Bellator MMA has announced a new partnership with Perform Group’s streaming service DAZN, which will offer a new platform for the promotion’s content as well as an influx of cash to pursue free agents.
The new deal, which was announced in New York and is described as a multiyear, nine-figure agreement, will place 22 annual events to DAZN’s subscription service. Seven of those events will be exclusive to DAZN, with the remaining 15 to be shared with Bellator’s current broadcast partner, Paramount Network.
The news comes less than two months after DAZN, which will launch to U.S. subscribers later this summer, announced a $1 billion deal with Matchroom Boxing. That deal includes 32 live events per year.
“A few weeks ago, we made a historic announcement with the guys over at Matchroom Boxing,” DAZN CEO James Rushton said. “I think it’s fair to say that deal is changing the landscape and the game of boxing in the U.S. I’m here today, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with [president] Scott Coker and the rest of the executive team at Bellator, saying we’re going to do the same with MMA in the U.S.
“From launch, you’re going to have access to a premium, prime boxing fight night or a premium, prime MMA fight night every single week of the year.”
Bellator will kick off the deal with an event on Sept. 29 at SAP Center in San Jose. The main event features a middleweight title fight between current champion Gegard Mousasi and welterweight champion Rory MacDonald. It will also feature the fourth meeting between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Wanderlei Silva.
In addition to a new broadcasting partner, the deal lines Bellator’s pockets with cash to potentially entice new talent. Both Mousasi and MacDonald were recent free-agent acquisitions from the UFC, and Coker promised Bellator will continue to aggressively pursue those types of names.
“Over the past year or so, we’ve been able to add names to our roster and we’re going to continue to do that,” Coker said. “The DAZN investment gives us more opportunity to pursue the right fighters for Bellator. We will be smart and aggressive.”
According to Rushton, DAZN currently operates in Japan, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Canada. It will go live in the United States and Italy this summer. The service has not yet announced its price point in the U.S.
Per Bellator officials, the seven events made exclusive to DAZN will air live on that platform. Currently, a portion of Bellator’s international events have aired on delay in the U.S. due to international television deals. Coker said that remains an ongoing issue, but the company is working to address it.