More than 13 years and nearly 300 events into its existence, Bellator MMA continues to provide mixed martial arts fans across the globe with a viable second option to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Bellator launched under founder Bjorn Rebney with Bellator 1 on April 3, 2009 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, doing so with a tournament format that put a premium on grand prix-style competition in various weight classes. The company has undergone multiple facelifts in the ensuing years. Now under the command of former Strikeforce frontman Scott Coker, Bellator appears poised for success well into this decade in beyond, having hitched its wagon to mixed martial artists like Patricio Freire, A.