President Scott Coker announces major deal for Bellator MMA, including European shows.
Paramount Network (formerly Spike TV) has been the home to find Bellator MMA for the last half decade. Moving forward, that will be the case no more. On Friday, Bellator head Scott Coker announced via press conference that Bellator has signed a deal with CBS Sports Network that will begin on October 1 2020. The best part of this deal will be that all events will be airing on real (live) time, which west coast and international fans will be excited about.
During Friday’s press conference, ahead of Bellator 245, Coker also confirmed and announced multiple future dates including the first ever mixed martial arts event in Paris, France. The future schedule looks like this:
October 1 — Milan, Italy: Paul Daley Vs. Derek Anderson
October 10 — Paris, France: Tim Johnson Vs. Cheick Kongo II
October 15 — Uncasville, CT: Cris Cyborg Vs. Arlene Blencowe
October 29 — Uncasville, CT: Douglas Lima Vs. Gegard Mousasi
This deal broadcast deal is huge for Bellator. As the current #2 in the world for mixed martial arts, being on a top sports network with live broadcasts is a major move. As for holding the first-ever MMA show in France, that is something all promotions have been fighting for, and Bellator won. The France show will also serve as the first Bellator MMA event to allow fans to attend, with 25% capacity at the venue in Paris (roughly 5,000 spectators).
Also announced Friday, the Dublin, Ireland card that had been set for October 3 has been cancelled.
