PFL acquires Bellator, plans champ vs. champ event in 2024 - ESPN

The PFL has acquired Bellator MMA in a landmark deal for combat sports, PFL chairman Donn Davis announced on Monday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Paramount, the former parent company of Bellator, will remain involved as a minority owner. The Bellator brand will continue to run as a separate «reimagined» product in 2024, however all Bellator-signed athletes will immediately be available to compete on various PFL platforms. Additionally, PFL is planning a «mega event» in 2024, which will feature champion vs. champion matchups between the two companies.

«The basis of all sports is the quality of competitors,» Davis told ESPN. «With this acquisition, this combined roster is now equal to the UFC in terms of Top 25-ranked talent. The quality of the product, the depth of the product — this makes the PFL a global powerhouse overnight. That's just not possible in everyday sports. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.»

Bellator president Scott Coker, who joined the company in 2014, did not immediately comment on the acquisition. Davis told ESPN the PFL has offered Coker «and his team at Bellator» an opportunity to stay onboard.

Bellator was founded in 2008 and most recently aired on Showtime Sports. Paramount decided to opt out of boxing and MMA at the end of 2023, however. Bellator's final event under its current structure took place last weekend in Chicago.

The PFL, which currently airs on ESPN in the U.S., has shown a commitment to major acquisitions in recent years. It announced a partnership with Jake Paul in January, to eventually air the professional boxer and social media influencer's first MMA fight. The company also signed former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in 2023. Ngannou, who boxed Tyson