(This story was published in today’s print edition of USA TODAY.) TEMECULA, Calif. – As leaders of the chief rival to the UFC, Bellator officials are tasked with building a roster of athletes capable of challenging the current MMA leader for fans’ attention. After signing a lucrative distribution deal with streaming service DAZN (pronounced “da zone”), Viacom-owned Bellator will have some added resources in that battle. “This deal will enable the roster to be able to expand, and an expanded roster means bigger fights,” Paramount Network president Kevin Kay said. “It means we’ll be able to give our best fighters more opportunities to do what they do best – so more fights that the fans want to see. Everybody wins.” Bellator officials this week announced a “nine-figure, multi-year distribution deal” with DAZN – a sports streaming service that already operates in Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland – ahead of a late-summer U.S.
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