For the second time in six months, Bellator MMA will be moving their TV location within the Viacom family.
Mauro Ranallo, Bellator president Scott Coker and Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza made the announcement Tuesday that Bellator will be moving to Showtime exclusively in the U.S. starting on Friday, April 2nd the kickoff for three straight weeks of events. Coker said a big announcement for the European market is coming on Thursday or Friday.
This will be the first time the premium cable network will host MMA since the final Strikeforce show on January 12, 2013, before the organization folded into the UFC. The events will be live on Fridays starting at 9 PM Eastern.
Bellator MMA on Tuesday revealed that Showtime would be the new home of the fight promotion, beginning with its re-start on April 2.
The new partnership puts Bellator on Friday nights, just after the promotion had moved to CBS Sports on Thursday nights during the tail end of 2020.
So why did the Showtime move come so soon after the move to CBS Sports?
“When you look at the trajectory of Bellator, who they’ve been able to sign as free agents, their ability to build new stars and contribute to the sport, the time just felt right for us to combine forces,” said Stephen Espinoza, President of Showtime Sports. “Bellator has matured and elevated itself to a point where it now belongs on a premium television network.”