Bellator News

Tom Taylor - January 25, 2019

Tomorrow night, at Bellator 214, grappling ace AJ Agazarm will make his anticipated MMA debut opposite Jesse Roberts. While MMA competition is still unfamiliar to the submission specialist, he doesn’t expect it to be all the different from a saloon in the Wild West — or a game of Fortnite. “The way I look at it is it’s a saloon full of gunfighters,” Agazarm told MMAjunkie on Thursday “Everybody’s got a story to tell, and everybody is really dangerous, and that’s what’s fun about Bellator. Because no matter who I’m going to fight, it’s going to be a show. It’s going to be crazy, and it’s going to be something that people are going to be talking about for years.

Tom Taylor - January 25, 2019

Henry Cejudo needed just 32 seconds to defend his UFC flyweight title against UFC bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw at the recent UFC Brooklyn event on ESPN. Unfortunately for him, some members of the MMA community — Dillashaw and UFC President Dana White included — feel the referee intervened a little too early in this fight. Speaking ahead of the Bellator 214 card, where he will serve as a cage-side commentator, veteran MMA referee “Big” John McCarthy gave his take on this controversial stoppage.

Tom Taylor - January 25, 2019

Ahead of UFC 232, several Jon Jones drug tests detected trace amounts of the banned substance turinabol, which prompted the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to deny the light heavyweight legend a license. This forced the UFC to move the entire UFC 232 card to Los Angeles, California, as the more lenient California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) was willing to license Jones. Since then, a Voluntary Anti Doping Agency (VADA) test administered on the night of the UFC 232 weigh-ins has once again detected the same banned substance in the system of Jon Jones. Despite this new information, however, the CSAC will not be punishing Jones, maintaining that the anomalies on his test results are due to his previous ingestion of a banned substance — for which he’s already been punished.

Drake Riggs - January 24, 2019

The lighter weight divisions are some of Bellator’s deepest. And one of the fighters that helps make that case is the 21-1 ‘Spaniard’ Juan Archuleta. Hesperia, California’s finest has been on an absolute tear as of late and continues to force Bellator’s hand when it comes to giving him a title shot. Something that both Archuleta and his opponent Ricky Bandejas expect to come with a potential win on Saturday at Bellator 214.

Mike Straus - January 24, 2019

The Heavyweight Grand Prix will conclude at Bellator 214 but there are plenty of other reasons to tune into the first event of the new year for the Viacom owned promotion. The UFC got their year off to a great start with last weekend’s ESPN debut. Now its the second biggest North American MMA promotions turn to get the ball rolling in 2019.

Drake Riggs - January 24, 2019

Along with the deciding of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix winner at Bellator 214, we’ll be treated to two intriguing MMA debuts. One of which belongs to the Florida born grappling ace, AJ Agazarm who takes on Jesse Roberts this Saturday night.

Drake Riggs - January 24, 2019

At Bellator 204 in August 2018, top Bellator bantamweight prospect Ricky Bandejas silenced the brash Irishman, James Gallagher. Thus catapulting himself up the 135-pound ranks. On Saturday night at Bellator 214, he has now found himself ready for his toughest test to date in the 21-1 Juan Archuleta.

Cole Shelton - January 24, 2019

Bellator is about to wrap up their heavyweight grand prix on Saturday. The main event will see Ryan Bader, Bellator’s light heavyweight champion take on MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko. If Bader is to come out on top he will be the first ever two-division champ in Bellator. Meanwhile, if Emelianenko wins, he cements his legacy even more and may very well be considered the greatest heavyweight of all-time.

Tom Taylor - January 23, 2019

At long last, we’ve got a date for the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix fight between reigning welterweight champion Rory MacDonald and former World Series of Fighting champ Jon Fitch. According to a report from MMA Fighting, the two welterweight great are set to collide on April 27 in San Jose, California.

Tom Taylor - January 16, 2019

For many years, Ryan Bader stood out as one of the best light heavyweights in the UFC. In 2017, however, the long-time contender parted was with the UFC, and migrated to the ever-growing Bellator MMA roster. In a matter of months, he had defeated Phil Davis to become the Bellator MMA light heavyweight champ.

Tom Taylor - January 15, 2019

Say what you will about BJJ ace and Conor McGregor training partner Dillon Danis, but the man does not lack confidence. Despite being chided his rivals fairly regularly, he truly believes he’s a future great, and isn’t afraid to share that opinion with the world. Speaking on his Instagram on Tuesday afternoon, that’s just what he did.

Tom Taylor - January 13, 2019

Dillon Danis has never been afraid to let the trash talk fly on Twitter. The latest victim of the Conor McGregor training partner’s Twitter trash talk was Nate Diaz stablemate Jake Shields. Here’s what Danis had to say about Shields.

Thomas Taylor - January 8, 2019

Roughly two years after their first fight, Tito Ortiz and Chael Sonnen are still going at it. The latest skirmish in the pair’s ongoing war of words occurred on Twitter. This time around, it was Sonnen who fired the first shot. 

Tom Taylor - January 8, 2019

Bellator welterweight champion Rory MacDonald is going to have a busy 2019. The champion is a combatant in the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix, and his title will be up for grabs in every one of his Grand Prix matchups, starting with his upcoming first-round showdown with Jon Fitch. If all goes according to plan, of course, MacDonald will make it to the tournament finale, and emerge unscathed with the belt still slung over his shoulder.

Drake Riggs - January 7, 2019

Every year, there seemingly will always be points in the year where those in the community who are baselessly making their claims for whatever reason that MMA, or more specifically the UFC, is not flourishing in the business department. However, that continues to prove untrue when really looking deeper at the numbers. Even though without looking deeper we can still see the big deals that are being made…

Tom Taylor - January 7, 2019

Chael Sonnen and Tito Ortiz have already fought once, in January of 2017, but apparently, their beef is not yet settled. Since their first fight, which Ortiz won via first-round submission, the pair have continued to go back and forth, raising question as to whether we might see them fight again.

Tom Taylor - December 26, 2018

Another Christmas has come and gone. Santa Clause made his yearly trip around the world, presents were opened, gut-busting mountains of food were eaten, and of course, many of the world’s top MMA fighters celebrated with their families. On Tuesday, MMA fighters from top promotions all over the world — from the UFC to Bellator to ONE Championship to Rizin — took to social media to wish their fans a Merry Christmas, and let everyone know how they were celebrating.

Chris Taylor - December 22, 2018

Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir (18-13 MMA) is looking to book a rematch with Javy Ayala in order to determine his future in the fight game. Mir suffered the first submission defeat of his storied mixed martial arts career to Ayala at Bellator 212 in Honolulu earlier this month.