Donn Davis, the founder of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), felt that it was necessary to acquire their rival promotion Bellator MMA in order to enhance the quality and depth of the athlete roster, despite the two brands remaining separate under the new deal.
Donn Davis, founder of PFL, viewed the acquisition of Bellator as a necessity to provide more and better quality athletes for the league. Despite facing potential deal-breaking moments, the acquisition was finally made official and Bellator will now operate separately as the Bellator International Champion Series, emphasizing one-off fights instead of the PFL’s season format. Davis detailed the potential for fighters to crossover between the two promotions, offering a more suitable format for certain athletes.
Davis proposed the possibility of Bellator securing its own TV deal and expressed his desire to formulate a new TV deal for PFL following the 2023 season. He also emphasized a fan-centric approach and expressed his eagerness to see a potential PFL vs. Bellator card as early as February. Davis also expressed his desire to see a highly anticipated fight between Kayla Harrison and Cris Cyborg, potentially on a pay-per-view event next year.
Regarding the leadership of Bellator, Davis mentioned that Scott Coker will continue to oversee operations for the time being. He expressed his desire to continue working with Coker and indicated that they will likely solidify their ongoing arrangement before Christmas.