'Bellator is dead': PFL implementing several major changes to 2025 season

Uncrowned

Mon, 13 Jan 2025, 1:56 pm·2-min read

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 09: Bellator Grand Prix belt is shown during the Bellator 296 press conference inside Gustave Eiffel Lounge on May 9, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by José Prestes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) — The writing was on the wall for Bellator after it was acquired by PFL in 2023. (José Prestes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The end of Bellator was imminent after PFL acquired it in late 2023.

Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani reported Monday on "The Ariel Helwani Show" that the Bellator brand is officially "dead." It will now be known as the "PFL Champions Series," featuring title fights for PFL divisional titles.

"Right now I can tell you, on Monday, Jan. 13, at 1:20 p.m. Eastern time: Bellator is dead," Helwani said. "Bellator as we know it is no more. Bellator is dead. You will not see Bellator events anymore."

Bellator, as we know it, is no more. You will not see any more Bellator events. Also, there are some changes being made to the structure of PFL.

Here's what we know so far ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/HYp5IkzLJi
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 13, 2025

Those titles will be separate from PFL's traditional season tournament format, where six divisional champions are crowned throughout four fights in one calendar year.

Uncrowned confirmed this past Wednesday that the previous $1 million prize money for a seasonal tournament victory will now be $500,000, starting with the 2025 season. The $500,000 prize comes in addition to fighter-specific contracts.

Imagine being the champion of an organization chilling on the couch and your wife walks in and tells you "did you see this? Bellator is dead now?"... and all you can do is shrug your shoulders in confusion.... CUZ you still haven't heard a thing. Lol
Yeaaaah, that was me.
— Corey 'Overtime' Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) January 13, 2025

Whether or not a PFL tournament win guarantees a title shot against these new PFL champions is unknown at the time of this writing; how these new, separate PFL champions will be crowned is also unknown. PFL Europe and MENA aren't affected by any of these changes.

PFL's first event of the year will presumably see the final Bellator title fight in MMA history on Jan. 25. Reigning lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will defend his title against Paul Hughes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on what's currently titled "Road to Dubai: Champions Series."

PFL announced Monday that U.S. viewers will be able to watch that event live on streaming service Max.

The PFL season is expected to feature six to eight divisions, eight fighters and two alternates per division. Historically, PFL has never held more than six divisional tournaments. Unlike the previous point system, tournaments will now be single elimination — win and advance, lose and go home.