Spike TV will become the new home for Bellator starting in 2013. According to a new USA Today report, Viacom — the parent company of MTV Networks — has purchased a majority stake in Bellator Fighting Championships, signaling the official end to their six-year relationship with the UFC.
CEO Bjorn Rebney will remain in charge of Bellator. Speaking about the Viacom deal with USA Today, he said: “It puts all of those cornerstones of ownership in place for us, which is something that’s been so seriously lacking in the MMA space with so many different companies, including Strikeforce and the IFL and Affliction and all the different failures that have occurred…It alleviates those issues…It’s a very, very good day for mixed martial arts as a whole, because now you have two groups in the space that have a very substantial presence that obviously isn’t going to go anywhere for a very, very long time.”
(Well, well, well…)
Spike TV will become the new home for Bellator starting in 2013. According to a new USA Today report, Viacom — the parent company of MTV Networks — has purchased a majority stake in Bellator Fighting Championships, signaling the official end to their six-year relationship with the UFC.
CEO Bjorn Rebney will remain in charge of Bellator. Speaking about the Viacom deal with USA Today, he said: “It puts all of those cornerstones of ownership in place for us, which is something that’s been so seriously lacking in the MMA space with so many different companies, including Strikeforce and the IFL and Affliction and all the different failures that have occurred…It alleviates those issues…It’s a very, very good day for mixed martial arts as a whole, because now you have two groups in the space that have a very substantial presence that obviously isn’t going to go anywhere for a very, very long time.”
According to the terms of their current contract, Spike will broadcast new UFC content through this December, but the channel also reserves the rights to the promotion’s library of fights through 2012. As a result, Bellator events won’t air on Spike until 2013, which means Bellator has another year of main cards on MTV2 and prelims on the SpikeTV website. After that, Spike will broadcast two seasons of Bellator events per year, and expects to run additional Bellator-related content both on TV and online.
Spike TV president Kevin Kay sees the move as a positive change in the way the channel handles its MMA business: “We had a great relationship with UFC and we still do. We helped each other to build each other’s brand. Like all good things, you know that at some point it’s going to come to an end…As we realized that our relationship with UFC was likely to come to an end, our Viacom mergers and acquisitions folks, and us, started to have conversations with MTV2 about getting invested in a mixed martial arts promotion and become owners as opposed to renters. You’re building value in something that you own, and you own it for the long term. You’re not in a constant state of negotiation.”
And the increased exposure for Bellator isn’t lost on its fighters either. Said lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez: “They’ll have a ton of more money to negotiate with. As long as I keep doing well and do what I’m supposed to do, the future looks bright…I’m smiling ear-to-ear right now. I couldn’t be any happier. Endorsements are hard to come by when you’re on ESPN Deportes and these other smaller channels.”
For more details on the Viacom/Bellator purchase, visit USA Today.
Bellator Fighting Championships announced today that lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (22-2) has suffered an undisclosed injury and has been forced to pull out of an October 15 title bout with undefeated Season 4 lightweight tournament winner Michael Chandler (8-0) that was slated for Bellator 54 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
In spite of the setback, Bellator chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney is optimistic that Alvarez will defend his belt in the fall, but wouldn’t say whether or not Chandler will wait in the champ to heal.
(Photo courtesy of Bellator)
Bellator Fighting Championships announced today that lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (22-2) has suffered an undisclosed injury and has been forced to pull out of an October 15 title bout with undefeated Season 4 lightweight tournament winner Michael Chandler (8-0) that was slated for Bellator 54 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
In spite of the setback, Bellator chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney is optimistic that Alvarez will defend his belt in the fall, but wouldn’t say whether or not Chandler will wait in the champ to heal.
“Eddie suffered an injury that will keep him out of our October 15th show at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City,” said Rebney. “Eddie Alvarez has a huge heart and if there was any way for him to fight on the 15th, I know he would. Ed’s in spectacular condition, so both of us are hopeful that this fight can potentially still occur later this fall.”
The prelims of the card, which will feature the semifinals of Bellator’s middleweight tournament, as well as Bellator Bantamweight Champion Zack Makovsky in a non-title super fight against former UFC veteran Ryan Roberts, will be broadcast on Spike TV at 7 p.m. ET, while the main card will air at 9 p.m. ET on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX.
Apparently Renato “Babalu” Sobral is a free agent. Otherwise, Bellator wouldn’t be talking to the former UFC light heavyweight contender about possibly facing its middleweight champ, Hector Lombard.
According to Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, his promotion has been involved in talks with Sobral’s camp to sign the 36-9 submission specialist for a non-title bout with Lombard (30-2-1, 1 NC) at Bellator 58 on November 19, but nothing is set in stone. Strangely, the promoter still announced that the bout was in the works, which could simply be a tactic to pressure Babalu, who has only fought twice in the past two years, into signing on the dotted line.
“I’ve been a big ‘Babalu’ fan for a lot of years,” Rebney told MMAJunkie. “They weren’t really on our radar, but then they reached out to us and opened the door and asked for a few things. We agreed to all of them. … But now we’re siting back and waiting. We haven’t heard anything back from them in three or four days.”
(“Publicity stunt, you say? What’s that?”)
Apparently Renato “Babalu” Sobral is a free agent. Otherwise, Bellator wouldn’t be talking to the former UFC light heavyweight contender about possibly facing its middleweight champ, Hector Lombard.
According to Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, his promotion has been involved in talks with Sobral’s camp to sign the 36-9 submission specialist for a non-title bout with Lombard (30-2-1, 1 NC) at Bellator 58 on November 19, but nothing is set in stone. Strangely, the promoter still announced that the bout was in the works, which could simply be a tactic to pressure Babalu, who has only fought twice in the past two years, into signing on the dotted line.
“I’ve been a big ‘Babalu’ fan for a lot of years,” Rebney told MMAJunkie. “They weren’t really on our radar, but then they reached out to us and opened the door and asked for a few things. We agreed to all of them. … But now we’re siting back and waiting. We haven’t heard anything back from them in three or four days.”
Lombard says he’s ready and willing to fight Babalu and says that he has no problem fighting above his middleweight class for a fight of that caliber, in spite of the fact that he hasn’t fought at 205 in more than five years.
“I got a call from Bjorn … and he talked to me about the situation that ‘Babalu’ wanted to fight me. He wanted the fight at 205 pounds. I said, ‘I’m here to fight. Let’s just make the fight happen as soon as possible,’” Lombard explained. “It wouldn’t be one of the easiest fights of my career. But he’s got a good name.”
Let’s hope this isn’t another “We made the offer. Now the ball’s in Scott Coker’s court,” type of deal as was the case in the ballyhooed Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez bout that never happened. Babalu is a guy who always comes to fight, wherever the action goes and Lombard is a nasty fighter, so there’s a pretty good chance this bout could deliver. Don’t leave us hanging, Bjorn. Pick up the phone and get it done. Not like the Lombard-Filho bout we’re still waiting on. Okay, not really, but you get the picture.
The event, which is scheduled for the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida and will be broadcast on MTV2 will also feature the final round bouts from Bellator’s Season 5 tournament as well as the promotional debut of Shooto’s 183-pound South American champion, Carlos Alexandre Pereira.
Before this year started, Bellator was considered an upstart contender trying to squeeze in between the UFC and Strikeforce. By the time it ends it will be the only American competition the UFC has.Bellator had a stroke of luck this year when the…
Before this year started, Bellator was considered an upstart contender trying to squeeze in between the UFC and Strikeforce. By the time it ends it will be the only American competition the UFC has.
Bellator had a stroke of luck this year when the UFC shockingly bought Strikeforce and essentially wiped out their other competitor. This left Bellator as the second and only option for fighters who wanted to remain on TV.
Then Spike TV finally had their contract with the UFC run out and started televising fights on their website from Bellator events that don’t make it onto MTV2.
All in all the company might have found a niche as the second best mixed martial arts organization when all is said and done.
However, they will never challenge the UFC the way Strikeforce could.
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has put in the time required for a Mixed Martial Arts organization to find success. Rebney works 18-hour days and the organization’s recent agreement to air preliminary action live and free on Spike.com is a testament to…
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has put in the time required for a Mixed Martial Arts organization to find success.
Rebney works 18-hour days and the organization’s recent agreement to air preliminary action live and free on Spike.com is a testament to his hard work.
Bellator 49, which takes place tonight at New Jersey’s Caesars Atlantic City, will be the inaugural event for the Spike.com stream which begins at 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT).
Additionally, tonight’s action will air in high-definition on EPIX and MTV 2 at 9:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. PT) and kicks off the opening round of the organization’s welterweight tournament.
Prior to yesterday’s Bellator 49 weigh-ins Rebney spoke with BleacherReport.com regarding the event, Spike.com and the organization’s young stars.
B/R: Congratulations on the prelims being aired on Spike.com, how nice is it to have the preliminary action being aired for the Mixed Martial Arts world to see?
Bjorn Rebney: “It’s awesome, absolutely awesome. You and I know it, you look at Spike (and) you see the name, you see the brand, it’s anonymous with Mixed Martial Arts and it’s where the vast majority of us have gone since 2005 to watch Mixed Martial Arts. It’s the reason what you and I believe is the greatest sport on the face of the earth is crossed over into the general market.
“You think MMA, you think Spike so to be on Spike.com for the preliminary fights for two-full hours and to be associated with that spectacular brand is just an awesome addition to what we’re doing with MTV 2 under that MTV networks umbrella. Now, what we’re doing in HD every week, every Saturday night on Epix, it’s a very powerful way for fans to see four-hours of really spectacular Bellator content, going from Spike.com to MTV 2 and Epix. It’s very exciting to be connected and attached to a brand that has that kind of equity and the space.”
B/R: Bellator 49 features the opening round of the welterweight-tournament, with Ben Saunders, Dan Hornbuckle, Douglas Lima, and others slated to compete. It appears that fans are in for a full night of excitement…
Bjorn Rebney: “I think that when you’re looking at a tournament, whether it’s in basketball, or Bellator, Mixed Martial Arts fighting, or whether it’s in soccer, or whatever your sport is you’re hoping for a tournament where there are a group of world class fighters and not a prohibitive favorite. Where you can walk into any game and think ‘Hey, I’m going to get a great game out of it, or hey, I’m walking into this fight and I can potentially get an amazing fight out of it.’
“I think when you look down this fight, the (Chris) Lozano – (Brent) Weedman fight has potential (and) spectacular nature written all over it. The Luis Santos versus Dan Hornbuckle fight, I’ve said it many times it boils down to does Dan Hornbuckle show up or does the “Handler” show up? If the “Handler” shows up against Luis Santos, we could have a fight of the night candidate on our hands. If Dan Hornbuckle shows up against Luis Santos, I think Dan could be in for a very long night. That fight potentially could be something amazing. Lima is really the top prospect in the world at 170 pounds and he’s going to have his hands full with Steve Carl. What’s not fun about Ben Saunders versus Chris Cisneros, stylistically that’s going to be a stand up battle for as long as it lasts. So, I’m pretty excited and I think we have the potential for something pretty special.”
B/R: With the aforementioned matchups on the docket for tomorrow night, is there a particular fight that you’re looking forward to seeing as a fan?
Bjorn Rebney: “The one as a fan when I take the CEO hat off that I’m really looking forward to seeing is Luis Santos versus Dan Hornbuckle and like I said, ‘I hope against hope that the fight is Santos versus the “Handler”, because I know what the Handler can do, because I saw him fight for years before he came to Bellator. Dan had an initial few fights in the tournaments for us a year and a half ago and has not been a great roll as of late.
“But I do know what the “Handler” is capable of and if the “Handler” re-emerges then with his style and the way he puts kicks together, the way he puts punches together, and what he can do on the ground versus Luis Santos, who I know is in very high, very aggressive level right now then it has the makings for an incredible fight. But I don’t think the Dan we’ve seen over the last few fights is a guy who can stand in there with Luis Santos. So, I’m very, very interested in seeing what happens in that fight. That’s kind of the one I’m looking at going ‘Wow, this could be an amazing fight.’
B/R: You’re at Caesar’s in Atlantic City for this event, what has the atmosphere in the city been like leading up to tomorrow’s night action?
Bjorn Rebney: “It’s been great, if you’re here at Caesar’s in Atlantic City, you’re in the greater Philadelphia area or anywhere around New Jersey, I think there’s about 100 tickets left (and) we’re very, very close to a sell out, so people should come down. A lot of posters, a lot of billboards on the highway, a lot of excitement around the fights, (and) a lot of fight fans hanging around the lobby talking to the guys and getting autographs and pictures.
“It’s an exciting environment and there’s a lot of big fight action going on in Atlantic City this weekend. I think there’s an HBO here fight at Boardwalk Hall where we’ll be on October 15 for Eddie’s (Alvarez) fight against Mike Chandler and obviously our show that’s live on Epix and MTV 2. So, (there’s) a big excitement level and a very educated fan base.”
B/R: Your job is primarily to build the Bellator brand and to produce great shows with world class fighters like Eddie Alvarez, Ben Askren and Michael Chandler. What’s it like for you to see Bellator and the fighters continuing to grow and achieve success?
Bjorn Rebney: “It’s awesome, you hit dead center on it, guys like Mike Chandler who came to us with very few fights but have absolutely, unlimited potential, a crazy work ethic, and almost a sponge like ability to gather information and tools in this game of Mixed Martial Arts. If you would’ve asked me when Mike Chandler was going into the finals of the most recent lightweight tournament that he was going to stand and strike with Patricky “Pitbull”, who many people in the MMA space were saying is one of the most dangerous strikers in the world at 155, I would’ve bet the house that he would use his strikes to set up his take-downs and go in for a double leg, put him on his back, and try to win the fight. Chandler’s maturation in this game is like the maturation of Bellator, it’s been at such a fast level and it’s been so dramatic that he actually out-struck Patricky “Pitbull” in that fight. If you watched the fight, it’s kind of awe-inspiring that a guy who up until about three years ago had never hit anyone in the face intentionally in combat sports. He’d been a wrestler, gone through “Mizzou”, an elite collegiate level guy, but had really no striking experience in the game and to progress to that level and out-strike a guy who’s been hitting and kicking people in the face at a world class level since he was a kid is just shocking.
“Also, look at Pat Curran, if there ever is anyone that is a poster fighter for what Bellator can do for a fighter’s career and the opportunity it can provide it’s Pat Curran. He goes in 18 months ago in a lightweight tournament and he got in only because Jeff Curran begged me for a spot for Pat. He said that he wouldn’t disappoint and that if I ever trusted anything he’s said I should believe him that Pat was the real deal.
“Pat goes in and knocks out Mike Ricci, who supposed to be the next GSP (Georges St. Pierre) out of Canada, then beats Roger Huerta in an absolute must win fight for Huerta, then beats Toby Imada wins the lightweight tournament, and faces Eddie Alvarez, goes five rounds against a guy who I feel is the most dangerous puncher in the world at 155 pounds. Then drops to 145 pounds and continues to elevate his game and knocks out Marlon Sandro, who going into that fight was the No. 5 ranked featherweight on earth.
“To watch these guys progress and become some of the best in the world under this banner is awesome, it’s an awesome thing to see.
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Bellator is really stepping up their game with these promo videos. VidProps: BellatorMMA/YouTube
Well this is interesting: following in the pioneering steps of the UFC, Bellator is announcing that they will begin streaming the undercard fights on the series of tubes known as the internet.
That’s not the interesting part. The interesting part is who they’re partnering with: Spike. Yep, those guys.
According to a press release sent to the CagePotato Desk for Serious Journalism, You Guys (not actually a real place), the undercard fights will go live on Spike.com at 7pm ET as a lead-in for the main card broadcasts on MTV2 starting at 9pm. As we reported last week, the main cards will also be broadcast in HD on EPIX, which we personally confirmed is a extant channel that wasn’t made up by some Viacom dude with a stupid-long job title.
The press release included a quote from some Viacom dude (Executive Vice President, Digital Entertainment, MTV Networks Entertainment Group), a guy by the name of Erik Flannigan:
“Fight fans have been coming to our site for years for great mixed martial arts clips and information,” said Flannigan. “Now we are thrilled to provide them with action-packed live fighting each week.”
Bellator is really stepping up their game with these promo videos. VidProps: BellatorMMA/YouTube
Well this is interesting: following in the pioneering steps of the UFC, Bellator is announcing that they will begin streaming the undercard fights on the series of tubes known as the internet.
That’s not the interesting part. The interesting part is who they’re partnering with: Spike. Yep, those guys.
According to a press release sent to the CagePotato Desk for Serious Journalism, You Guys (not actually a real place), the undercard fights will go live on Spike.com at 7pm ET as a lead-in for the main card broadcasts on MTV2 starting with the season premiere this Saturday at 9pm. As we reported last week, the main cards will also be broadcast in HD on EPIX, which we personally confirmed is a extant channel that wasn’t made up by some Viacom dude with a stupid-long job title.
The press release included a quote from some Viacom dude (Executive Vice President, Digital Entertainment, MTV Networks Entertainment Group), a guy by the name of Erik Flannigan:
“Fight fans have been coming to our site for years for great mixed martial arts clips and information,” said Flannigan. “Now we are thrilled to provide them with action-packed live fighting each week.”
“We are thrilled to join forces with Spike.com,” said Bellator head honcho Bjorn Rebney. “The Spike brand is synonymous with mixed martial arts worldwide and is another member of the MTV family, who does an incredible job in resonating with the hard-to-reach 18-to-34-year-old male audience.”
Now, call us crazy, but it seems like that move from MTV2 to Spike that everybody says is happening for Bellator, but Rebney denies every chance he gets – it’s happening. Rebney and company are slowly backing in to this whole Spike transition, all the while saying, “No, us? Move to Spike? We love MTV, and MTV loves us. Why should we move? We just left our toothbrush at Spike’s house totally by accident. Hey, can you help us move some furniture around this weekend?”
That’s how it starts. First it’s just a toothbrush, maybe some body wash. Next thing MTV knows, Bellator is staying out all night, not calling, always claiming to be busy. Then one day they see Bellator wearing one of Spike’s old button down shirts and everyone is talking about how good they look since the two split up.
We just hope MTV can move on in a mature way, but you know they’ll probably just throw themselves at their old flame.
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has put in the time required for a Mixed Martial Arts organization to find success.