If you don’t have a Showtime subscription and don’t plan on
purchasing one, you’ll still be able to watch
Bellator 255 on Friday night.
The California-based promotion announced Wednesday that the
Bellator 255 main card will air free of charge to viewers in the
United States on streaming services Pluto TV, Hulu, YouTube and
FuboTV, as well as via participating television providers.
The entire 13-bout card, which features an eight-bout preliminary
lineup, will also stream live on Showtime and the Bellator MMA
YouTube channel, per a release.
“We are proud to be the new home of Bellator and delighted to share
this debut event with millions of non-subscribers,” said Showtime
Sports president Stephen Espinoza. “Bellator has steadily built the
strongest roster in its history and now includes some of the best
pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. On Friday night, we will
introduce new fans to this premier brand of mixed martial arts and
invite them to our network, which along with world-class
championship boxing now boasts more than 40 live combat sports
events per year. Showtime Sports premium fight coverage and
signature storytelling sets the standard in combat sports and,
coupled with our leading entertainment content, the value of the
Showtime subscription is now unrivaled for combat sports fans.”
Going forward, Bellator MMA events will air exclusively on
Showtime, and in conjunction with that partnership, the network is
offering a 30-day free trial followed by a discounted subscription
fee of $4.99 per month for the ensuing six months.
Bellator 255 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.,
and is headlined by a featherweight grand prix semifinal between
reigning champion Patricio
Freire and Emmanuel
Sanchez. The prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, while the
main card kicks off at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET.