Bjorn Rebney and president/COO Tim Danaher out at Bellator immediately according to Spike TV press release

Spike TV just sent out a press release that Bjorn Rebney and president/COO Tim Danaher are leaving the organization "effective immediately."
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 18, 2014

It'll be interesting to find out the details once they start unfolding.

A lot of MMA fans think it'll be Scott Coker stepping in as the main man over at Bellator, now that his "sit-and-wait" time frame with Zuffa has expired.

Apparently there was some friction regarding a difference “in our views on the right strategic direction,” as Rebney was quoted.

There was also a comment by Rebney stating; “It is with bittersweet emotions that I announce that I am leaving the company I founded.”

It sounds like either a "hostile" take-over by shareholders, or that Rebney willingly sold the company.

Rumors are now true. Rebney out at Bellator. Press release pic pic.twitter.com/lEXSP41n8M
— Mark La Monica (@LaMonicaMark) June 18, 2014

Big rumor is Scott Coker to replace Bjorn Rebney at Bellator. If true, is it a bigger loss or bigger gain for Bellator and MMA as a whole?
— Mark La Monica (@LaMonicaMark) June 18, 2014

This is interesting... apparently there's some talk that Coker was already brought into the Bellator organization :

Updated: Bjorn Rebney out at Bellator, Scott Coker to replace him?

Wednesday, 18 June 2014 04:33

By Josh Nason, Wrestling Observer

MMA journalist Josh Gross tweeted late Tuesday night that according to sources, former Strikeforce owner/CEO Scott Coker has been brought into Bellator and that current CEO/founder Bjorn Rebney might be on the way out.

Spike TV made it official Wednesday morning, sending out a press release announcing that Rebney and president/COO Tim Danaher are leaving the organization, effective immediately.

After being part of Strikeforce's sale to Zuffa back in 2011, Coker hasn't been seen much, if at all, since UFC closed the doors on the promotion in January 2013. Coker's contract with Zuffa ended three months ago, leaving him open to move on with his career.

Rebney, who founded the promotion in 2007, has become somewhat of a lightning rod at times for MMA fans, catching criticism for hanging onto the tournament format, signing older stars like Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz, his infamous legal battles with current lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, and more. However, he did help take the promotion from ESPN Deportes to MTV2 to Spike with 25 events a year without having a plethora of major stars.

Bellator's next event is scheduled for July 25.

More on this later today and tonight.

http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/99-other-mma/37546-updated-bjorn-rebney-out-at-bellator-scott-coker-to-replace-him

Here's that tweet from last night by Gross :

Heard big rumblings all day re: @BellatorMMA. I'm told @cokersf has joined the promotion. Multiple sources say announcement is imminent.
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) June 18, 2014

Wow!!! We need to do a show on this.

In a statement this a.m., @SpikeTV confirms @BjornRebney and Tim Danaher are leaving their positions w/ @BellatorMMA effective immediately.
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) June 18, 2014

Nothing in the release about Scott Coker replacing Rebney, though I suspect it'll be made official today or tomorrow.
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) June 18, 2014

DGfishingtime wrote:: Wow!!! We need to do a show on this.

Yeah we do... things are still a bit up in the air with who will be replacing them.

I didn't realize that Viacom owned a controlling percentage of shares of Bellator, but that's apparently who's pulling all of the strings.

Rich Davie wrote:

DGfishingtime wrote:: Wow!!! We need to do a show on this.

Yeah we do... things are still a bit up in the air with who will be replacing them.

I didn't realize that Viacom owned a controlling percentage of shares of Bellator, but that's apparently who's pulling all of the strings.

Why wouldn't they? Bellator wouldn't be on Spike without Viacom. You know how they were with the UFC. They obviously made sure to buy up part of the company so that didn't happen again.

After the UFC signed their seven-year broadcast deal with the FOX Broadcasting Company, the Viacom side of the Bellator organization purchased a majority stake and apparently the controlling shares of Bellator in late 2011.