Bellator's deal with FOX Sports Latin America moved up to 2014

This past September, Bellator MMA announced a new television partnership with FOX Sports Latin America that was set to begin in 2015.

But now that timetable has been moved up drastically – to Friday, and the promotion’s Season 10 premiere at Bellator 110.

The revised deal will put all of Bellator’s 2014 live programming on FOX Sports Latin America, and the deal will extend into Brazil, as well.

“When we saw the initial incredible response to our announcement of the Bellator/FOX Latin America alliance, coupled with the ratings from FOX’s first live broadcast in Latin America, we knew we had to figure out a way to have our fans throughout Latin America receive all of our live fights as quickly as possible,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. “The team at FOX Sports have been tremendous partners to work with, and I am really pleased to announce that our spectacular 10th season and beyond will be able to be seen live throughout Latin America for many years to come on FOX.”

“Bellator 110: Rampage vs. M’Pumbu,” takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and sees MMA superstar Quinton Jackson face Christian M’Pumbu in a light-heavyweight tournament semifinal bout in the evening’s headliner.

Prior to the initial announcement of the partnership with FOX Sports 1 this past fall, Bellator’s previous involvement with FOX was centered on the domestic TV market. The promotion’s second season aired on FOX Sports Net.

But the pairing of the two companies was intriguing because Bellator’s chief competitor, the UFC, has a seven-year TV deal with the FOX family of networks that started in 2012.

With its eighth season, starting in 2013, the Viacom-owned Bellator started a deal with Spike TV, also owned by Viacom. Its live events air on Spike TV with prelims that stream on Spike.com.

“We couldn’t have been happier with this new alliance,” stated Francisco Pazmino, senior vice president for programming and acquisitions of FOX Sports Latin America. “We are extremely excited to start our partnership a year earlier than expected. The response in the region has been fantastic. Live Bellator MMA fights will certainly strengthen our FOX Combat brand positioning by offering our viewers the most exciting MMA fights combined with other great combat content currently airing on our networks in the region.”

For more on Bellator 110, stay tuned to the MMA Events section of the site.