Bellator News
Julia Budd vs. Cris Cyborg title fight official
Natasha Hooper - September 30, 2019
Cris Cyborg will fight Julia Budd for the Bellator featherweight title on January 25th at an event in Inglewood, California. Bellator announced this news during the Bellator 228 broadcast on Saturday night.
Scott Coker says he hoped Patricio "Pitbull" Freire picked another opponent in grand prix
Adam D Martin - September 29, 2019
Bellator president Scott Coker was asked what he thought about the Bellator featherweight world grand prix quarterfinals matchups, and he said that while he liked the matchups, he was hoping at least one of them was different. The fighters drew numbers and picked their matchups, with champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire having the final say during the selection show at Saturday night’s Bellator 228 event. The champ could have picked anyone he wanted to fight, including top prospect AJ McKee or his rival Darrion Caldwell. Instead, he chose little known Pedro Carvalho, a decision which raised eyebrows by fans who wanted the champ to take on a bigger name.
PHOTO | Gegard Mousasi and Lyoto Machida share moment following Bellator 228
Adam D Martin - September 29, 2019
The main event of Bellator 228 saw long-time veterans Gegard Mousasi and Lyoto Machida rematch five years after meeting for the first time in the UFC. Machida won that fight via unanimous decision, and now five years later Mousasi has a victory in the series as he edged out a split decision over Machida in the rematch. Following Bellator 228, the two legends of MMA posed for a picture together. Check it out below, courtesy of Mousasi’s Instagram.
Bellator featherweight world grand prix quarterfinals set
Adam D Martin - September 29, 2019
The Bellator featherweight world grand prix quarterfinals have officially been set following the promotion’s selection show at Bellator 228, where champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire had the final say. Check out the bracket below, courtesy of Bellator president Scott Coker’s Twitter.
Bellator 228 Results: Patricio Freire defeats Juan Archuleta (Highlights)
Chris Taylor - September 28, 2019
Bellator ‘champ champ’ Patricio Freire put his featherweight title on the line against Juan Archuleta this evening in Los Angeles. The highly anticipated bout served as tonight’s Bellator 228 co-headliner.
Michael Venom Page accuses referee Dan Miragliotta of foul treatment
Chris Taylor - September 28, 2019
Bellator welterweight Michael Venom Page was not at all happy about the treatment he received from referee Dan Miragliotta during his fight in Dublin. Page (15-1 MMA) scored another highlight-reel knockout over opponent Richard Kiely at Friday’s Bellator Europe 4 event, sending his outmatched opponent crashing to the canvas from a flying knee.
Bellator results: James Gallagher taps Roman Salazar in seconds (video)
Thomas Taylor - September 27, 2019
Rising Bellator star James Gallagher returned to the cage at Bellator Dublin on Friday — though not against the man he initially expected. When his original opponent Cal Ellenor was forced off the card, Gallagher was forced to shift his focus to late replacement, UFC veteran Roman Salazar. The Bellator Dublin card, of which Gallagher vs. Salazar was a part, aired live on Friday afternoon on the Bellator MMA app. Unlike the Bellator 227 portion of this event it will not air on tape delay later tonight.
Bellator Results: Michael Page scores brutal flying knee KO, calls out Douglas Lima (video)
Thomas Taylor - September 27, 2019
On Friday afternoon, amid the Bellator 227 and Bellator Dublin festivities in Dublin, Ireland, British knockout artist Michael Page returned to the cage in hopes of rebounding from his first pro MMA loss: a knockout at the hands of the former welterweight champ Douglas Lima. Page’s opponent in this crucial return to action was his heated rival, Richard Kiely. The Bellator Dublin card, of which Page vs. Kiely was a part, aired live on Friday afternoon on the Bellator MMA app. Unlike the Bellator 227 portion of this event it will not air on tape delay later tonight.
VIDEO | Conor McGregor shows up at Bellator Dublin
Thomas Taylor - September 27, 2019
Bellator Dublin is currently underway, and the card features a host of Ireland’s best fighters, including James Gallagher and Kiefer Crosby. Former two-division UFC champ Conor McGregor is also in the building to support his countrymen. See McGregor’s arrival at the arena below (via Bellator Europe on Twitter):
VIDEO | Bec Rawlings trains with Conor McGregor ahead of Bellator debut
Tom Taylor - September 27, 2019
Bec Rawlings is scheduled to make her Bellator debut opposite Ilara Joanne at Bellator 231 on October 25. In preparation for this Bellator debut, Rawlings has been working hard at SBG Ireland, where she’s even gotten some rounds in with former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor. Rawlings shared a clip of her work with McGregor on her official Instagram page.
Scott Coker talks Bellator debuts of Cris Cyborg, Josh Barnett
Tom Taylor - September 27, 2019
Bellator MMA has recently signed several notable free agents, including former UFC champions Josh Barnett and Cris Cyborg. Speaking to the media ahead of Bellator 228, Bellator president Scott Coker discussed the Bellator debuts of these two stars. He started with Barnett, explaining that he’d like the heavyweight veteran to make his debut in Japan on a card co-promoted with RIZIN.
Tank Abbott tried to brawl Ryan Bader after Cheick Kongo fight
Tom Taylor - September 27, 2019
Shortly after Ryan Bader and Cheick Kongo’s Bellator 226 title fight was ruled a no contest due to an inadvertent eye poke, Bader and Kongo’s training partner Quinton “Rampage” Jackson nearly got into it. UFC legend Tank Abbott, an other Kongo stablemate, attempted to join in the fracas, but couldn’t make his way to the cage.