Professional Fighters League (PFL) acquired Bellator MMA back in late 2023, a mega-merger that PFL officials believed was “equal to UFC.” Not surprisingly, UFC CEO, Dana White, mocked the alliance as nothing more than a “hilarious” waste of time and money.
That’s probably why Viacom was “tired of doing it.”
Fast-forward to early 2025 and it appears PFL will terminate the Bellator MMA brand altogether and absorb its remaining talent. That’s according to a report from Ariel Helwani and may explain why this outspoken fighter can’t seem to secure a booking.
That’s not all.
PFL is also expected to rework its point-based season format and implement a more traditional tournament style with single-fight eliminations. Winners will also be taking a pay cut as the promotion scales down its $1 million payouts to $500,000.
No word yet on how PFL will handle existing Bellator MMA champions — like Usman Nurmagomedov — as it prepares for the upcoming “Road to Dubai” fight card on Sat., Jan. 25, 2025 inside Coca-Cola Arena in United Arab Emirates.
Expect more details on this still-developing story in the coming days.