Thoughts on Viacom's acquisition of Bellator

The recent acquisition of Bellator by Viacom is great news for MMA. Viacom owns a number of brands including MTV2, Spike TV and Paramount Pictures. This doesn't necessarily make Bellator an immediate competitor to the UFC but Viacom's deep pockets can allow them to acquire some big name fighters and grow the brand to be a serious alternative for fighters and fans alike. Viacom plans to move Bellator from its current home at MTV2 to Spike TV in 2013. Spike TV will use its experience from helping to develop the UFC brand with The Ultimate Fighter reality TV series to grow the Bellator brand and with the uncertain future of Strikeforce, Viacoms's majority stake gives Bellator Fighting Championship the stability MMA needs to move forward as a sport.

Geoff Peacock
ProFighting-Fans.com Guest Writer