"They're owned by f***ing Viacom" - Dana White suspects a secret reason behind Bellator's sale and it isn't bankruptcy
UFC CEO Dana White recently weighed in on the speculation surrounding Bellator's sale and claimed he's not interested in keeping an eye on the rival MMA promotion's situation.
Bellator MMA is widely recognized as the world's second-biggest MMA promotion, just behind the UFC. The organization is currently owned by Paramount Global, a conglomerate that was formed in 2019 by the merger of Viacom and CBS, which broadcasts the promotion on its Showtime channel in the USA.
It was revealed earlier this year that Bellator's parent company is looking to sell the MMA promotion. This was backed by rumors of Bellator suffering a significant drop in viewership over the past few years. As far as the sale is concerned, the PFL seems to be the frontrunner to purchase the promotion.
However, Dana White isn't concerning himself with the affairs of a rival promotion. The UFC frontman recently spoke to the press after Dana White's Contender Series 65 and addressed the same. Dismissing speculations about Bellator going broke, White stated:
"Literally not at all... If Bellator continues to exist, it's not a bad thing. It's a good thing. If you look at all the s**t that we take about a lot of things, they're owned by f***ing Viacom. Do you know how much money these guys have? Why would they be going out of business unless they're just tired of doing it."
Dana White questions the PFL's rumored interest in buying Bellator
Dana White seemingly can't wrap his head around the idea of PFL spending money to buy the Bellator.
As mentioned, the PFL has been strongly linked to a potential takeover of Bellator since early 2023. As the UFC's two largest competitors today, a merger or transaction between the two could have massive implications for the world's premier MMA promotion. However, the UFC CEO isn't losing any sleep over it.
During a recent post-fight presser after DWCS 61, Dana White discussed a potential Bellator-PFL deal. While White has praised the PFL in the past, he wasn't so complimentary this time. Questioning their business practices, he said:
"Why on God’s green f***ing Earth would anybody buy Bellator?... Why anyone would buy Bellator is beside me. But hey, what do I know? I’ll sit back and see how this plays out... Bellator is $500 million? Awesome, sounds like a steal. Sounds like a f***ing steal... Buy that thing quickly before – who else does? Come on, guys. This is f***ing silly."