More Bellator MMA news
“Did His Knee Just Split Open?”: Michael Venom Page’s Brutal Leg Kick Makes Fans Sick to Their Stomachs at Bellator 292
Fans get nauseous after watching a slow-motion video of Michael Page destroying Goiti Yamauchi's knee and knocking him out at Bellator 292.
Daniel Cormier Expresses Concern for 39-Year-Old Nick Diaz Aiming for UFC Return; Offers Promising Alternative
Daniel Cormier expresses concern for the 39-year-old Nick Diaz wanting to fight again; He offered a less dangerous alternative instead.
Bellator CEO Provides a Bleak Update on Francis Ngannou’s Prospects With the Promotion
Bellator CEO Scott Coker provides a bleak update on the MMA future of former UFC champion and current free agent, Francis Ngannou.
MMA Fighter Encourages Millions to Come Forward as He Addresses 10 Years Long Battle “To Get Clean”; Gets Positive Response From the Community
Fans and fellow MMA fighters unite to applaud Bellator star Brennan Ward who "is there" for anyone fighting drug addiction
“Josh Barnett Was Ready to End This Mans Life” – Drunkard Immediately Regrets Stirring Scuffle at Bellator in MMA Fighter’s Presence, Fans React
MMA fans reacts to a drunk crowd member creating a scene at Bellator 290 as he was escorted out of the arena by the security team.
“Awful Take”: MMA World Reacts as Dana White Soft-Pedals Fedor Emelianenko’s Legacy Hours After His Retirement
Dana White has made a controversial opinion on Fedor Emelianenko post his retirement. The fans have slammed the UFC president regarding this.
After Devastating Defeat, MMA Legend Fedor Emelianenko Announces His Post-Retirement Plans
MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko has confirmed that he will become an MMA coach after his retirement fight against Ryan Bader at Bellator 290.
“That Man Has a Family”: Vicious Knockout Out-of-Nowhere Leaves MMA Fans Concerned at Bellator 290
Bellator 290 saw one of the most brutal KOs in recent times. The fans reacted upon seeing the vicious elbow land on a fighter.
“Dude WTF All the OGs Came Out”: Tear-Inducing Photo of “MMA Royalty” at Fedor Emelianenko Retirement Party at Bellator 290 Goes Viral
Fans reminisce the good old days as MMA legends gather for the final battle of Fedor Emelianenko who bids his adieu at Bellator 290
“Brutal Sport”: MMA World Reacts to the End of ‘The Last Emperor’ Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 290
MMA icon Fedor Emelianenko retired at Bellator 290 after a crushing defeat to Ryan Bader. Fans and pros bid farewell to the legend.
Despite Conquering the UFC’s Heavyweight Crown, Brock Lesnar Still Wanted to Fight Fedor Emelianenko in 2009 to Prove His Worth
Brock Lesnar once shared his aspirations to fight Fedor Emelianenko for his UFC Heavyweight Championship to prove his worth in MMA world.
“Save Yourself the Embarrassment”: Conor McGregor’s Teammate Dillon Danis Gets “Tricked” With “$1,000”, Gordon Ryan & Others React
Fans go berserk with trashing Dillon Danis as Gordon Ryan publicly mocks him for getting scammed by a YouTuber over posting fake ad.
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 |
