PFL-Bellator Merger: More Than Just MMA History

Chairman Donn Davis made it official on the heels of the PFL World Championships coming up on Black Friday.

In 2011, the UFC set its sights on purchasing Strikeforce, an upstart promotion run by long-time promoter Scott Coker. 

It did.

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Twelve years later, just days before Thanksgiving, Coker is part of another groundbreaking acquisition. As Donn Davis told the Financial Times on Monday, November 20, PFL has purchased Bellator for an undisclosed, lucrative price:

“This totally changes the MMA landscape overnight,” Davis said. “You essentially put two number two companies to create a co-leader. The combined PFL Bellator roster now has 30 per cent of its fighters who are ranked top 25 in the world by Fight Matrix. That’s the same as UFC has in their roster.”

In a press release, CEO Peter Murray said the Bellator purchase would help elevate the sport of MMA, giving the UFC, thought by many as the sport's No. 1 promotion, legitimate competition.

"The combined PFL and Bellator fighter rosters are second to none in MMA,” Murray said. “We can’t wait to bring MMA fans what they have been asking for - best vs best with the PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions Mega-Event.”

At press time, it is unknown which fighters will make the transition, but given the state of the industry, with the PFL going all-in on Bellator, previously owned by Viacom, it wants to be a significant player in the space.

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Financial advisors included LionTree and Citi, as the promotion projects to be worth $4 billion nine years from now.

Unlike the Strikeforce purchase from the UFC, the companies will operate separately instead of completely folding into the promotion. Television details and an event schedule will be announced in the future.

Nonetheless, it's important to note that crossover fights in MMA, while rare, are one step closer to becoming reality.

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