Tag: Bellator

Bjorn Rebney on Bellator’s MTV2 Deal, Alvarez-Melendez, Brookins Litigation

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, Bellator, News Describing Bellator’s recently announced deal with MTV2 as a “perfect alliance,” company CEO Bjorn Rebney hailed the union as a proper evolutionary step for the young promotion.

Speaking on Monday’s edit…

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Describing Bellator’s recently announced deal with MTV2 as a “perfect alliance,” company CEO Bjorn Rebney hailed the union as a proper evolutionary step for the young promotion.

Speaking on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Rebney said that the new deal with the national cable platform positively addressed most of the issues and problems that plagued Bellator’s recent deal with FSN.

Most notably, its events would be broadcast live around the country, at a consistent start time.

“There are no preemptions, there are no delays,” he told host Ariel Helwani. “It was problematic for me as the CEO of the company. It was problematic for fans who wanted to watch over the last two seasons.”

Live MMA Coming to MTV2 With New Bellator Deal

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, BellatorThe latest channel to venture into televising live mixed martial arts fights is a network few had expected: MTV2.

Bellator Fighting Championships announced today that it has reached a three-year deal to air live f…

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The latest channel to venture into televising live mixed martial arts fights is a network few had expected: MTV2.

Bellator Fighting Championships announced today that it has reached a three-year deal to air live fights on MTV2, starting in 2011. Bellator will continue with its seasonal format of 12-week, eight-fighter tournaments, with the next tournament beginning in March.

At first blush, MMA and MTV might seem like strange bedfellows. For that matter, MTV and any sport would seem to be a strange pairing — isn’t MTV supposed to be music television?

Bellator Announces Network Deal With MTV2….Wait, What?? *Updated*

"…and Ben, I have you down to guest host on ‘Saturday Drop a Deuce’.  That’s cool, right?"A press release today announces that Bellator Fighting Championships has reached an agreement with MTV Networks to air live events on MTV2.&nbsp…

"…and Ben, I have you down to guest host on ‘Saturday Drop a Deuce’.  That’s cool, right?"

A press release today announces that Bellator Fighting Championships has reached an agreement with MTV Networks to air live events on MTV2.  The three-year deal, which begins in March of 2011, provides for broadcast of two live tournaments a year, "plus a collection of special feature events."  Eric Conte, Senior VP in charge of Programming and Production for MTV2, is quoted as saying that "MMA is at the top of our audience’s wish list" and that a partnership with the surging promotion "made complete sense".  (We haven’t received word yet on whether Conte was the guy that green-lit Wrestling Society X.)

The news comes as a surprise, as Bellator had been expected to announce an extension of its partnership with Fox Entertainment Group, parent of Fox Sports Net and FX.

Obviously, this is big news for Bellator, which has been hampered by lack of a stable time slot on FSN and plagued by last minute preemptions.  MTV2 is a step up on the distribution ladder, and more people will have access to the weekly shows than ever before.  As the press release noted, there is a nice dovetail in the demographics for the network and the Bellator fanbase.

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World MMA Awards 2010 Winners

Filed under: NewsLAS VEGAS – MMA Fighting will have World MMA Awards 2010 winners and results live tonight from The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort.

This is the third year for the awards program, which was created in 2008 by Fighters Only magazine. …

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Randy Couture will hose the World MMA Awards 2010.LAS VEGAS – MMA Fighting will have World MMA Awards 2010 winners and results live tonight from The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort.

This is the third year for the awards program, which was created in 2008 by Fighters Only magazine. Nominees and eventual winners are determined by online fan voting in categories such as Fighter of the Year, Knockout of the Year and Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, as well as non-fight specific categories like Ring Girl of the Year and Most Memorable Ring Entrance.

Last year’s winners included UFC president Dana White as Leading Man of the Year, Georges St-Pierre for Fighter of the Year and Brock Lesnar for Breakthrough Fighter of the Year.

At the 2010 awards, MMA Fighting is nominated for Best Media Source, and MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani is up for MMA Journalist of the Year.

Scott Coker Talks Co-Promotion and Negotiations with Fedor, But is Conspicuously Mum About CBS Negotiations

("CBS? They suck. I’m not sure I want to work with them anymore.")During today’s Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu conference call, the promotion’s CEO Scott Coker touched on some pressing questions, but was noticeably mum on others.
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("CBS? They suck. I’m not sure I want to work with them anymore.")

During today’s Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu conference call, the promotion’s CEO Scott Coker touched on some pressing questions, but was noticeably mum on others.

"You’re going to see big things," Coker teased when speaking of the California-based promotion’s plans for next year, but he didn’t say whether or not a return to CBS is in Strikeforce’s stacked deck of cards. In an interview he did earlier this month with Sherdog, Coker said that a reputable TV deal would have to be in place for him to entertain a co-promotion deal with the promotions, which could be a telling sign that CBS has taken his number off of speed dial.

He did mentione Showtime when discussing the ongoing, yet unfruitful negotiations with Fedor Emelianenko’s M-1 Global management team, but didn’t give a clue about the status of Strikeforce’s relationship with CBS, which many assume is dead in the water thanks to the Team Cesar Gracie-Jason Miller brawl that took place during their last telecast in April.

"It’s been quite a long road here with the M-1 camp trying to get this done. I agree with [M-1 director of operations] Evgeni [Kogan] that there’s some light at the end of the tunnel," Coker explained. "We would welcome Fedor to have a long term deal with Strikeforce fighting on Showtime and we’re trying to get this done. It’s not done yet, there’s nothing signed. So really there’s nothing to announce."

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Jay Hieron Signs Up For Bellator’s Season 4 Welterweight Tourney

("I have no idea how I’m going to explain this to my wife. And you know what? I don’t care." Photo courtesy of ESPN.)
Jay Hieron’s stint with Strikeforce has been one kick in the nuts after another. Since debuting last August at Carano vs….

Joe Riggs Jay Hieron Strikeforce
("I have no idea how I’m going to explain this to my wife. And you know what? I don’t care." Photo courtesy of ESPN.)

Jay Hieron‘s stint with Strikeforce has been one kick in the nuts after another. Since debuting last August at Carano vs. Cyborg, the former IFL champ has only competed once more for the promotion, and both of his appearances have been buried on untelevised preliminary cards. He signed with Strikeforce under the impression that he’d be getting a title shot against Nick Diaz — then saw himself get line-jumped by Marius Zaromskis. After he and Strikeforce couldn’t see eye-to-eye this year on contract re-negotiations, Hieron became one of MMA’s most valuable (and frustrated) free-agents.

According to a press release distributed last night, Hieron has decided to take his talents to Bellator for their season 4 welterweight tournament, which is slated to kick off in December and already features such 170-pound standouts as Dan Hornbuckle, Jim Wallhead, and Rick Hawn; the winner of the eight-man bracket will receive a big-ass check (yay!) and a shot at current champ Ben Askren (NOOOO!). Hieron explained his decision like so:

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