Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) was an American mixed martial arts promotion founded in 2008 by Bjorn Rebney and operated until 2025. The promotion takes its name from bellātor, the Latin word for "warrior". Bellator's first event was in 2009, and the promotion held 313 "numbered" events. Bellator was considered the second largest MMA promotion in the United States, and one of the largest combat sport promotions in the world. Paramount Global (formerly Viacom) purchased majority ownership of Bellator from Rebney in 2011, with Paramount's television networks serving as the promotion's media broadcasters in the United States. On November 20, 2023, after then-broadcast home Showtime announced the discontinuation of its sports division, Bellator MMA was acquired by the Professional Fighters League (PFL).