Bellator on Tuesday announced that its next grand prix will be at light heavyweight, and it features a dream matchup right out of the gate.

The tournament is set to get underway April 9 at Bellator 256 with the first two quarterfinal matchups: Ryan Bader vs. Lyoto Machida and Corey Anderson vs. promotional newcomer Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov. The other two quarterfinal matchups are scheduled for April 16 at Bellator 257, with champion Vadim Nemkov defending his title against Phil Davis and Anthony Johnson vs. Yoel Romero.

All four fights on both events will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and air on Showtime.

Courtesy of Bellator

Like previous Bellator tournaments, the title will be on the line in each round leading up to the final.

The fight between Bader (27-6 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) and Machida (26-10 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) is a rematch from 2012, when Bader knocked out Machida at UFC on FOX 4. For heavyweight champion Bader, 37, the grand prix marks the start of his quest to reclaim the 205-pound title he lost to Nemkov last August. Machida, 42, a former UFC light heavyweight champ, is looking to snap a two-fight losing streak.

Anderson (14-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), 31, signed with Bellator last year after a lengthy run in the UFC. He made a successful promotional debut last November when he finished Melvin Manhoef in the second round at Bellator 251. Yagshimuradov (18-5-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), 31, fights out of Ukraine and will make his promotional debut riding an eight-fight winning streak after most recently competing in the ACA and ACB promotions.

For his first title defense, Nemkov (12-2 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) draws Davis (22-5 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) in a rematch. Their November 2018 bout ended with Nemkov, 28, winning by split decision. Since then, Davis, 36, has reeled off three consecutive wins to earn a shot at claiming the belt for a second.

Ever since Johnson (22-6 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and Romero (13-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) signed with Bellator late last year, fans have salivated at the possibility of a matchup between the two heavy hitters who have competed for UFC titles. Johnson, 36, is making his return to the cage for the first time since announcing his retirement after a loss to Daniel Cormier in April 2017. Romero, 43, has spent the past eight years competing at middleweight and will look to snap a three-fight losing streak as he moves up a division.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/02/bellator-light-heavyweight-grand-prix-features-rumble-vs-romero

Bellator has a new television home.

The Viacom-owned promotion announced an exclusive partnership with premium cable network Showtime on Tuesday in a special announcement press conference.

Showtime will be the exclusive home for Bellator live events and the partnership kicks off Friday, April 2 with Bellator 255, which is headlined by a featherweight title fight between Patricio Freire and Emmanuel Sanchez in a Bellator featherweight grand prix semifinal.

“We’ve been interested in MMA for quite a while,” said Stephen Espinoza, Showtime Sports president. “We have a long history with MMA that goes back for 15 years to the dates of Elite XC and Strikeforce. We built some big names and stars: (Daniel) Cormier, (Luke) Rockhold, (Roda) Rousey, (Gilbert) Melendez and on and on. And of course, we’re the first to bring MMA to a national televised network and of course that was CBS way back in 2008. The time just felt right to combine forces Bellator has matured and elevated itself at a point where it now belongs in premium television network.”

The standard Showtime subscription cost is $10.99 a month, but the company is offering a free 30-day trial followed by a six-month period at $4.99 a month.

Bellator had been streaming their preliminary fights on YouTube and their main cards on CBS Sports Network – a deal that began in September with Bellator 249. Prior to that, the promotion was streaming fights on the online platform DAZN.

Bellator president Scott Coker has along history with Showtime. Prior to working with Bellator, Coker led Strikeforce which aired on the network from 2007-13.

It’s a new era for @BellatorMMA on @SHOsports. pic.twitter.com/q5MuPtC2kf

— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) February 9, 2021

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/02/bellator-showtime-exclusive-television-partnership

A pair of featherweights will look to rebound in May.

Kai Kamaka (8-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on TJ Brown (14-8 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in an event which does not yet have an official venue or location.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Reporter Rob DeMello was first to report the news.

Hawaii’s Kamaka made good on his promotional debut when he outlasted Tony Kelley in a “Fight of the Night” effort at UFC 252 in August. In his past outing in November, Kamaka saw his six-fight winning streak snapped at the hands of Jonathan Pearce in a second-round stoppage loss.

After earning a UFC contract on “Dana White’s Contender Series” in August 2019, Arkansas native Brown has dropped his first two UFC bouts to Jordan Griffin and most recently a unanimous decision to Danny Chavez in August.

With the addition, the May 1 lineup includes:

• TJ Brown vs. Kai Kamaka

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/02/kai-kamaka-vs-tj-brown-added-to-ufc-fight-night-card-on-may-1

With just days to go, UFC 258 lost a pivotal bantamweight bout between No. 8 ranked Pedro Munhoz and No. 9 ranked Jimmie Rivera.

Munhoz and Rivera were set to rematch at UFC 258, but the bout has been pulled because of COVID-19 safety measures, according to a report from MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz and Damon Martin. UFC officials have yet to comment and the report doesn’t note who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 caused disease.

Rivera won the first match-up with Munhoz via split decision on the undercard of the trilogy bout between Vitor Belfort and Dan Henderson in November of 2015.

With the two of them poised to make a run on the bantamweight division, both were eager to run it back at UFC 258.

According to MMA Fighting, the hope is to reschedule the bout on an upcoming card as soon as possible.

It was a rather significant hit to the UFC 258 fight card, which features UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman putting his belt on the line opposite Gilbert Burns.

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Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-258-loses-pivotal-bout-between-pedro-munhoz-and-jimmie-rivera

Bellator MMA on Tuesday revealed that Showtime would be the new home of the fight promotion, beginning with its re-start on April 2.

The new partnership puts Bellator on Friday nights, just after the promotion had moved to CBS Sports on Thursday nights during the tail end of 2020.

So why did the Showtime move come so soon after the move to CBS Sports?

“When you look at the trajectory of Bellator, who they’ve been able to sign as free agents, their ability to build new stars and contribute to the sport, the time just felt right for us to combine forces,” said Stephen Espinoza, President of Showtime Sports. “Bellator has matured and elevated itself to a point where it now belongs on a premium television network.”

It’s a monster move for Bellator and they are going big right out of the gate on Showtime, with a stacked month of fight cards that includes a much anticipated Light Heavyweight Grand Prix.

Bellator kicks off on Showtime on April 2

Bellator prepared for the move by signing a flurry of top tier talent, with the spotlight zeroing in on light heavyweights Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Yoel Romero.

Not wanting to risk the match-up, Bellator officials on Tuesday announced that Johnson and Romero would fight in a quarterfinal bout of the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix on April 16.

Prior to that event, however, Bellator kicks off the move with events on April 2 and April 9.

Bellator 256 on April 9 also features the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix with former 205-pound champion and current heavyweight titleholder Ryan Bader squaring off with Lyoto Machida in the opening round.

Bellator 255 takes place on April 2, featuring the re-start of the Featherweight Grand Prix. Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, puts his belt on the line in the semi-final round of the grand prix opposite Emmanuel Sanchez. The winner will then face AJ McKee in the final.

For the foreseeable future, Bellator events will air on Showtime on Fridays, starting live at 9 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. PT.

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Bellator MMA moves to Showtime

(Video courtesy of BellatorMMA)

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/bellator-announces-move-to-showtime-light-heavyweight-grand-prix