Bellator News
Scott Coker says Arlene Blencowe could be next for Cris Cyborg
Adam D Martin - January 26, 2020
Bellator president Scott Coker says that the next opponent for new Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg could be Arlene Blencowe. Cyborg dominated former champ Julia Budd at Bellator 238 to become the promotion’s new 145lbs champion in the women’s featherweight division. As soon as Cyborg got through with Budd the next question fans and media were asking was who will fight Cyborg next.
PHOTO | Darrion Caldwell praises opponent Adam Borics after Bellator 238 victory
Adam D Martin - January 26, 2020
Bellator featherweight contender Darrion Caldwell praised his opponent Adam Borics following his first-round submission victory at Bellator 238. Caldwell and Borics met in the quarterfinals of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix. The oddsmakers actually favored Borics slightly to get his hand raised, but ultimately Caldwell and his vaunted grappling attack proved to be too much for the undefeated Hungarian, and Caldwell was able to get the win and move on to the next round of the featherweight tournament.
PHOTO | Cris Cyborg shows off her four MMA belts
Adam D Martin - January 26, 2020
New Bellator women’s featherweight Cris Cyborg took to social media to share a photo of herself posing with her four belts from major MMA promotions. Cyborg dominated Julia Budd en route to a fourth-round TKO win in her Bellator debut. It was an incredible performance by Cyborg, who displayed her trademark striking and punching power to go along with her underrated grappling game. Budd was game for the fight but ultimately wasn’t in the same class as Cyborg.
Pros react after Cris Cyborg TKO’s Julia Budd at Bellator 238
Natasha Hooper - January 25, 2020
Tonight in the blockbuster main event of Bellator 238, Cris Cyborg challenged the organization’s featherweight champion, Julia Budd. Cyborg announced her departure from the UFC in 2019 due to mounting tensions with Dana White. The pair became embroiled in an ongoing conflict over derogatory comments made about her by White, and contract negotiations. Shortly after her UFC contract finished, Cyborg announced a new multi-fight contract with fellow fighting company, Bellator.
Ryan Bader to defend light heavyweight title at Bellator 243 against Vadim Nemkov
Cole Shelton - January 25, 2020
Ryan Bader will look to defend his light heavyweight title for the first time since November of 2017. On the Bellator 238 broadcast, Bader announced he will battle Vadim Nemkov on May 9 in San Jose, California at Bellator 243. The champ-champ recently revealed he was going to defend the light heavyweight title on social media.
Bellator 238: Budd vs. Cyborg Results and Highlights
Cole Shelton - January 25, 2020
Bellator MMA is in Inglewood, California tonight for Bellator 238 which features the women’s featherweight title on the line as Julia Budd battles Cris Cyborg in the main event. Budd (13-2) is looking to defend her belt for the fourth time and extend her winning streak to 12. She won the inaugural featherweight title back at Bellator 174 with a TKO win over Marloes Coenen. The Canadian has not lost since her fourth professional fight back in 2011 where she was submitted by Ronda Rousey. Her other loss came at the hands of Amanda Nunes.
Curtis Millender plans to make Moses Murrietta 'look like he doesn’t belong'
Cole Shelton - January 24, 2020
Curtis Millender is entering his fight at Bellator 238 fight against Moses Murrietta with a chip on his shoulder. Millender, who was recently released from the UFC, immediately reached out to Bellator to try and sign back with the promotion after fighting for them in 2015 and 2017.
Cris Cyborg looking to make history as MMA's first 'Grand Slam Champion'
Cole Shelton - January 24, 2020
Cris Cyborg knows she will go down as one of the greats but at Bellator 238 she can cement her legacy even more. In the main event, Cyborg is making her Bellator debut and taking on Julia Budd for the featherweight title. Should she win, she would become the first person to win belts in Strikeforce, Invicta, UFC, and Bellator. Or, as Cyborg calls it, a “Grand Slam Champion.”
Curtis Millender says Michael Page has turned him down multiple times, can't wait to 'slap' MVP
Cole Shelton - January 23, 2020
Curtis Millender says he’s been offered a fight with Michael Page numerous times, yet “MVP” has never accepted the fight. Millender is set to return to action against Moses Murrietta at Bellator 238 in his first fight since being released from the UFC. Yet he is not fighting a big name like Michael Page, which he says is because MVP has been ducking him.
Cris Cyborg looks to etch her legacy in stone in Bellator debut
Mike Pendleton - January 23, 2020
At Bellator 238, on Saturday, January 25, Cris Cyborg will challenge Julia Budd for the Bellator featherweight title. When she steps into the Bellator cage for the first time, Cyborg will be adding another world-class MMA promotion to her resume, which already includes the UFC, Invicta FC, and Strikeforce. She will also be re-uniting with her old boss, Scott Coker. Much was made about the relationship between Cyborg and UFC President Dana White as the two were at odds for several years, and didn’t seem to see eye-to-eye when she was with the company. While the UFC was certainly the biggest stage for Cyborg’s global brand, she had already cemented herself as one of the greatest fighters of all-time, and working with a familiar face in Coker should also come with a breath of fresh air.
Streaming this Week: UFC Raleigh, Bellator 238, CES 60
Mike Pendleton - January 22, 2020
As streaming services continue to take over the combat sports industry, there are more and more events being broadcast on platforms like ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN and YouTube. BJPENN.Com’s Streaming this Week series keeps fans up to date on the best combat sports action across the industry’s major streaming platforms.
Keith Lee, brother of Kevin Lee, signs with Bellator
Adam Martin - January 20, 2020
UFC lightweight star Kevin Lee’s younger brother Keith Lee has signed a new, multi-fight contract with Bellator and will make his promotional debut at Bellator 239. Lee’s signing was first revealed by MMAjunkie.com. The younger Lee will take on veteran bantamweight Shawn Bunch in his Bellator debut at Bellator 239, which takes place on February 21 in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
Ryan Bader to defend Bellator light heavyweight title in April
Adam Martin - January 14, 2020
Bellator champ-champ Ryan Bader will take a break from the heavyweight division as he moves back down to light heavyweight to defend his belt there in April. Bader himself announced Tuesday on his Instagram that he will be moving back down to 205lbs to defend his light heavyweight title. An opponent, date, or venue were not disclosed by Bader, but he told fans to expect news soon.
Paul Daley fired from role as Bellator television analyst
Adam D Martin - January 12, 2020
Welterweight contender Paul Daley says that he has been fired from his role as a television analyst for the Bellator MMA promotion. Daley was one of Bellator’s television analysts for its European Series in 2019. However, he will not be continuing in that role in 2020 as “Semtex” himself announced on his Instagram he was fired from the gig. Here’s what Daley told his fans.
Dillon Danis boasts about receiving Bellator ownership stake
Tom Taylor - January 10, 2020
Dillon Danis is now 2-0 in the Bellator cage, and will attempt to boost that record to 3-0 when he takes on Kegan Gennrich at Bellator 238 on January 25. Interestingly, both of his previous fights and his upcoming battle with Gennrich have all been contested at catchweights. Danis claims that’s because, as a part owner of Bellator MMA, he can call the shots.
Dillon Danis claims Khabib Nurmagomedov tried to 'run away' following uppercuts in UFC 229 brawl
Harry Kettle - January 10, 2020
Bellator star Dillon Danis has claimed that Khabib Nurmagomedov attempted to run away in the aftermath of their UFC 229 brawl. The incident, which occurred back in October 2018, began after Nurmagomedov had just submitted Conor McGregor in the fourth round of their main event fight in Las Vegas. Immediately after that, “The Eagle” quite literally went flying out of the cage in an attempt to attack McGregor’s team — specifically Danis.
Jimmy Smith criticizes John McCarthy for MVP vs. Anderson Silva comparisons
Adam Martin - January 9, 2020
Long-time MMA analyst Jimmy Smith criticized Bellator commentator Big John McCarthy for his recent comparison between Michael Page and Anderson Silva. McCarthy has come under scrutiny for his recent comments comparing the early careers of the two. Many fans believe that Bellator has given Page a mostly easy road so far, but McCarthy said that Page’s first 18 career bouts match up well with the first 18 fights that Silva had, despite the evidence suggesting Silva’s road was tougher. Smith saw McCarthy’s comments and said that he does not agree with him.
John McCarthy reiterates argument that 'MVP' fought better competition than Anderson Silva
Adam Martin - January 7, 2020
Bellator commentator Big John McCarthy explained why he recently said Michael Page fought better competition than Anderson Silva during his early career. McCarthy’s comments during the Bellator New Year’s Eve card drew the ire of MMA fans and media, who were quick to criticize McCarthy for his comments that Page fought better competition than Silva during the early parts of both fighters’ careers.