Bjorn Rebney


Bjorn Rebney is an American businessman who served as chairman and chief executive officer of Bellator MMA from 2008 until June of 2014.

Background

Rebney attended Ohio University on a football scholarship and then attended law school. Rebney did legal work in construction-defect then moved to the sports-law firm Steinberg Moorad & Dunn. Rebney is Jewish.

Bellator MMA

Rebney's passion was for Mixed Martial Arts, which made him decide to start a MMA promotion. In his search for investors to fund his idea of a promotion, Rebney had sixty-one investor meetings within 16 months. To fund these trips to meet with investors and fighters, Rebney spent his savings and took out a second and third mortgage on his home. In Rebney's 62nd meeting with investors, he met executives at Plainfield Asset Management, who were familiar with the sport from prior meetings with management of EliteXC and the International Fight League who looked for capital to stay in business. After a follow-up meeting in New York, Plainfield agreed to provide the capital, which led to the creation of Bellator Fighting Championships.
In October 2011, television and media conglomerate Viacom purchased majority ownership of Bellator. Despite the company no longer being under Rebney's ownership, he remained president of the company until June 18, 2014, when it was announced by Viacom that Rebney had been removed from his position and would no longer have anything to do with Bellator. He was replaced by former Strikeforce president and CEO Scott Coker.

MMAAA

In 2016, Rebney was chosen as an advisor to the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association.

Personal life

Rebney's father is Jack Rebney, a viral video star who became the subject of the documentary Winnebago Man.
Rebney is married to Huma Gruaz, an advertising and public relations executive. The couple have two children, Jonathan and Celine.