Bellator announced on Thursday that it has landed a television deal with U.K. broadcast network, Viacom-owned 5*. It will air next week’s card, Bellator 131, which will feature Tito Ortiz facing Stephan Bonnar.
Via Bellator press release:
The highly-anticipated “Bellator 131: Tito vs. Bonnar” fight card will air in the U.K. on Sunday, November 16 at 9pm on Viacom’s 5*. This marks the first time a Bellator event will air on the popular British broadcast network.
“We are very pleased to have one of the UK’s most popular free-to-air networks airing one of the biggest fights of the year,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “With Tito Ortiz, Stephan Bonnar, Michael Chandler, Will Brooks, King Mo and Melvin Manhoef all featured on this card, our friends in the UK are in for an unforgettable, action-packed night. We look forward to making Bellator an MMA fixture for our fans in the UK.”
“Bellator 131: Tito vs. Bonnar” will feature one of the biggest grudge matches in the sport as MMA icons Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz and “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar battle at light heavyweight, while San Diego’s own Michael Chandler faces Will Brooks for the Bellator Lightweight Title. The event takes place at the San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center and will broadcast LIVE in the U.S. on Saturday, November 15 at 9:00pm.
Payout Perspective:
The UK channel’s demo targets youth so Bellator hopes that next Saturday’s event will grab some of that demo in hopes of returning consumers. Clearly, the Viacom connection helped with this deal. No word on future telecasts airing on the network although one might assume that if it does well next Saturday, there will be more Bellator in the UK.
i bet tops is doing jumping jacks with pink pig
That’ll be the prelim fighters paychecks accounted for, good to see Bellator doing it the right way.
Nobody watches C5 let alone 5* in the UK. Least watched of 5 main fta terrestrial channels. The C5 broadcast of UFC Fight Night London at the O2 did good numbets but was terrible. Hope they just use the American feed. Think it might have put many viewers of MMA (the BT Sport broadcast was better)
C5 makes sense for FTA broadcast of UFC, but very few people know about Bellator here. Doubt it will attract many casuals.
Still, more fta MMA hete is good. Shame it’s not live.