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Ariel Helwani Reportedly Close to Deal With Yahoo Sports

One of MMA's biggest voices is on the move.

Kyle Koster

July 6, 2013; Las Vegas, NV. USA; MMA reporter Ariel Helwani photographed on the set before the weigh-in for UFC612 in Las Vegas. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
July 6, 2013; Las Vegas, NV. USA; MMA reporter Ariel Helwani photographed on the set before the weigh-in for UFC612 in Las Vegas. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports

Ariel Helwani is an advanced talks to join Yahoo Sports, according to a Monday morning report from Front Office Sports' A.J. Perez. Helwani, who has remained one of the highest-profile MMA reporter/personalities through the past decade, announced last week that he was leaving Vox Media and Spotify.

FOS reports that Helwani's three-year deal with Vox Media and Spotify expired on Thursday. He most recently was covering the Paris Olympics for the CBC. Neither Helwani or Yahoo offered up any on the report.

Yahoo Sports has made a few interesting plays in recent months. Nate Tice joined full-time to bolster NFL coverage, Cespedes Family BBQ has been providing baseball coverage, and they are currently partnering with The Ringer on fantasy football content. The addition of Helwani would be a major move.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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