(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. launch. Seven Bellator events per year will stream exclusively on DAZN, while another 15 fight cards will be simulcast on the promotion’s current television partner, Paramount.

The deal comes on the heels of DAZN’s recent agreement with Matchroom Boxing, reportedly worth $1 billion, bolstering a combat sports lineup that CEO James Rushton believes is a “must-have” for fight fans.

“We’re proud to be disruptive,” Rushton said. “We’re going to change the game, and we’re going to change the landscape of mixed martial arts here in the U.S.”

Rushton said pricing for the service in the U.S. is still being determined and that a late-August launch date is currently planned.

The first DAZN-exclusive Bellator card takes place Sept. 29 in San Jose, Calif. Welterweight champion Rory MacDonald (20-4 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) moves up a division to face middleweight title holder Gegard Mousasi (44-6-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) in the main event. Both are ranked in the top three in their respective divisions in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA junkie MMA rankings.

Bellator officials are bullish on what the new deal will mean not only for global exposure to new fans but also working capital to chase talent for the promotion’s roster.

“With the DAZN investment, it gives us even more opportunity to pursue the right fighters for Bellator,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “We will be aggressive. We will be smart. Some fighters will fit; some fighters won’t. Keep in mind, at the end of the day, it’s the fans that give us our report card. At the end of the day, we’re going to put on the fights that the fans want to see.

“I promise you, this is going to continue to grow.”

For more on the upcoming Bellator schedule, visit the MMA Rumors section of the site.