More Bellator MMA News
BELLATOR 256 – Liz Carmouche vs. Vanessa Porto: Prediction and Analysis
Former UFC fighter Liz Carmouche faces the former Invicta FC champion, Vanessa Porto, in a flyweight bout at Bellator 256.
BELLATOR 256 – Ryan Bader vs. Lyoto Machida 2: Prediction and Analysis
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida is set to face Ryan Bader in the main event of Bellator 256 on Friday.
5 Things You Need to Know About Ryan Bader
Ryan Bader will engage a rematch against Lyoto Machida at Bellator 256. Ahead of his fight, here are five things you need to know about him.
WATCH: Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum Shows Off His Dancing Skills
Former UFC champions, Fabricio Werdum and Cris Cyborg, showed off their dance moves in a Twitter video posted by the Brazilian heavyweight.
‘It’s Bellator vs UFC’- Scott Coker Makes a Statement on UFC 262
Bellator MMA President Scott Coker spoke to the media and addressed Michael Chandler's title fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 262.
‘For Sure it’s Gonna Be Different’- Cris Cyborg Talks About the Rematch With Leslie Smith
Cris Cyborg is all set to face Leslie Smith on May 21st at Bellator 259. Before the fight, Cyborg talks about how this match could be different.
Khabib Nurmagomedov Remembers Late Father After Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator Win
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov posted a message on Instagram in memory of his late father after his brother's win.
‘At Death’s Door’- Anthony Johnson Describes Dropping 40 Pounds To Fight as a Welterweight
Anthony Johnson had one of the most famous weight cutting saga when he used to cut down to 170 and 185 pounds early in his career.
‘Knock His Ass Out’- Ben Askren’s Teammate Predicts Special Win Over Jake Paul
Ben Askren vs Jake Paul will be an interesting fight to watch. But one of Askren's training partners believes that Askren will KO Paul.
Bellator CEO Scott Coker Reveals Why Mike Goldberg Is No Longer a Commentator
Bellator MMA President Scott Coker talks about Mike Goldberg leaving the organization and reveals the reason behind the departure.
Leslie Smith Says Cris Cyborg Fight Will Be the Biggest Fight of the Year
Leslie Smith, who is all set to face Cris Cyborg in a rematch from 2016, has called their upcoming title fight as 'biggest fight of the year'.
WATCH: Bellator Fighter Jason Jackson’s Eye Poked by the Fence in a Bizarre Fashion
Bellator fighter Jason Jackson suffered a bizarre incident as the cage grazed his eye during his fight against Neiman Gracie at Bellator 255.
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 |
