The Bellator
MMA brand is officially a thing of the past.


Professional Fighters League chairman and founder Donn Davis
released a statement clarifying Bellator’s status on Tuesday,
announcing that “all fighters [are] now integrated and connected in
one powerful roster.” In short, that means the Bellator name will
not be associated with any fighters or events under the PFL
umbrella.

The full statement posted by Davis on social media is as
follows:

Professional Fighters League acquired Bellator MMA one year ago
primarily for its great fighter roster. The PFL brand has become
synonymous with the “win and advance” format and product
innovation. PFL has established itself as a premium brand doing
things different to help grow our great sport of MMA.

Going forward all fight events and content will be PFL branded. The
Bellator brand carries a rich history that will continue to be
respected and appreciated through select feature title bouts. Fans
will continue to enjoy the immense Bellator fight library and
historic fight content throughout our social, digital, and partner
channels. All of our fighters are now integrated and connected in
one powerful PFL brand worldwide.

PFL purchased Bellator at the end of 2023 and continued to operate
the promotion as a separate entity last year under the Bellator
Champions Series name. The shift in philosophy became evident prior
to Davis’ announcement when the promotion’s upcoming event on Jan.
25 — headlined by Bellator lightweight champ Usman
Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes
— was renamed
PFL Champions Series Road to Dubai. The card’s main event
remains a title fight, but it’s currently unclear how that will tie
in to the rest of the PFL schedule.

While nothing is official at this time, the PFL is also expected to
do away with its season format and revise its salary structure,
which featured $1 million payouts for championship winners in each
weight class. The promotion will reportedly move to grand
prix-style tournament with winners receiving $500,000. An official
announcement from PFL regarding the changes is expected to come
later this week.

As it stands, Bellator’s last official event occurred in London on
Sept. 14, 2024 — though it wasn’t labeled as such at the time. The
promotion held its debut card on April 3, 2009 at Seminole Hard
Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and has presided over
than 300 events during a run that lasted more than 15 years.

IMAK ADMIN

By IMAK ADMIN

Internationaler Kampfkunst und Kampfsport Kleinanzeiger