Bellator set to return on July 24 for first show since February

Bellator is set to hold its first show since February as the promotion is scheduled to make its return to your television screens on July 24.

Sherdog.com reported that Bellator is scheduled to return on July 24 with an event from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. According to the report, the event is tentative pending the Mohegan Tribe Department of Regulation clearing it to go on. For that to happen, Sherdog reports it likely depends on “extensive testing, social distancing measures, cleaning procedures and Bellator holding its fights with no fans in attendance.”

Bellator’s last event was held in February at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, a card headlined by Leah McCourt defeating Judith Ruis in a women’s featherweight bout. The promotion was then set to hold Bellator 241 in March at the Mohegan Sun, but the card fell apart at the last minute due to the coronavirus outbreak reaching a boiling point. Bellator president Scott Coker paid his fighters and event staff, and that was the last event they held.

In addition to the March card, Bellator was set to hold three other cards in May and a card in June that were all wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic. Fans and media have been wondering when Bellator would be returning, not to mention the fighters whose livelihoods depend on it. Fortunately, it looks like a return is just around the corner.

Since Bellator hasn’t held an event since February, the promotion is far behind on giving its athletes fights on their contracts, so it’s possible the organization may hold multiple events in a short period of time in order to get its operations back up and running. Fight cards would likely be expanded, with priority given to the fighters who had their bouts scrapped.

How excited are you for Bellator to return?