Bellator News
Valerie Loureda returns at Bellator 258
Adam D Martin - April 8, 2021
Women’s flyweight prospect Valerie Loureda returns to the cage at Bellator 258 when she takes on promotional newcomer Hannah Guy. Tom Taylor of Maxim.com was the first to report the Loureda vs. Guy fight, which will take place at Bellator 258 on May 7. The stacked card already features Bellator bantamweight champion Juan Archuleta vs. Sergio Pettis in the main event, plus a five-round co-main event bout between light heavyweights Yoel Romero and Anthony Johnson. Romero is Loureda’s teammate at American Top Team and they will both be on the same card.
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.
Austin Vanderford puts his undefeated record on the line against Fabian Edwards at Bellator 259
Harry Kettle - April 6, 2021
Austin Vanderford is set to fight Fabian Edwards in a fascinating middleweight bout on May 21 at Bellator 259, MMA Junkie reports. The two rising contenders have both been viewed as future title contenders in the past and in a division where everything is up for grabs, there’s a decent chance a win for either man could take them a lot closer to the top.
Cat Zingano reveals that ONE Championship approached her about grappling match vs. Miesha Tate
Drake Riggs - April 5, 2021
Cat Zingano and Miesha Tate are key pieces to the start of the UFC’s introduction to the women. Nearly a decade later and they’re both still competing – just under different roofs. While Zingano prepares to compete this Friday night, Tate is set to return to the UFC in July after a five-year retirement. In that time, Tate took up a position as a ONE Championship Vice President and according to Zingano, a potential grappler.
Patricio Pitbull and AJ McKee get into heated verbal exchange at Bellator 255 (Video)
Adam D Martin - April 4, 2021
Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull and No. 1 contender AJ McKee got into a heated verbal exchange following Bellator 255. Pitbull finished Emmanuel Sanchez on Friday in the main event of Bellator 255 to advance to the finals of the Bellator World Featherweight Grand Prix. The Brazilian is the reigning and defending Bellator featherweight champion — not to mention the Bellator lightweight champion — and he will put his belt on the line once again in the finals against McKee, the top prospect who is the son of former UFC fighter Antonio McKee. The younger McKee looked absolutely sensational on his way to the finals and the undefeated fighter is arguably Pitbull’s toughest test to date. This should be an incredible finale at 145lbs.
Patricio Pitbull submits Emmanuel Sanchez in Round 1 at Bellator 255 (Highlights)
Cole Shelton - April 2, 2021
In the main event of Bellator 255, Patricio Pitbull and Emmanuel Sanchez were set for a rematch three years in the making. The fight also served as the semifinals of the featherweight grand prix. Patricio Pitbull (31-4) is riding a six-fight winning streak and coming off a vicious KO win over Pedro Carvalho last November. Before that, he beat Juan Archuleta by decision and knocked out Michael Chandler in 61 seconds to claim the lightweight title and become a champ-champ. He also beat Sanchez back in November of 2018.
Anthony Johnson shares prediction for potential Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou fight
Chris Taylor - April 2, 2021
Former UFC title challenger Anthony Johnson has shared his thoughts on a potential heavyweight bout between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Ever since Ngannou (16-3 MMA) dethroned Stipe Miocic to become “The Baddest Man on the Planet” at UFC 260, all the talk has been of a potential super-fight with Jones.
Mike Goldberg no longer commentating Bellator events, reveals Scott Coker: "I think we had a great run"
Cole Shelton - April 2, 2021
Mike Goldberg will no longer be the play-by-play voice of Bellator. With Bellator set to move to Showtime, Scott Coker revealed they decided to undergo some changes and Goldberg will not be with the promotion anymore. The longtime UFC commentator joined Bellator in 2017 after parting ways with the UFC.
Scott Coker very interested in signing Alistair Overeem or Junior dos Santos to fight Fedor Emelianenko
Cole Shelton - April 1, 2021
Scott Coker likes the idea of signing Alistair Overeem or Junior dos Santos to fight Fedor Emelianenko. After Emelinaneko beat Rampage Jackson in December of 2019, the plan was to have his farewell tour be in 2020. However, due to the pandemic, the Russian didn’t get a chance to fight, but according to Scott Coker, he says the MMA legend will fight sometime in the next couple of months,
Mike Hamel expects to derail the hype of Usman Nurmagomedov: "I'm going to clip him"
Cole Shelton - April 1, 2021
Mike Hamel had a feeling he’d be the one to welcome Usman Nurmagomedov to Bellator. When Nurmagomedov, Khabib’s cousin, signed with Bellator, Hamel started researching the 11-0 fighter. After spending some time looking into him, he started telling his coaches and teammates he will end up fighting. Then, weeks later, Hamel got offered to fight Nurmagomedov at Bellator 255, which is exciting for him.
Patricio Pitbull says he "would embarrass" Alex Volkanovski if they fought: "It would be a massacre"
Cole Shelton - April 1, 2021
Patricio Pitbull has made it known, he wants a cross-promotional fight against Alex Volkanovski. Pitbull is the current featherweight and lightweight champion in Bellator while Volkanovski holds UFC gold at featherweight. Both men have taken shots at one another on social media, and Pitbull has called for the fight to happen. Yet, he doesn’t believe it will happen.
Emmanuel Sanchez expects to put on a "dominating performance" and finish Patricio Pitbull to become the new champ
Cole Shelton - March 31, 2021
Emmanuel Sanchez is eager to show how much he improved since November 15, 2018. On that date, Sanchez lost a decision to Patricio Pitbull for the featherweight title. It was a back-and-forth fight with both men hurting the other. Since the fight, both men have gone undefeated with Pitbull winning the lightweight title as well. But, in the main event of Bellator 255, which serves as the semifinals of the featherweight grand prix, Sanchez is eager to exact his revenge.