PFL did not pay Bellator any cash in massive takeover, says Donn Davis in surprising revelation

The PFL-Bellator deal has forever changed the MMA landscape and marks the latest attempt from a state-side promotion to rival the UFC. But what are the details of the PFL-Bellator buyout? How much cash did the promotion shell out in its acquisition of Bellator? The answer, as fans will learn, is stunning.

During an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, the promotion's founder, Donn Davis, revealed that they, in fact, paid nothing to acquire Bellator's assets, at least in terms of cash. Instead, Paramount Global—Bellator's former parent company—was given PFL stock, enabling it to maintain minority ownership.

"I think what they saw with PFL was an opportunity to be part of a leading company going forward. So this was a stock deal, not a cash deal. They're a small, minority owner going forward. So, instead, they said, 'Boy, we don't really wanna sell low. We wanna sell low and have an opportunity to make it high.' And so, therefore, the deal was made."

It's a remarkable deal, given that no cash was exchanged in the process. Given the amount of capital the promotion has expended over the year, including signing former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to a monumental contract, acquiring Bellator at no cost, cash-wise, was a favorable outcome.

Fans will be curious regarding the UFC's response to the deal, especially UFC CEO Dana White, who previously criticized both rival promotions for being unprofitable in his estimation. This also injects a large influx of fighters for the likes of Ngannou to face, which was a concern previously expressed by the promotion.

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When will Francis Nagnnou fight for the PFL?

After Francis Ngannou's impressive performance against heavyweight boxing great Tyson Fury in the latter's athletic backyard, many wondered what the Cameroonian knockout artist's next step would be. Specifically, many were curious about his return to MMA after having a relatively successful excursion to boxing.

Recently, Ngannou revealed that his next bout will be another boxing match, likely against either Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury in a rematch. But what of his MMA return? As of yet, there is no official date. However, it has been reported that he will take part in an MMA bout next year in 2024.