Bellator News
Lyoto Machida plans KO of Gegard Mousasi, then Bellator title win
Cole Shelton - September 24, 2019
Lyoto Machida has planned out the rest of 2019 and the beginnings of 2020. In the co-main event of Bellator 228, the former UFC light heavyweight champion Machida is taking on Gegard Mousasi. This middleweight fight is a rematch of their 2014 fight, which Machida won by decision.
Dillon Danis beefs with Youtube star Jake Paul
Natasha Hooper - September 23, 2019
Dillon Danis’ new beef extends outside the MMA sphere, as he’s been trading barbs with Youtuber Jake Paul. On September the 10th, Danis called out the Youtube brothers Jake Paul and Logan Paul on Twitter. He commented, “F**k the Pauls.”
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.
Ben Askren eyes grappling match with Dillon Danis, Danis responds
Tom Taylor - September 18, 2019
Ben Askren and Dillon Danis are separated by promotional bounds, as they’re currently signed with the UFC and Bellator respectively. Nonetheless, the pair of grappling specialists have taken every opportunity to swap trash talk on Twitter. From the sounds of it, they could soon settle their differences on the mats.
Bellator boss Scott Coker criticizes UFC's treatment of Cris Cyborg
Natasha Hooper - September 17, 2019
Bellator President Scott Coker isn’t impressed with the way the UFC handled the career of Cris Cyborg. Cyborg, the former Strikeforce, Invicta and UFC featherweight champion, joined Bellator MMA earlier this month. Prior to her move to Bellator, Cris Cyborg competed in the UFC, and got off to a good start with stoppage wins over Leslie Smith, Lina Lansberg and Tonya Evinger, the latter of whom she defeated to win the vacant featherweight title.
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.
Ilima-Lei MacFarlane joins Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus in new music video
Tom Taylor - September 13, 2019
Bellator flyweight champion Ilima Lei-MacFarlane is featured in the official music video for the new song Don’t Call Me Angel by pop stars Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey. In the video for this song, which will serve as the lead single on the soundtrack for the new Charlie’s Angels movie, MacFarlane can be seen walloping Cyrus with a wrecking ball of a right hand.
Cris Cyborg believes women's featherweight is 'one of the deepest in terms of talent'
Cole Shelton - September 13, 2019
Cris Cyborg officially signed with Bellator two weeks ago. The former UFC featherweight champion was released from the Las Vegas-based promotion after her UFC 240 bout — partly due to her crumbling relationship with UFC President Dana White. Cris Cyborg talked to many promotions when her free agency began, but she always knew she would land with Bellator.
Patricio 'Pitbull' is confident he could knockout Khabib Nurmagomedov
Cole Shelton - September 11, 2019
Khabib Nurmagomedov is 28-0 and has only lost one round in his entire MMA career. Yet, Bellator featherweight and lightweight champion, Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire believes he can be the one to hand the Russian his first loss. Although they are in two different promotions, Freire hopes he can get the chance as he knows he wouldn’t just beat Nurmagomedov, but knock him out.
Bellator 226 salaries: Victorious Emmanuel Sanchez earns top payday
Tom Taylor - September 10, 2019
On Saturday night, Bellator MMA returned to our screens with Bellator 226. This stacked card was topped by a heavyweight title fight between reigning champ Ryan Bader and Bellator staple Cheick Kongo. Elsewhere on the card, we witnessed four of the quarterfinal bout for Bellator’s 16-man Featherweight World Grand Prix, in addition to a number of other exciting matchups.
Cris Cyborg explains why new Bellator deal is preferable to UFC deal
Tom Taylor - September 10, 2019
Cris Cyborg is happy to have parted ways with the UFC and inked a new deal with Bellator MMA. In fact, she says her new deal with Bellator includes a number of important benefits that she was not able to enjoy while fighting for the UFC. Most notably, Cyborg is no longer obligated to wear Reebok as part of the UFC’s athlete outfitting deal. She’s free to pursue her own sponsorship opportunities.
Bellator and RIZIN eyeing Fedor vs. Rampage, Bader vs. Prochazka
Adam Martin - September 9, 2019
Bellator and RIZIN are eyeing a year-end show in Japan featuring some of the best fighters from both promotions. Reports indicate Bellator president Scott Coker and RIZIN bossman Nobuyuki Sakakibara are in talks for a main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, as well as a light heavyweight co-main event between Ryan Bader and Jiri Prochazka. Veteran MMA scribe Josh Gross of The Athletic shared the news via Twitter that Bellator and RIZIN hope to have a card December 29 in Japan, and they hope to bill it as Emelianenko’s final fight in Japan.