"If you're not first, you're last."
That may have been true for Talladega Nights' Ricky Bobby, but not for Bellator Fighting Championships.
In a fight world that is mostly controlled by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Strikeforce parent-company Zuffa, there is a constant war among the other promotions for the second tier.
The top of the totem pole is taken. You can love the UFC or hate it, but in the mixed martial arts (MMA) universe, it is king.
You could argue that the second spot down is also tightly secured by Strikeforce. At that sentiment, I'd have to pat you on the head sweetly, hand you a piece of hard candy and send you away smiling with the delightful notion that Strikeforce has any kind of long-term future.
You keep on believing that if you want to. Just eat the candy.
So why is Bellator in the position that it currently resides? What have they (captained by promotion president Bjorn Rebney) done that the Titan Fighting Championships and BAMMAs of the world have not?
First off, there's the television deal with MTV2.
MTV2 isn't a top level network. It just isn't. It is the red-headed step-child of the Viacom networks. People forget it exists sometimes. In most markets, it does not air in a high definition (HD) format.
Here's the thing: Through their partnership with MTV2, Bellator has gained regular viewership. That is key among growing a fanbase. It's like a constant reminder that says: "Hey! We're here! Don't forget about us!"
If you believe the rumors, Bellator may even be working their way up a rung on the ladder by taking the UFC's slot on Spike TV when they (UFC) move on to greener pastures. That's all speculation at the moment.
Either way, the regular appearance factor can't be overlooked. They have a presence. People can watch for free and keep learning about who they are as a promotion.
Which brings me to the next reason Bellator continues to climb the charts.
Bellator's TV production has continued to improve with each broadcast.
I watched Bellator's first MTV2 televised card. It wasn't atrocious, but it wasn't great, either. The production quality was lacking. There were way too many commercials and not enough fight content. They had a long way to go.
It still isn't top notch. Not yet anyway. But it's getting there. They've been steadily improving the slickness and the cohesiveness of how it's all put together. Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smith do a very serviceable job. Their chemistry has only gotten better and the way they work fights has been increasingly enjoyable to listen to (in my opinion).
They keep improving their roster of fighters.
As time has gone on, Bjorn Rebney has really put together an impressive stable of talent for his company. With fighters like Hector Lombard, Eddie Alvarez, Joe Warren, Ben Askren, The Pitbull Brothers, Marlon Sandro and Cole Konrad (just to name a few), they've really developed an impressive bunch of names.
Somehow, they've also managed to hold on to those names. Unlike a lot of other smaller fight promotions, Bellator spotlights their bigger personas and really works hard to make them want to stay. Bjorn Rebney doesn't treat it like a foregone conclusion that his champions are moving on.
So far, they haven't.
The tournament format is exciting.
People like tournaments. I know I do. Somehow, they've managed to (for the most part) avoid the injury bug in the process. Their first real snag in the rug came recently with last season's featherweight tournament champion Patricio "Pitbull" Friere becoming injured and unable to fight current featherweight belt holder Joe Warren. They should still be okay, though, and that fight (Pitbull vs. Warren) should still end up taking place later this Fall.
They haven't awakened the giant.
Bellator has made no effort to be number one. Just about everyone who has done that has ended up being squashed (er...absorbed) by Zuffa. It's wise to leave that platform alone. There's nothing wrong with second place. There's money to be made there.
Truthfully, Zuffa could probably care less about Bellator. They're not hurting them or their numbers. Bellator has wisely never once counter-programmed a Zuffa event (at least during their time with MTV2). The closest they've ever come to stealing a prospective Zuffa-signee came when Bellator recently acquired top featherweight Marlon Sandro. I have to believe that if the UFC had really made a strong move for Sandro, he'd be currently fighting in the Octagon.
by Kevin Haggerty
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