Bellator News
Ben Askren trolls Bellator for having no 2021 events currently scheduled
Adam Martin - January 4, 2021
Former Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren trolled his former promotion for not having any events booked for its 2021 schedule yet. The calendar just turned to 2021 and Bellator is looking to keep up its momentum after a strong end to 2020 following a long break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once Bellator returned to action in the summer, the promotion ran events from a bubble at the Mohegan and finished strong with a number of the promotion’s biggest stars fighting. Ahead of the 2021 season, Bellator has created more excitement by signing several big-name free agents.
Tito Ortiz, Josh Barnett campaign for fight with retiring Fedor Emelianenko
Tom Taylor - January 4, 2021
Tito Ortiz and Josh Barnett have both expressed interest in fighting Fedor Emelianenko in the Russian legend’s final mixed martial arts bout. Emelianenko, 44, is expected to retire after his next bout, which will occur under the Bellator MMA banner.
Dana White updates on Nick Diaz comeback: "I don’t think anyone should want to see him fight"
Tom Taylor - December 31, 2020
UFC President Dana White has provided an update on the potential Octagon return of former Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz in 2021. Diaz, one of the most popular fighters in MMA history, has not fought since a 2015 no contest with Anderson Silva, but began teasing a 2021 comeback earlier this year.
Cris Cyborg teases "big news soon" in Bellator
Adam Martin - December 29, 2020
Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg teased her fans on social media that she has “big news soon” as Bellator heads into 2021. Taking to her social media ahead of the new year, Cyborg teased her fans that she has big news coming soon, all while tagging Bellator in the post, indicating a fight announcement. Check out what the Brazilian wrote on her social media below.
Scott Coker says social media support made him sign Yoel Romero to Bellator
Adam D Martin - December 27, 2020
Bellator president Scott Coker says that social media support made him sign former UFC star Yoel Romero to a contract with his organization. Coker and Bellator initially passed on signing Romero after the UFC released him earlier this month. Citing a younger roster as the reason for not bringing in Romero into his promotion, Coker said that Bellator wasn’t interested in signing him. However, after Bellator signed former UFC light heavyweight title contender Anthony Johnson a few days later, Coker did an about-face and signed Romero to a contract.
Bellator signs judo ace Irina Alekseeva, also known as the "Russian Ronda"
Adam D Martin - December 27, 2020
Bellator has signed judo ace Irina Alekseeva, who is also known as the “Russian Ronda,” to a new contract according to her management team. Brian Butler-Au of SuckerPunch Entertainment recently announced that Alekseeva will be taking her talents to Bellator. Check out the official announcement from Butler-Au below.
Scott Coker considers legal action after Ben Askren suggests Bellator is up for sale
Adam Martin - December 23, 2020
Bellator president Scott Coker says he is considering legal action after Ben Askren suggested on social media that Bellator is up for sale. On Tuesday, Askren confirmed BJPenn.com that he will be taking on Jake Paul in a boxing match in early 2021. Coker was later being asked about his thoughts on that fight, and he predicted that Paul will knock Askren out, a comment that led Askren to fire back and take to his social media to suggest that Bellator is up for sale. Check out the comments that Askren made on his Twitter on Wednesday about Bellator potentially being up for sale.
Scott Coker: "I already know who’s gonna win" Ben Askren vs. Jake Paul fight
Tom Taylor - December 23, 2020
Bellator MMA President Scott Coker believes he knows how a rumored boxing match between Ben Askren and Jake Paul will go down. Askren claims that he’s in talks to fight Paul in March. While he previously reigned as the Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight titleholder and is a decorated wrestler, he’s never been much of a striker, and is widely expected to be at a disadvantage in a boxing match against the YouTube star turned pro boxer, Paul.
Scott Coker sees an Anthony Pettis vs. Michael 'Venom' Page fight as 'a lot of fun'
Drake Riggs - December 22, 2020
Going into UFC Vegas 17 this past Saturday, former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis knew that he was heading into free agency. As of Tuesday, “Showtime” took to social media to declare that he will, in fact, be departing from the promotion that he’s spent the last 10 years of his career in. Prepared to test the waters of free agency, many in the MMA community have already begun speculating where he could be headed and who some new matchups could be.
Jake Paul slams "coward" Dillon Danis for being scared to fight him and turning down a "life-changing offer"
Cole Shelton - December 21, 2020
Jake Paul doesn’t believe that Dillon Danis actually wants to fight him. Paul and Danis have been taken shots at one another as of late and many fans hoped we would seem the box one another. Bellator president, Scott Coker also said he would allow Danis to box the 23-year-old YouTuber, but according to Paul, the fight offer was never returned.
Video | Watch Jake Paul ambush Dillon Danis from a new angle
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
New footage has emerged of YouTube star Jake Paul pelting Bellator MMA’s Dillon Danis with water balloons and rolls of toilet paper in LA earlier this week. Paul, who became a star on YouTube, recently burst into the combat sports limelight by knocking out former NBA player Nate Robinson on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. undercard.
Anthony Johnson shares his thoughts on a potential scrap with Yoel Romero
Cole Shelton - December 16, 2020
Anthony Johnson isn’t sure where Yoel Romero got his information from that it is 90 percent likely they will fight one another in their debuts. Both Johnson and Romero parted ways with the UFC and signed with Bellator this month and both men will fight at light heavyweight. Immediately, fans called for them to fight one another and even Romero said it is likely. “Rumble,” however, hasn’t heard any of that talk but is open to the fight.
Yoel Romero explains what led to "completely unexpected" UFC release
Tom Taylor - December 16, 2020
Former UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero has opened up on the events that led to his release from the promotion, calling the ordeal “completely unexpected.” Romero was a member of the UFC roster from 2013 until just a few weeks ago. For the majority of his time with the promotion, he stood at out as one of the top middleweights in the world.
Yoel Romero says Bellator debut against Anthony Johnson is "a huge possibility"
Tom Taylor - December 16, 2020
Former UFC middleweight title challenger Yoel Romero says there’s “a huge possibility” he’ll fight Anthony Johnson in his Bellator debut. Romero and Johnson both called the UFC home for many years, however, both fighters recently landed on the Bellator roster.
Bellator’s Anthony Johnson and Ryan Bader set to rematch on short-notice at SUG 19
Harry Kettle - December 16, 2020
Bellator stars Anthony Johnson and Ryan Bader are set to meet in a short notice grappling match at Submission Underground 19. Bader will be stepping in on short notice to take on Johnson as a replacement for Fabricio Werdum. The two men have actually met before in a professional MMA bout, and on that occasion back in January 2016, Johnson scored a knockout win inside the first two minutes of the fight.
Dillon Danis reacts after falling victim to drive-by attack from Jake Paul
Drake Riggs - December 16, 2020
Dillon Danis found himself on the receiving end of a little surprise via Jake Paul in the middle of an interview on Tuesday. Drama within this current state of internet celebrity boxing ramped up significantly this week after the recent news of Floyd Mayweather’s return. The reason for that being because the 50-0 all-time legend’s opponent to be is the 25-year old YouTube sensation, Logan Paul.
Video | Jake Paul ambushes "p*ssy" Dillon Danis in Los Angeles drive-by
Tom Taylor - December 15, 2020
Jake Paul just took his feud with Dillon Danis—and thereby Conor McGregor—to a whole new level by ambushing the Bellator MMA star in Los Angeles. Paul, who became a star on YouTube, recently burst into the combat sports limelight by knocking out former NBA star Nate Robinson on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. undercard.
Jake Paul ducked Yoel Romero fight, claims manager
Tom Taylor - December 15, 2020
MMA manager Malki Kawa claims YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul turned down a fight with one of his star clients, Yoel Romero. Paul has been the talk of the combat sports world after he picked up a brutal knockout victory over former NBA star Nate Robinson on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. undercard last month.