How to watch Bellator Paris: Bader vs Kongo 2 online

Bellator Paris (also known as Bellator 280) will take place at Paris’ Accor Arena on May 6. The preliminary card will begin at 16:00 ET/PT (21:00 BST) but the fight everyone’s talking about is the rematch between Ryan Bader and Cheick Kongo. After an accidental eye poke led to a no contest in their first meeting, Kongo is hoping that he’ll finally be able to take the Bellator Heavyweight title on Friday night. Below, we’ll explain how to watch Bellator Paris live online.

High-profile sporting events like this one are often available via unofficial sources. However, we advise against using these. Putting aside the legal implications, these streams tend to be very low-quality, and may even be taken down for copyright infringement partway through. Besides, you can watch Bader vs Kongo 2 for free in several countries, making third-party streams all but pointless.

Bellator Paris will only be shown on geo-blocked streaming platforms. If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll likely need a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to continue using your usual services. 

How to stream Bellator Paris online from abroad

VPNs enhance your privacy by encrypting your traffic and sending it through a server somewhere else in the world. Of course, this second part also allows us to regain access to our favorite services as we travel. Here’s how to stream Bellator Paris from anywhere, even abroad:

1. The first step is choosing a suitable VPN. We recommend NordVPN although Surfshark and ExpressVPN are great for streaming as well.
2. Download the VPN app and install it on any device you use for streaming. Most providers let you secure around five devices at a time.
3. Log in and choose a server in your home country. This changes your IP address, making it seem like you never left.
4. Now visit whichever service is showing Bellator Paris in your home country. You should be able to stream as normal, with no errors. Having trouble? Clearing your cookies and reloading the page should solve the most common problems.

The Bader vs Kongo rematch will be broadcast live. For this reason, we recommend spending a few minutes making sure your VPN works as expected ahead of time. All of the services we’ve mentioned above include free 24/7 live chat, so getting help is quick and easy.

How to watch Bader vs Kongo 2 for free on US TV

This event will air exclusively on Showtime in the US. If your cable plan already includes this channel, you’ll be able to stream Bellator 280 live on the Showtime website without paying a single cent extra. The whole event will be added to Showtime’s on-demand catalog the next day.

To watch Bellator Paris without cable, you’ll have to sign up for a Showtime account. Normally, these would cost $3.99 (GBP £3.18) per month, but there’s a 30-day free trial included. This means you can create an account, stream the fight, then just cancel to avoid being charged.

Showtime is only available in the US. That said, you can use an American VPN server to access it while traveling. NordVPN comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee, making it perfect for this. If you’re unsatisfied (or just don’t need a VPN after the fight), you can cancel and claim a full refund.

Where else can I watch Bellator Paris online?

International fans needn’t worry since Bellator Paris: Bader vs Kongo 2 will be broadcast outside of the US as well. Here’s a quick rundown of which networks are showing this event where you are:

UK

In the UK, BBC Three is the home of Bellator MMA. The best part is that you can stream every single event (including Bader vs Kongo 2) for free using BBC iPlayer. You will have to create an account first, but this is easy enough. Note that while BBC iPlayer asks you to enter a postcode, there’s no verification in place, so you can type any valid postal code.

It’s also worth mentioning that BBC iPlayer is a little different from most other streaming services. While you’re usually allowed to stream on-demand content without a TV license, the law requires you to have a TV license if you watch anything on BBC iPlayer. The site itself doesn’t always tell you this before you begin, so it’s easy to accidentally overlook.

BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Still, you can stream it while traveling by connecting to a British VPN server.

Australia

Bellator Paris will also be shown, free of charge, in Australia. MMA fans can tune into Channel 10 at 06:00 AEST to stream all of the fights live. If you’d like to watch online, you’ll need a 10play account, but creating one of these only takes a second. Fancy a lie in? No problem: the event will be available on-demand shortly after it finishes airing, so you can watch it at a time that better suits you.

10play is region locked, so you’ll need a VPN to continue streaming it while traveling abroad.

Who’s the favorite: Bader or Kongo?

At the time of writing, Ryan Bader is around a -260 favorite. There are a couple of likely reasons for this. Firstly, he’s the first two-weight champion Bellator has ever seen, and still the Heavyweight champion. He has a better win ratio too, with 29 wins to seven losses, versus Kongo’s 31 to 11. What’s more, Bader is a medal-winning wrestler who has no problem winning a standup fight if it comes to that.

Kongo would not have made it this far if he didn’t stand a chance, though. He’s extremely versatile, at one time becoming Muay Thai world champion and just recently submitting Kharitonov with a rear-naked choke. However this fight turns out, it’s sure to be one worth watching.

Bellator Paris: full fight card