More Bellator MMA News
Renan Ferreira Told to “Start the Funeral Arrangements” as Francis Ngannou Receives Confirmation on PFL MMA Debut
Francis Ngannou has found an opponent for his PFL debut but the fans are concerned about his opponent's fate in the fight!
PFL Saudi: Francis Ngannou’s MMA Return Leaves Fans Concerned for Ryan Bader vs Renan Ferreira Outcome: “Winner Dies”
MMA Fans react to face off between champions, Ryan Bader and Renan Ferreira warning them of the threat that looms after, in Francis Ngannou.
Fans Call on Johnny Eblen to “Publicly Dump” Girlfriend and OnlyFans Model ‘RebeccaJ’ After “Embarrassing” Promise Made on Viral Clip
Fans are reacting after an OnlyFans model and Johnny Eblen's girlfriend stated that she wouldn't date him anymore if he lost his next fight.
‘Everybody Has Flaws’- Impa Kasanganay Warns Johnny Eblen Ahead of PFL vs. Bellator‘s Massive Fight in Saudi Arabia on Feb 24
PFL light heavyweight champ Impa Kasanganay talks about matchup against Bellator middelweight champ Johnny Eblen on an ES Fancast exclusive.
PFL V Bellator: 4 Years After Controversial Loss to Jon Jones, Thiago Santos’ Opponent Yoel Romero Opens Up on Rival’s Close Loss to UFC Champ
Former title challenger, Yoel Romero praised his opponent Thiago Santos for his performance against UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
“Shavkat [Rakhmonov] Really Just Slammed…”- Undefeated UFC Star ‘Slamming’ Bellator Champion Has Fans Trolling the “B Leagues”
Shavkat Rakhmonov slamming the new Bellator welterweight champ has caused the fans to come out and take shots at the UFC's rival promotion.
Who Owns PFL MMA? Is It Jake Paul? All We Know About the Professional Fighters League’s Merger With Bellator
As the Bellator and PFL merger shakes up the MMA world, let's take a look at Jake Paul and the details surrounding the merger and his role.
“Dana White Couldn’t Give a F**k if He Tried”- Jake Paul’s Bold Claim About PFL and Bellator Merger Has Fans Trolling the Boxing Star
Jake Paul and his excitement over the PFL and Bellator merger were shut down by fans as they came out in support of Dana White and the UFC.
“UFC Ain’t the NFL and We’re Not the XFL”- ‘Worried’ Dana White Handed a Reality Check by Donn Davis in a Latest Rant by PFL Boss
Dana White has been slammed in the latest comments by PFL boss, Donn Davis, in light of the recent acquisition of Bellator by PFL.
Once Compared to Khabib, Yaroslav Amosov Loses His Undefeated Streak as Jason Jackson Sends Him to the Shadow Realm at Bellator 301, Fans React
Yaroslav Amosov loses his undefeated record at the hands of Jason Jackson at Bellator 301 as fans react to the incredible knockout online.
How Many Dagestani Fighters From Khabib’s Camp Have Failed Drug Tests So Far?
Usman Nurmagomedov's recent failed drug test brings teammates of Khabib Nurmagomedov into question for having failed drug tests in the past.
Post UFC 295, Islam Makhachev Slammed With Doping Allegations for Hyping Magomed Ankalaev’s Position in 205 lbs Division Amidst Usman Nurmagomedov’s Suspension
Islam Makhachev gets slammed by fans on Twitter for hyping up fellow teammate Magomed Ankalaev after Pereira knocks out Prochazka at UFC 295.
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 |
