, become a muay thai org, be a big regionals (KSW, Oktagon, Rizin, ACA), and then feeder promotions.
will be sad for the state of mma and will probably make it worse but alas, this is what the average mma fan gets for asking every top non-ufc guy when they are coming to the ufc
top Bellator guys will do well in the UFC and suddenly all the mouth breathers will say they have always been fans of theirs, ala what happened with Chandler
