Summary:
- PFL confirmed on Nov 20 that it has completed the acquisition of Bellator MMA
- Two massive fights that can be made after Bellator’s acquisition
- Will the Saudi backed PFL be able to challenge the UFC’s dominance in MMA?
There was no secret that the Professional Fighters League (PFL) was in discussions to acquire Bellator MMA which was once the number 2 ranked MMA organization in the world until the PFL challenged that position.
The UFC which is the premier MMA organization in the world that dominates the global MMA market is expected to now have a more challenging competitor as the PFL is backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund who bought a minority stake for $100 million.
PFL will now get full access to the Bellator roster of fighters and this makes it interesting for MMA fans as it sets up two huge fights. Bellator heavyweight champ Ryan Bader is likely to be the number one candidate to fight Francis Ngannou who is yet to make his MMA debut in the PFL.
The PFL will look to make this fight as soon as Ngannou confirms that he is ready to return to MMA. The second massive fight will be likely be Bellator’s Cris Cyborg against former PFL champ Kayla Harrison.
There are a number of other exciting fights that can be made as the combined MMA roster will now feature the likes of Vadim Nemkov, Rob Wilkinson, Clay Collard, Usman Nurmagomedov and Olivier Aubin-Mercier.
The PFL launched in 2017 and over the last few years has established itself as the number one competitor for the UFC. There is still a long way to go for the PFL to truly challenge the UFC but the PFL is going in the right direction with the acquisition of Bellator MMA and getting the Saudi sovereign wealth fund as a minority investor.The PFL is expected to open a regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia in 2024.
PFL Chairman Donn Davis has stated that Bellator will continue to exist but will be rebranded and launched as the Bellator International Champions Series.
UFC President Dana White said in the past that he wasn’t worried about the PFL acquiring Bellator MMA as the UFC is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary and has the best roster of MMA fighters in the world!
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