More Bellator MMA news
“One Hundred Percent I Finish Him” – Fabricio Werdum Makes a Stunning Statement on Jon Jones
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Corey Anderson Fires Back at Dana White For Recent Comments
Corey Anderson has lashed out at Dana White and accused the UFC President of lying to the fans about his split from the promotion.
“The Pound for Pound King has Spoken” -Henry Cejudo Lauds Patricio Freire for Tweet Against Dana White’s Statement
What did Patricio Freire say to Dana White that led to former UFC champion Henry Cejudo praising him as the pound for pound king?
Patricio Freire Issues a Challenge to Dana White – “Let’s Bet Like You Did With PRIDE”
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Bellator 244: Julia Budd Calls Out Cris Cyborg for Rematch
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“I Know Conor Will be Sitting in the First Row”- Patricio Freire Taunts Conor McGregor
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Bellator President makes Huge Statement After UFC Star Jon Jones Vacates Belt
Bellator President Scott Coker addressed Jon Jones' move to heavyweight and how his promotions light heavyweight division ranks as the best.
Fedor Emelianenko is Open to Fighting Fabricio Werdum at Bellator MMA
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Michael Chandler Teases UFC Debut On Social Media
Michael Chandler took to social media and teased fans with the possibility of making move to the UFC as he transitioned into free agency.
WATCH: Nasty Injury Ends Sean O’Malley’s Unbeaten Streak at UFC 252
UFC fighter Sean O'Malley suffered a nasty injury in his UFC 252 fight against Marlon vera and suffered his first professional loss
“Contract Signed” – Paige VanZant Drops Big News
It seems like Paige VanZant is out of the waters of free agency. The former UFC star has given a major update on her Instagram.
WOW! Michael Chandler Brutally KO’s Bellator Superstar at Bellator 243
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About Bellator MMA
History
Bellator MMA is one of the world's largest mixed martial arts promotions and is recognised as the closest competitor to the UFC. The term Bellator has its origin in Latin language which translates to 'warrior' in English.
Bjorn Rebney founded the company in 2008 and ran it until 2014, before departing and handing the reins to Scott Coker. Presently, the company has successfully hosted 242 numbered events.
The former Strikeforce executive made the move after his contract with Zuffa expired. Following Coker’s arrival, Bellator MMA pivoted to a more traditional North American approach to the sport. This is a departure from the organization's tournament format during its initial phase.
Bellator's tournament format
Bellator MMA has played host to a variety of tournaments under its older format, with 11 seasons of Bellator Fighting Championship held in 4 years from 2009 to 2014. The tournaments saw fighters of specific weight classes compete for a shot at the divisional title.
Also in 2013, the promotion aired a single-season series called Fight Master: Bellator MMA where Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock, Greg Jackson, and Joe Warren served as coaches.
Like all American martial arts organizations, the rules for fights in the Bellator promotion are exactly the same with eye gouges and groin strikes deemed as illegal offenses for which fighters can incur point penalties or be disqualified.
Along with MMA, Bellator has a kickboxing promotion which has hosted 12 events since its inception in 2016.
Some big names who are part of Bellator MMA
At present, the company is home to some of the biggest MMA names including former UFC Champions like Cris Cyborg, Frank Mir, and Lyoto Machida. Current Bellator Champions include Ryan Bader, Douglas Lima, Patricio Freire, and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane. Additionally, the promotion is home to big names such as Fedor Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, and Cat Zingano.
via Imago
Patricio Freire after becoming a two-division Bellator MMA champion
Currently, there are 7 divisions for male fighters in Bellator. These are heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight and bantamweight. The promotion offers 2 divisions for its female talent at Featherweight and flyweight.
List of Champions at Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA has 5 world champions across 9 divisions. 2 fighters are double champions and 2 divisional titles are vacant at present.
| Division | Name | Date Won | Title Defenses |
| Heavyweight | Ryan Bader | January 26, 2019 | 1 |
| Light Heavyweight | Ryan Bader | June 24, 2017 | 1 |
| Middleweight | Vacant | Since February 10, 2020 | - |
| Welterweight | Douglas Lima | October 26,2019 | 0 |
| Lightweight | Patricio Freire | May 11, 2019 | 0 |
| Featherweight | Patricio Freire | April 21,2017 | 3 |
| Bantamweight | Vacant | Since November 27, 2019 | 0 |
| Women’s Featherweight | Cris Cyborg | January 25, 2020 | 0 |
| Women’s Flyweight | Ilima-Lei Macfarlane | November 3,2017 | 4 |
