Bellator Brand Dissolves in 2025

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) will officially dissolve the Bellator brand, which it acquired in 2023, merging it into its own operations as of 2025. The PFL plans to replace its regular season format with single-elimination tournaments, marking a significant structural change. The final event under the Bellator name will feature Usman Nurmagomedov defending his lightweight title against Paul Hughes on January 25th, 2025, in Dubai. The newly branded 'PFL Champions Series' will focus on title fights for PFL divisional titles, though details on how champions will be crowned remain unclear. This restructuring follows a period of uncertainty after several Bellator events were canceled or lost their main events in 2024. The changes reflect PFL's ambition to enhance its standing in the MMA world, despite reactions from fighters frustrated by inactivity and seeking release from their contracts.