Bellator News
Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou reveals that he's close to signing to next MMA promotion: "We are very close"
Josh Evanoff - March 15, 2023
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has revealed that he will sign with PFL or ONE Championship. ‘The Predator’ walked out of the UFC in January, as he declined to re-sign after fighting out his contract. As a result, the promotion stripped Ngannou of his title, and later set Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight championship.
Former lightweight champion Benson Henderson hoping for UFC Hall of Fame induction: "I would definitely appreciate it"
Josh Evanoff - March 13, 2023
Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson is hoping he’ll make the Hall of Fame. ‘Smooth’ returned to the cage over the weekend at Bellator 292. The former UFC champion faced the undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov in the main event, with the goal of handing him his first loss. Prior to the bout, Henderson revealed his plans to win the tournament, and then retire.
Bellator President Scott Coker gives update on Goiti Yamauchi following grotesque knee injury
Fernando Quiles - March 12, 2023
Goiti Yamauchi suffered a nasty knee injury at the conclusion of his Bellator 292 scrap with Michael Page. Yamauchi and Page shared the cage inside the SAP Center in San Jose, California. This one only last 26 seconds as Page landed a leg kick that totaled Yamauchi’s knee for the TKO finish. It was not a pretty sight, and it was quite clear that Yamauchi suffered an injury that will keep him out of action for a while.
Bellator 292 Results: Usman Nurmagomedov stops Benson Henderson in Round 1 (Video)
Chris Taylor - March 10, 2023
Usman Nurmagomedov puts his lightweight title on the line against former UFC champion Benson Henderson in tonight’s Bellator 292 main event. Nurmagomedov (17-0 MMA) will be returning to action for the first time since claiming the lightweight world title with a unanimous decision victory over Patricky Pitbull. The Russian phenom has gone 5-0 since joining the Bellator ranks in April of 2021.
Benson Henderson reveals plans to retire at end of Bellator lightweight tournament as champion: "That would be a dream come true"
Josh Evanoff - March 9, 2023
Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson is planning on ending his career soon. ‘Smooth’ has been out of action since his win over Peter Queally last September. That victory was a big one for the former champion, as it was his second in a row. Henderson had previously upset the massively favored Islam Mamedov earlier in the year.
Scott Coker says many Bellator champions are better than UFC titleholders: "That's how I feel"
Fernando Quiles - February 26, 2023
Bellator President Scott Coker believes that a slew of champions under his banner are better than the UFC’s titleholders. Coker and UFC President Dana White aren’t exactly bitter enemies, but the two have thrown verbal jabs at one another. In a 2018 lawsuit deposition, White said every promotion Coker touches has failed.
"Of course" Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov thinks he's best welterweight in the world
Fernando Quiles - February 26, 2023
Bellator Welterweight Champion Yaroslav Amosov believes he’s the clear-cut best 170-pounder in the world. Amosov is fresh off a dominant unanimous decision victory over Logan Storley to successfully retain the Bellator gold. Former UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman was building a reputation as the best welterweight in the world by a large margin, but after he was knocked out by Leon Edwards back in August 2022, the gap has been closing for some fans and experts.
Former Bellator lightweight champion Brent Primus added to Grand Prix after Sidney Outlaw tests positive for three banned substances
Josh Evanoff - February 21, 2023
Former Bellator champion Brent Primus is heading to the lightweight Grand Prix. The 37-year-old has been out of action since a unanimous decision defeat to Alexander Shabliy last June. That defeat was a brutal one for Primus, as it sent any title shot plans down the drain for the former titleholder. It also helped keep him out of the upcoming lightweight Grand Prix.
Ryan Bader hoping to face Francis Ngannou next to prove legitimacy as champion: "To to go out there and beat him, and there’s no question I'm legit"
Josh Evanoff - February 7, 2023
Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader is hoping that he can share the cage with Francis Ngannou. ‘Darth’ returned over the weekend in the main event of Bellator 290. In the headliner, Bader faced Fedor Emelianenko in a rematch of their 2019 meeting. In the finals of the Bellator heavyweight Grand Prix four years prior, ‘The Last Emperor’ lost by first-round stoppage.
Bellator champion Johnny Eblen believes he would beat Alex Pereira "ten times out of ten" in possible fight: "He would have had to start wrestling 10 years ago"
Josh Evanoff - February 7, 2023
Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen feels good about a fight against Alex Pereira. ‘The Human Cheat Code’ returned to the cage over the weekend in the co-main event of Bellator 290. At the event, Eblen looked to make his first title defense since capturing the middleweight gold against Gegard Mousasi last June.
Ryan Bader hits back at reported payout against Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 290: "I wouldn’t be fighting if I was making that"
Josh Evanoff - February 6, 2023
Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader made much more than reported on Saturday night. ‘Darth’ returned over the weekend at Bellator 290 against Fedor Emelianenko. The bout was actually a rematch of their prior clash in the finals of the Bellator heavyweight Grand Prix. In that January 2019 outing, Bader won by first-round knockout.
Josh Thomson responds to backlash over the disclosed fight purses for Bellator 290 fighters: “The is not anywhere near what they really make”
Susan Cox - February 6, 2023
Josh Thomson is responding to the backlash over the disclosed fight purses for Bellator 290 fighters. Bellator 290 took place this past weekend, Saturday, February 4th at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California where the main event featured heavyweights Ryan Bader (31-7 MMA) and Fedor Emelianenko (40-7 MMA) battle it out in the cage. The outcome was a first round TKO victory for ‘Darth’. The two had previously met back in 2019 at Bellator 214 where Bader was also the victor.