More Bellator MMA news

Sean Strickland Sends a Warning to the UFC MW Division About Israel Adesanya?s Bellator MMA Counterpart Amid Title Shot Rumors for UFC 293

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Akchhat Bachheti

August 06, 2023

Sean Strickland + Israel Adesanya

Months After Suffering From a Cardiac Arrest Which Caused Him Brain Damage, Bellator Fighter Cris Lencioni Miraculously Walks Out of the Hospital

Fans are in a world of relief, as Terrance McKinney shares some positive and crucial updates on Cris Lencioni following his cardiac arrest.

Rajdeep Jayan

August 06, 2023

cris-lencioni-bellator-294-1

As Sparring Photo With Israel Adesanya?s Bellator MMA Counterpart Goes Viral, Mark Zuckerberg Lays Bare His Honest Opinion on 185LBS Champ

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Akchhat Bachheti

July 27, 2023

Israel Adesanya, Mark Zuckerberg

?Dude Is 36 Already??: Amid Speculations Surrounding Michael ?Venom? Page?s Entry to the UFC, His Appearance at UFC London Sparks Mixed Reactions From Fans

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Akchhat Bachheti

July 23, 2023

?Finally Get Away From That Sh*t Show?: After Parting Ways With Bellator, Michael ?Venom? Page?s Free-Agency Announcement Blows Up UFC World as Fans Call for Wild Matchups

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Himanga Mahanta

July 18, 2023

Michael Page

MMA Pension Bill Paralleling 41-Year-Old Boxing Rule, Once Backed by Ronda Rousey, Sees an Emotional Cat Zingano Recall WWE Star?s Call of Support

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Mayur Soni

July 14, 2023

UFC 184 Ultimate Media Day

?His Disc Was So F***ed Up?: Joe Rogan Left Stunned by 46-Year-Old Yoel Romero?s Fused Neck That Makes Him Run Weird

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Himanga Mahanta

June 28, 2023

UFC 248: Adesanya v Romero

After Bellator President Scott Coker Insults Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, UFC Fans Give Him a Stern Reminder About Dana White?s Roster

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Krushna Prasad Pattnaik

June 21, 2023

?Looked Like a Punching Bag?: 46-Year-Old Yoel Romero?s Loss Against Fedor Emelianenko?s Protege at Bellator 297 Has Fans Demanding Ex-UFC Star?s Retirement

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Himanga Mahanta

June 17, 2023

Yoel Romero

46-Year-Old Ex-UFC Star Yoel Romero?s Peculiar Fear Leaves Fans Dumbfounded After Cuban Pulls Bizarre Stunt at Bellator Face-Off -?Was the Conference on a Hot Air Balloon?

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Himanga Mahanta

June 15, 2023

UFC 248: Adesanya v Romero

“I Don’t See It as a Rivalry Necessarily” – Undefeated Dagestani Star Makes a Surprising Claim About Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov Rivalry Ahead of Bellator 297 Clash

The Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov rivalry does not make Russian and Irish fighters rivals by default, claims a Bellator 297 star.

Yeswanth Praveen

June 15, 2023

UFC 229: Khabib v McGregor

?Training Is Therapy?: Two-Division UFC GOAT Reveals a Glimpse of His Success Journey With a Special Fitness Initiative

How did UFC middleweight star Sean Strickland respond to an Instagram story of Israel Adesanya's Bellator's counterpart with a warning?

Tanushree Bhowmick

June 04, 2023

UFC 217: Bisping v St-Pierre

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

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.?

DivisionNameDate WonTitle Defenses
HeavyweightRyan BaderJanuary 26, 20191
Light HeavyweightRyan BaderJune 24, 20171
MiddleweightVacantSince February 10, 2020-
WelterweightDouglas LimaOctober 26,20190
LightweightPatricio FreireMay 11, 20190
FeatherweightPatricio FreireApril 21,20173
BantamweightVacantSince November 27, 20190
Women?s FeatherweightCris CyborgJanuary 25, 20200
Women?s FlyweightIlima-Lei MacfarlaneNovember 3,20174