Rare pay-per-view event adds to Bellator’s buzz
Bellator still has a future on pay-per-view, though it differs from mixed martial arts’ other top promotion.
Bellator’s second PPV event took place Saturday and featured a mix of familiar names and top prospects. The fight promotion, widely considered the No. 2 MMA organization behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship, offered Bellator NYC at iconic Madison Square Garden.
Despite unexpected results, it set up big fights. It also underscored the different PPV strategies for Bellator and UFC.
The Viacom-owned Bellator is not trying to replicate the UFC’s formula, which includes approximately a dozen major PPV shows a year, with 30 or so smaller events carried by its cable partners and UFC Fight Pass, its digital streaming service.
Bellator, meanwhile, will air 20 or so annual events on Spike, but PPV is still in the plans, according to Bellator President Scott Coker. However, he tells USA TODAY Sports that the next PPV show probably won’t come until the first quarter of 2018 and will remain infrequent offerings. However, he said he was encouraged by Bellator NYC’s success.
“This was the biggest event in the company’s history,” he says. “We’ve got great fighters here, and I think people are seeing the talent on this roster. ... This is a worthy (organization), and we’re right there at the top, too.”
He says Bellator is focused on being a fan- and fighter-friendly organization with its own matchmaking style and production. Its biggest event to date wasn’t perfect but had stunning outcomes and viral moments, both of which help justify a $50 price tag for a product otherwise available for free on basic cable.
Bellator NYC, though, had a stacked lineup, which helped draw an announced attendance of 12,133. Fight-hype specialist Chael Sonnen (29-15-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) earned a decision win against longtime rival Wanderlei Silva (35-13-1, 0-1) in the headliner, and heavy-handed Matt Mitrione (12-5, 3-0) scored a 74-second win vs. heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 0-1) in a co-headliner that featured a rare double knockdown. Two new champs were crowned in three title fights, and unheralded Zach Freeman (9-2, 1-0) submitted highly touted lightweight prospect Aaron Pico (0-1, 0-1) in 24 seconds.
They weren’t all the best outcomes for Bellator’s matchmakers or marketing team, but the unexpected results created buzz and garnered fans’ attention.
“It’s such an exciting time to be a fan of MMA,” Sonnen says. “I thought the card as a whole was outstanding. ... We did some pretty good business.”
Although Bellator made its de- but in 2009, the product has taken its current form only recently under Coker, who was named president in June 2014. The longtime combat-sports promoter knows how to put on an extravagant event, as his company roster attests.
“There’s more to come,” says Mitrione, whose bout with Emelianenko quickly became a viral hit. “They know what they’re doing. We’re leading the industry now, so now it’s (a matter of ) what they can do to lead from the front, not chase from the back.”
The UFC comparisons are likely to remain, but Coker is focused on Bellator’s own progress.
“People can compare us to whoever,” Coker says. “At the end of the day, we are an organization that’s come a long way in three years. We have record ratings, record sponsors, record international distribution. It’s owned by Viacom. That’s one of the biggest media conglomerates in the world. It’s one of the most powerful. It’s a good day when you have that kind of support.”