The MMA community was struck with monumental news on Monday when PFL officially announced its purchase of Bellator.
After months of rumors and speculation, PFL publicly revealed terms of the deal to take over control of Bellator beginning in 2024, with plans to run the promotion’s independently in the near future, but with the ability to share fighters and more intriguing details.
The industry-shifting announcement generated reactions across the board, from fans to fighters to executives and more.
Check below for the top social media reactions to PFL’s purchase of Bellator.
Donn Davis
New MMA Global Powerhouse@PFLMMA acquires @Bellator
Our Fighter Roster Equal To UFC – Both 30% Top 25 World Ranked FIghters
PFL Launch Reimagined Bellator – Bellator International Champions Series
Mega-Event For Fans In 2024 – PFL Champs vs. Bellator Champs pic.twitter.com/Ma4YUl4AUi
— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) November 20, 2023
PFL
Bellator
Brett Okamoto
PFL has acquired Bellator, per the promotion and chairman Donn Davis. Bellator will continue as a separate “reimagined” brand in 2024. All Bellator fighters will be “available to compete in PFL fight franchises.”
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 20, 2023
Jake Paul
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz3677zM5Ly
Sean O’Connell
Randy Costa
Josh Thomson
Excited for the fighters and the new challenges they’ll face with the merging of rosters. What fights do you wanna see them make first? https://t.co/gcRpXnRUna
— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) November 20, 2023
Jake Paul
John S. Nash
“The combined PFL Bellator roster now has 30 per cent of its fighters who are ranked top 25 in the world by Fight Matrix. That’s the same as UFC has in their roster.”
Going to have to double check this later, but I’m almost positive this isn’t true. https://t.co/aaq6rQvlmA— John S. Nash (@heynottheface) November 20, 2023
Fight Ghost
PFL over complicating things again. Championship series, PFL vs. Bellator, blah blah blah. Stop trying to outdo the UFC with wild ideas. Hopefully some of these great Bellator fighters eventually end up in the UFC. PFL is going to have a lot of these guys sitting on the shelf.
— Fight Ghost (@Fight_Ghost) November 20, 2023
Matehus Aquino
Whatever happens next to @BellatorMMA, I hope the great crew behind the scenes keep their jobs. They do an amazing work and treat fighters with the utmost respect.
— Matheus Aquino (@MatheusDCAquino) November 20, 2023
Dan Hardy
Luke Thomas
Mike Bohn
Megan Anderson
Josh Gross
Bellator’s roster is good but unfairly maligned.
PFL’s roster has bright spots but lots of holes to fill.
Even if rosters are combined, the entrenched fan impression is only UFC matters.
Meanwhile, fighters now have one less real option to negotiate deals with.
Big time TBD.
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) November 20, 2023