At the end of 2023, a major deal took place in the world of MMA: the PFL promotion acquired Bellator, where Fedor Emelianenko fought, and now his students and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s brother are competing. This is a significant event for the industry because UFC now has a major competitor supported in Saudi Arabia. In early 2024, the PFL league officially completed the acquisition deal of another major American promotion – Bellator. The two main competitors of the UFC have become one entity, and it seems to be a cause for concern for UFC President Dana White. However, the president of the premier league in the world is pretending to be pleased with this news. Use the Melbet promo code when placing bets on fights of a new promotion (or in the “old” UFC).
“One Crappy Organization That Doesn’t Sell Tickets And Nobody Watches Buys Another Crappy Organization That Doesn’t Sell Tickets And Nobody Watches.”
“Sounds like a damn victory for you, guys! Do you think tickets will start selling now? What about TV ratings?” — Sportskeeda quotes White’s words. Indeed, the merging of two powerful promotions is a worrisome sign for Dana White. And here’s why.”
Roster
Both PFL and Bellator had formidable fighters in almost every weight class before the merger. Of course, talk of direct competition with the UFC is premature at this point, as Dana White’s promotion remains the leader, and everyone aims to get there. However, both organizations have strong fighters capable of challenging those in the UFC. Just look at the recent examples. Michael Chandler from Bellator swiftly transitioned to the world’s top league, fought for the belt, and now awaits a bout with UFC’s top star, Conor McGregor. And what about Michael Page’s recent performance? Venom crossed over to Kevin Holland, who has fought many top UFC fighters. And yet, Page wasn’t even a Bellator champion.
Dana White may insist that these leagues aren’t competitors in terms of sporting quality, but if a Grand Prix were held between the champions of the two merged leagues and the UFC champions, the results might surprise many.
Audience Interest
Arguing about audience interest is probably pointless. Certainly, the UFC, having decimated all its competitors, remained essentially a monopoly for a long time. There were, of course, other promotions, but their level can’t be compared to Dana White’s organization. And, of course, over time, viewers got used to the fact that there is the UFC and then a huge gap afterward, so they watch UFC tournaments and attend them. Although far from all of them are exemplary. Look at the upcoming UFC 301 card in Rio de Janeiro – the tournament, in terms of names, doesn’t surpass PFL or Bellator events. They even decided to bring Jose Aldo out of retirement to generate some interest.
Now that PFL and Bellator have merged, they need to attract viewers’ attention with bright collaborations. As was the case, for example, at the end of February at the first tournament featuring champions from both organizations. Mike Tyson presented the belts, and the audience was full of stars, not just from sports. The card was quite serious. If the leagues continue to surprise viewers with such events, come up with new formats, it will certainly pique interest and potentially lure away part of the UFC’s audience.
Plus, let’s not forget that PFL has Francis Ngannou under contract, whose fights gather a huge audience. There’s Jake Paul with his audience, who also wants to fight in mixed martial arts. These two individuals are capable of significantly boosting interest in PFL and Bellator.
Finances
The talk that UFC fighters earn exorbitant sums has long been a myth. Champions receive big paydays from a percentage of the PPV sales, as well as genuine stars of the league, to whom Dana White pays hefty sums. All other fighters, especially those just starting their journey in the world’s best league, earn little. Many even accept a pay cut to join the UFC: in their leagues, from which fighters come to Dana White’s promotion, they are stars and earn more.
There is a feeling that PFL and Bellator will soon be able to compete in this regard as well. Now that the merged leagues are tied to Arab money, it means a lot.
Look at how Saudi money revived interest in professional boxing, how many high-profile fights were organized in Saudi Arabia over the past year, and how many more there will be. And if the sheiks take on PFL and Bellator as vigorously, fighters may start moving from the UFC to these leagues. After all, an athlete’s career is short; everyone wants to earn themselves a comfortable retirement, so with a good contract from the sheiks, it’s entirely possible to lure even top fighters with names and titles into these leagues. Dana White will have to come up with something new to stay at the top of this sport.
Yes, UFC remains the leading promotion in the world. But if Dana White doesn’t pay proper attention to the development of his league and doesn’t take competitors seriously, then, perhaps, shortly, these very competitors will closely approach the UFC.
