Bellator News

Valerie Loureda launches subscription-based fan site
Tom Taylor - March 10, 2021
Bellator MMA star Valerie Loureda has launched a new fan site using the subscription-based platform FanTime.com. Loureda is one of the most promising prospects on the Bellator roster at present, and has quickly developed a significant following inside the mixed martial arts sphere.

Photo | Anthony Johnson looking seriously slimmed-down ahead of Bellator debut
Tom Taylor - March 3, 2021
Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Johnson is looking seriously slimmed-down ahead of his upcoming debut with Bellator MMA. Johnson retired after a loss to Daniel Cormier in 2017, but has since teased a comeback on numerous occasions. That comeback finally became official earlier this year, when he signed with Bellator to much fanfare.

Anthony Johnson shuts down notion that Bellator is inferior to UFC
Tom Taylor - February 24, 2021
Anthony Johnson has a message for anybody who believes Bellator is inferior to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Johnson, who fought for the UFC from 2007 to 2017 and competed for the light heavyweight title two times in the stretch, migrated to Bellator to much fanfare earlier this year.

Photo | Yoel Romero in phenomenal shape ahead of Bellator light heavyweight debut against Anthony Johnson
Adam Martin - February 15, 2021
Yoel Romero looks to be in phenomenal shape ahead of his upcoming Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix fight against Anthony Johnson. Romero was a surprise cut by the UFC late last year and he soon afterward he signed a free-agent deal with Bellator. The organization last week announced that it will be holding an eight-man 205lbs tournament in 2021 and Romero will be a part of it. Though he competed as a middleweight in the UFC, Romero will be moving back up to light heavyweight in Bellator, a weight class that he used to fight at in Strikeforce. The hope is that the 43-year-old Cuban will have a fuller tank of gas now that he doesn’t have to cut a ton of weight at 205lbs.

Patricio Pitbull promises to be "more violent and better" in Bellator 255 rematch against Emmanuel Sanchez
Adam D Martin - February 10, 2021
Patricio Pitbull promised to be “more violent and better” in his upcoming Bellator 255 rematch against rival Emmanuel Sanchez. On Tuesday, the promotion officially announced that Pitbull and Sanchez will meet on April 2 in the main event of Bellator 255. It will be a five-round fight with the Bellator featherweight title on the line, and the match is also a semifinal bout in the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix, with the winner facing off against the unbeaten AJ McKee in June to crown the winner of the 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.

Betting odds released for Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix quarterfinals
Adam Martin - February 9, 2021
The betting odds have been released for the upcoming Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix tournament quarterfinals. Bellator announced the complete eight-man bracket for the promotion’s highly-anticipated 205lbs tournament on Tuesday. Hours later, the oddsmakers released the betting odds for all four quarterfinal matchups. Take a look at the opening odds for the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix via BetOnline.

Yoel Romero reacts after booking Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson in first round of Bellator light heavyweight tournament
Cole Shelton - February 9, 2021
Yoel Romero is excited to face Anthony Johnson in his Bellator debut. It was revealed at Bellator’s press conference that both Romero and Johnson would be apart of the grand prix and face one another on April 16. It is a fight the fans wanted to see and Romero is eager for the fight to happen.

Bellator reportedly plotting 8-man LHW tournament featuring Romero, Rumble, Anderson
Tom Taylor - February 9, 2021
Bellator MMA is reportedly plotting an eight-man light heavyweight tournament featuring former UFC stars Yoel Romero, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Corey Anderson, and more. Bellator’s light heavyweight division has been quite strong for awhile now, as the home of fighters like Phil Davis, Ryan Bader, and reigning champion Vadim Nemkov. After the promotion signed former UFC contenders like Romero, Rumble and Anderson, however, its light heavyweight division is better than ever—debatably even better than the UFC’s.

Police report reveals former Bellator champ Daniel Straus was arrested for allegedly stabbing a female victim
Drake Riggs - February 8, 2021
Former two-time Bellator featherweight champion Daniel Straus was arrested last Friday for an incident that took place late last month. MMA Junkie confirmed on Monday after an initial report from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that Straus was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The bond is currently $100,000.

Patricio Pitbull welcomes Max Holloway Bellator fight 'if he ever gets tired of making pennies in the UFC'
Andrew Whitelaw - February 8, 2021
Patricio Pitbull is enjoying a truly prolific faze in his career. He holds both the lightweight and featherweight titles in Bellator, and is riding a six-fight winning streak and there is a strong argument for the 33-year-old being the best 145-er in the world. Pitbull is often asked about a move to the UFC, but it doesn’t look like that will happen anytime soon. Instead, the Brazilian suggests that some of his counterparts would be better off coming over to join him in Bellator, namely, Max Holloway.

Photo | Yoel Romero wears Bellator uniform for first time, promotional debut imminent
Adam Martin - February 8, 2021
Newly-signed Bellator light heavyweight Yoel Romero donned his new uniform for the first time in anticipation of his promotional debut. Romero was released by the UFC in late 2020 as part of its mass exodus of 60 fighters from the roster. It didn’t take long for Romero to find a new home and he signed a free-agent deal with Bellator. The promotion has been on a bit of a hiatus for the last several months but is set to return in April with a new set of events. Expected to fight on one of the promotion’s first cards back is Romero.