Bellator MMA has extended its broadcast deal with the BBC which will see BBC iPlayer remain the exclusive home in the UK for all of the MMA promotion.
Following on from a ‘successful’ two-year media rights partnership, every Bellator event of 2023 will be available to watch live and on demand, with this including all UK, European and international shows.
Head of BELLATOR Europe, David Green, commented: “We’ve enjoyed an incredibly successful relationship with the BBC to date, so we’re delighted to announce the renewal of this deal which has made world class MMA action more accessible than ever to fans in the UK.
“Our 2023 calendar shows the promotion is incredibly strong and we’re excited to continue bringing all our events and this amazing sport to as many people in the UK as possible with the BBC.”
The deal means sports fans in the UK will be able to watch stars such as Ryan Bader, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Johnny Eblen, Usman Nurmagomedov, Cris “Cyborg,” and Yaroslav Amosov plus British stars such as Michael “Venom” Page and Fabian Edwards.
“The new deal represents a continued commitment from the BBC to show Bellator events across its platform as the sport of MMA continues to make huge strides in the UK,” the group said in a statement.
“BELLATOR will continue to benefit from increased prominence across BBC Sport’s digital platforms such as the BBC Sport website and app.”
The renewal comes ahead of Bellator’s return to Dublin’s 3Arena this Saturday for the welterweight unification match between BELLATOR Welterweight World Champion Yaroslav Amosov and interim titleholder Logan Storley.
President of BELLATOR MMA, Scott Coker, added: “MMA has never been in a better place in the UK and I’m very proud of the impact we as a promotion have had there. We’re excited by our growth in European markets like the UK and to have the continued support of the BBC as we bring the sport to more people than ever.”
