Another former Bellator MMA star teases UFC move: ‘Show time in the big arena’

We’ve seen a lot of former Bellator fighters make the move to the UFC over the last few years. From the sounds of it, another fighter is preparing to make that same move.

For many years, Bellator was considered the second biggest promotion in MMA. However, the promotion was recently purchased by the Professional Fighters League (PFL). While some Bellator fighters have been successfully integrated into the PFL roster, a great many have expressed dissatisfaction with the a lack of fight offers from PFL brass. That includes decorated MMA veterans like Gegard Mousasi and Corey Anderson. It also includes Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, who came up short in his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314 last weekend. Aaron Pico also makes the list. The wrestler-turned-KO-artist recently signed with the UFC himself, though his debut is not yet set.

While nothing is set in stone just yet, it certainly seems like Ireland’s James Gallagher could soon follow the likes of Pitbull and Pico.

Is James Gallagher signing with UFC?

Gallagher, a bantamweight, was once compared to his training partner Conor McGregor. While he suffered a few too many early losses to live up to his countryman’s achievements, he is clearly still a good fighter, and he recently took to Instagram to tease some big news.

 

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A post shared by James Gallagher (@strabanimalmma)

“Time to finish what I started,” Gallagher wrote on Instagram. “8 weeks until show time in the big arena under the brighter lights in Dubai.”

Of course, Gallagher didn’t specifically say he was signing with the UFC.

Still, it’s hard not to read between the lines.

The UFC is headed to Dubai this coming July. That’s more than eight weeks away, but Gallagher has already been released from his PFL contract. It’s possible he has signed with another promotion, but it’s hard to imagine him calling any promotion but the UFC “the brighter lights.”

Gallagher was last in action in March, 2024, when he lost a decision to Leandro Higo.

Where do you think he will land for his next fight?