Scott Coker confirms Bellator looking for partner, PFL 'definitely in the conversation'
CHICAGO – The rumors just might be true.
Bellator president Scott Coker confirmed Thursday to MMA Junkie and other reporters that the promotion and parent company Viacom are exploring options for a potential business partnership. Additionally, Coker confirmed that rival promotion PFL is one of the companies in discussion.
“We’ve been out there,” Coker said following Bellator 297 ceremonial faceoffs. “Bellator has been looking to take a partner. That’s really been Viacom that’s been handling that. So we’ll see where that nets out. We’ll probably have some clarity in the next 60 to 90 days.”
“… (PFL) is definitely in the conversation. There’s a couple conversations going on right now with Viacom and other companies. PFL is definitely one of them.”
There’s been much buzz about a potential sale and/or merger in recent months since a YouTube video posted by The Todd Atkins Show surfaced on social media. But Thursday was the first time Coker or anyone from Bellator confirmed some truth to it. UFC president Dana White recently mentioned he’d heard of the potential sale, too, during a post-fight news conference after one of his events.
Coker declined to go into further detail, saying a deal would have to be figured out first.
“Let’s just wait to see what happens,” Coker said. “It could go a lot of different ways.”‘
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.