Dana White, the UFC CEO, was in high spirits after the conclusion of UFC Austin at the post-fight press conference. The promotion awarded a total of $500,000 in bonuses for the event, which featured 9 finishes, 8 Performance of the Night bonuses, and 1 Fight of the Night bonus.
During the post-fight press conference, Dana White was asked about the recent merger of Bellator MMA with the PFL and the comments of PFL executives who now claim PFL to be on par with the UFC. White had an interesting interaction with the reporter who asked the question.
Dana White talks on PFL’s purchase of Bellator
The PFL recently acquired Bellator MMA after the recent closure of Showtime Sports by the parent company, Paramount. The merger took place after Bellator completed the Bellator 301 PPV and was considered a massive move in MMA, where the UFC reigns supreme as the premier MMA promotion.
The PFL has significant plans for 2024, as discussed by Donn Davis, the PFL chairman, in his appearance on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. Before the merger, they already signed former UFC champion Francis Ngannou and acclaimed kickboxer Cedric Doumbe, who made his debut at PFL Europe 3.
Dana White reacts to PFL's "f*cking hilarious" purchase of Bellator.
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) December 3, 2023
"One sh*tty organization that sells no tickets and nobody watches, buys another sh*tty organization that sells no tickets and nobody watches. Sounds like a f*cking winner to me." pic.twitter.com/IK51yAQyhA
White was asked to comment about the merger at the press conference after the conclusion of UFC Austin. “One sh*tty organization that sells no tickets and nobody watches, buys another sh*tty organization that sells no tickets and nobody watches,” said White sarcastically. Sounds like a f*cking winner to me,” White further added degrading the move.
The PFL has ambitious plans for 2024 as they hope to make a special rule fight between Francis Ngannou and Deontay Wilder in addition to Jake Paul’s MMA debut against Nate Diaz. Nevertheless, Dana White was extremely critical of the move and even bashed the two promotions citing their apparent lower ratings and ticker sales.
How much did PFL pay to purchase Bellator?
The exact financial terms of the purchase of Bellator MMA by PFL are not revealed as of yet. However, even before the news of the purchase was announced, there were rumors that the PFL acquired Bellator for something close to $500,000,000. Yet, in the interview with Donn Davis by Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, the price was hinted at being close to $100,000,000.
However, the deal is not made in cash but in stock. Paramount remains a minority shareholder in the PFL. The PFL recently secured a $100,000,000 investment from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. The move was then criticized by UFC CEO Dana White, who warned fellow MMA promoters to be cautious when doing business with foreign entities in the Middle East.
Twitter Reacts To PFL-Bellator Merger https://t.co/iYRIuPMsNt
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) November 20, 2023
The UFC has a history of merging with rival competitors. Dana White spearheaded the merger of Pride Fighting Championships, Strikeforce, and World Extreme Cagefighting into the UFC. All the aforementioned organizations were potential rivals to the UFC and were shrewdly acquired by Dana White and the Fertita brothers.
Nevertheless, the merger of Bellator MMA with PFL has both negative and positive connotations. On one hand, it can rival the UFC as the premier MMA promotion in the world. However, on the other hand, there is one less promotion for fighters to compete in, bringing forth the topic of fighter pay and benefits.
Do you think the PFL is a rival for Dana White and the UFC?
