Rumor: PFL close to striking a deal to purchase Bellator from Viacom
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is rumored to be nearing a substantial agreement to acquire Bellator, which is owned by Viacom.
In June, Bellator's president Scott Coker acknowledged ongoing discussions about the promotion, and parent company Viacom is examining alternatives for a future commercial agreement. Coker also affirmed that PFL is among the entities being considered in these discussions.
According to the latest reports from John Wall Street, the deal is nearly finalized.
"@PFLMMA is rumored to be closing in on a stock-laden deal to acquire Viacom-owned Bellator. $VIAC's recent decision to sell Simon and Schuster to Penguin Random House for $2.18 billion has only added fuel to the speculation."
Check out the post below:
Over the years, Bellator has engaged in talks with various entities about selling a portion of the company, including considering a minority stake sale to DAZN in 2019 following their streaming agreement. However, in each instance, the promotion's owners chose not to proceed.
The reshaping of Paramount Global, involving the merging of Showtime and Paramount Plus, seems to have reignited their inclination to divest the promotion or involve a strategic partner in some capacity.
When Dana White dismissed rumors that PFL was trying to purchase Bellator
UFC president Dana White shared his perspective on the rumors about the potential acquisition of Bellator MMA by the PFL MMA organization.
During the post-fight press conference of UFC Vegas 73 in May, the UFC president dismissed the rumors and suggested that both organizations are not financially successful. He said:
"I'm hearing that they are raising money right now, you know, 280 million, 300 million -- I don't know what the number is -- from the Middle East. And I've done a lot of business in the Middle East. Those guys are sharp."
He added:
"I don't know who in the hell would give them 280 million dollars because I'm hearing they're buying Bellator. Right? So, you're an organization that's burning cash, you have no ratings, and selling no tickets. And you're gonna raise 280 million to buy a company that's burning cash, sells no tickets, and does no ratings. Sounds fu*king absolutely genius to me."
Check out White's comments below (from 3:15):