Bellator MMA will reportedly fold shortly following talks of a merger with PFL breaking down.
A Twitter report by Todd Atkins on July 28 claimed that a merger between the Professional Fighters League and Bellator MMA would be part of an announcement coming in August along with a new distribution platform for PFL.
However, a new report from Todd Atkins on September 15 claims that talks between Bellator and PFL about a potential merger have fallen apart, noting that Bellator is expected to continue running shows until they no longer have funds to do so. Then, the promotion is expected to fold.
At one point talks were going very well. Lawyers got involved, financials got scrutinized and outside forces injected theirselves. Whatever deal PFL has with ESPN is also coming to an end.
— The Todd Atkins Show -- (@ToddAtkinsMMA) September 15, 2023
At this point in time Bellator is going to run shows until the money is gone and then fold.
— The Todd Atkins Show -- (@ToddAtkinsMMA) September 15, 2023
Bellator currently has three more events scheduled for this year. Bellator 299 will take place at the 3 Arena in Dublin, Ireland, on September 23. Bellator 300 will take place in San Diego, California, on October 7. Finally, Bellator 301 will occur on November 17 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
It is unknown if that is the final event planned for Bellator MMA outright.
Bellator was founded in 2008 and is currently a subsidiary of Paramount Global.
Bellator MMA was recently named as a competitor in a new SEC filing by TKO Group Holdings. This new entity comprises both WWE and UFC following a merger of those brands under the umbrella of Endeavor. Learn more here.
Fightful will continue to provide updates on the future of Bellator MMA and the PFL as more updates are made public.
