Ryan Bader News
Ryan Bader issues statement after smashing Lyoto Machida at Bellator 256
Adam Martin - April 11, 2021
Bellator light heavyweight contender Ryan Bader issued a statement after smashing Lyoto Machida in the main event of Bellator 256. Bader is part of the eight-man Bellator World Light Heavyweight Grand Prix bracket. In the first fight in the tournament quarterfinals, Bader took on Machida in the Bellator 256 headliner. It was a rematch of the pair’s first fight back at UFC on FOX 4: Shogun vs. Vera in August 2012, a fight that Machida won via KO. This time around, however, the fight was completely dominant for his opponent as Bader won a clear unanimous decision. Though Machida did well in the first round with his striking and won that round on the judges’ scorecards, he was outwrestled the rest of the way as he lost four rounds to one.
Bellator 256 Results: Ryan Bader gets his revenge on Lyoto Machida (Highlights)
Chris Taylor - April 9, 2021
Ryan Bader and Lyoto Machida will rematch in the headliner of tonight’s Bellator 256 event. The bout will serve as part of the opening round of Bellator’s light heavyweight tournament.
Ryan Bader unwilling to vacate heavyweight title, suggests Bellator make an interim belt
Harry Kettle - April 8, 2021
Ryan Bader isn’t willing to vacate his Bellator Heavyweight Championship as he prepares to enter the promotion’s light heavyweight tournament. Bader has been one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in Bellator for a few years now and while he may be moving into the twilight of his career, it definitely feels like he has the chance to cause some real damage in the aforementioned tournament.
Ryan Bader won't be stripped of Bellator heavyweight title, says Scott Coker
Adam D Martin - February 10, 2021
Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader will not be stripped of his title, according to Bellator president Scott Coker at Tuesday’s presser. The promotion officially announced the eight-man, Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix tournament. In one of the quarterfinal matchups, Bader takes on Lyoto Machida in a rematch. On paper, that’s a fun fight and having Bader included in the tournament is a good thing. However, while he competes to win back his old light heavyweight title in the bracket, Bader is temporarily holding up heavyweight. He’s still the champion and has no plans to give up his belt.
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.
Ryan Bader issues statement following KO loss to Vadim Nemkov at Bellator 244
Adam Martin - August 23, 2020
Former Bellator light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader has released a statement following his brutal TKO loss to Vadim Nemkov. Bader saw his eight-fight unbeaten streak snapped at the hands of Nemkov, who brutally finished Bader in stunning fashion in the main event of Bellator 244. After dropping Bader with a high kick, Nemkov was able to unload punches until the referee was forced to step in and stop the fight, crowning Nemkov as the new Bellator light heavyweight champion.
Bellator 244 weigh-in results: Ryan Bader clear for title defense
Tom Taylor - August 20, 2020
On Friday night, Bellator MMA will return to our screens with the stacked Bellator 244 card. The event, which will air on the Paramount Network and DAZN, will be topped by a light heavyweight title fight between the champ Ryan Bader, who also holds the promotion’s heavyweight strap, and challenger Vadim Nemkov.
Ryan Bader believes he could be "the best light heavyweight right now"
Tom Taylor - August 20, 2020
Bellator light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader, who is gearing up for a title defense against Vadim Nemkov at Bellator 244, believes he could be the best light heavyweight competing right now. Bader, who was previously a top-5 UFC light heavyweight, believes that with Daniel Cormier retired, and Jon Jones moving up to heavyweight, he has legitimate claim to that lofty label.
Bellator champ-champ Ryan Bader set to defend his light heavyweight title on August 21 against Vadim Nemkov
Harry Kettle - July 30, 2020
Bellator double champion Ryan Bader is set to return to light heavyweight for the first time since 2017 to defend his championship against Vadim Nemkov, ESPN reports. Bader has been at the helm of two divisions since he knocked out Fedor Emelianenko in January 2019, but he first won the Light Heavyweight Championship in June 2017 before defending it five months later against Linton Vassell.
Ryan Bader tells Jon Jones he would "love to run it back" in Bellator
Adam Martin - May 31, 2020
Bellator double champion Ryan Bader told UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones that he would “love to run it back” under the Bellator banner. Bader and Jones fought back at UFC 126 in 2011 when both were still rising contenders in the UFC light heavyweight division. In a battle between the two top prospects in the division, Jones came away with the victory when he submitted Bader with a guillotine choke. Jones would then take on Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 and win the UFC light heavyweight title. The rest, they say, is history.
Ryan Bader says he will rematch Cheick Kongo and fight Rampage Jackson after bizarre Bellator 226
Cole Shelton - May 15, 2020
Ryan Bader makes it very clear he is not scared of Cheick Kongo and will rematch him after he defends his light heavyweight title. In the main event of Bellator 226 last September, Bader was looking for his first title defense at heavyweight against Kongo. Early on the champ-champ was having success yet there was an accidental eye poke leaving Kongo unable to continue and the fight ended in a no-contest.
Ryan Bader eyes light heavyweight title defense against Lyoto Machida if Vadim Nemkov can't get into the States
Cole Shelton - May 8, 2020
Ryan Bader was expected to defend his light heavyweight title on May 9 against Russian contender, Vadim Nemkov. Yet, the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic leaving Bader uncertain when he’ll defend his 205-pound strap next. Bader, who has not fought since September against Cheick Kongo in a controversial no-contest, is eager to get back in the cage.
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.
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.
VIDEO | Jiri Prochazka decimates UFC veteran CB Dollaway, gets called out by Ryan Bader
Tom Taylor - December 31, 2019
CB Dollaway’s RIZIN debut, which went down on Tuesday’s action-packed RIZIN 20 card, didn’t go the way he had planned. Instead, the 20-fight UFC veteran was decimated by the promotion’s ferocious light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka in the first round. See Prochazka’s crushing knockout victory below (via Kyle Johnson on Twitter).
Ryan Bader will defend both Bellator heavyweight and light heavyweight titles in 2020
Adam Martin - December 27, 2019
Bellator president Scott Coker says that Bellator heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader will defend both of his belts in 2020. Bader is coming off of a No Contest against Cheick Kongo in his first Bellator heavyweight title defense. He spent all of 2019 up at heavyweight, and hasn’t fought at light heavyweight since November 2017. But he plans on moving back down a weight class for his next fight, according to Coker.
Junior dos Santos rates Jon Jones, Ryan Bader as heavyweights
Thomas Taylor - September 22, 2019
Former UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos thinks reigning UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world today. In fact, dos Santos believes Jones would do very well if he made the move up to the heavyweight division. “Jon Jones is the No. 1 baddest guy on the planet… actually, he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound in the world, so I think he could do very well in the heavyweight division,” dos Santos told MMA Fighting.
Cheick Kongo opens up on controversial Ryan Bader fight
Cole Shelton - September 16, 2019
Cheick Kongo was fighting for the heavyweight title against Ryan Bader in the main event of Bellator 226. It was a chance for the 44-year-old Frenchman to win a major MMA title, something that has eluded him thus far in his career. Unfortunately for Kongo and his team, things didn’t go as planned. Instead, the fight was ruled a no-contest after an accidental eye poke from Bader. The champion has since gone on social media posting videos saying there was no eye poke. Kongo, however, says he was poked in the eye, and the nose.