Bellator News

Cole Shelton - March 19, 2024

The 157th episode of Just Scrap Radio with host Cole Shelton is live to preview UFC Vegas 89 and Bellator Belfast. We’re first joined by Bellator featherweight Jeremy Kennedy (1:09). Next, UFC featherweight Julian Erosa (18:19) comes on. Finally, UFC lightweight Kurt Holobaugh (36:37) closes out the program.

Cole Shelton - March 14, 2024

Gilbert Melendez and former Bellator president Scott Coker have teamed up to create a new MMA promotion. Coker stepped away from MMA after the Bellator and PFL merger, but he is now returning to the game. Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Melendez is starting his own MMA promotion in California and has brought along Coker to help him out. No fights have been announced for the event yet, but it is expected that the card will see both veterans and prospects on it.

Cole Shelton - March 6, 2024

Anthony Taylor was supposed to box Gabe Silva, the son of Anderson Silva, later this month but that won’t be the case anymore. Taylor, the former Bellator fighter, has become one of the top draws in influencer boxing as he’s currently the Misfits boxing light heavyweight champion. Taylor is 3-1 in Misfits and was booked to defend his title against Silva on March 23 which was exciting for the MMA veteran.

Josh Evanoff - February 29, 2024

Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull will be returning on March 22nd in Ireland. The Brazilian has had a rough 12 months. Patricio Pitbull has been out of action since a knockout loss to Chihiro Suzuki at Super RIZIN 2 last July, the first knockout loss of his entire career. The defeat was the second in a row for the Bellator star, previously losing to Sergio Pettis that June down at bantamweight.

Cole Shelton - February 24, 2024

We have you covered for all of today’s PFL vs Bellator card, including the co-main event fight between Johnny Eblen and Impa Kasanganay. Johnny Eblen (14-0) is the current Bellator middleweight champion and coming off a third-round TKO win over Fabian Edwards to defend his title for the second time. Eblen won the title back in June of 2022 when he beat Gegard Mousasi by a lopsided decision. In his career, he holds notable wins over John Salter, Anatoly Tokov, and Collin Huckbody.

Cole Shelton - February 24, 2024

We have you covered for all of today’s PFL vs Bellator card, including an intriguing main card scrap between Yoel Romero and Thiago Santos. Thiago Santos (22-11 and one No Contest) is coming off a decision loss to Rob Wilkinson back in April in his PFL debut which was later overturned to a No Contest after the Aussie failed a drug test. Before that, the Brazilian suffered a TKO loss to Jamahal Hill and a decision loss to Magomed Ankalaev.

Cole Shelton - February 24, 2024

A massive MMA event goes down on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as PFL vs. Bellator champions face each other, in the first event since their merger. An 11-fight card goes down headlined by a heavyweight fight between PFL champ Renan Ferreira and Bellator champ Ryan Bader. Ferreira (12-3 and three No Contests) is coming off a second-round knockout win over Denis Goltsov in November to win the 2023 PFL heavyweight season. The Brazilian is 6-1 with three No Contests in PFL as he has notable wins over Maurice Greene, Matheus Scheffel, and Jamelle Jones among others in his career.

Josh Evanoff - February 22, 2024

Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen has high stakes heading into his return this weekend. ‘The Human Cheat Code’ is widely viewed as one of the greatest fighters outside of the UFC today. Last September, Johnny Eblen moved to 14-0 with a dominant knockout win over Fabian Edwards in the Bellator cage. Following the victory, he traded words with his opponent’s brother, Leon Edwards, in a moment that quickly went viral.

Harry Kettle - February 20, 2024

A new championship belt has been revealed for the upcoming PFL vs Bellator Champions series ahead of Saturday night. For a while now, fight fans have been getting excited over the prospect of PFL fighters battling Bellator fighters after the recent acquisition. This weekend, we’ll see the first major PFL vs Bellator Champions event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Harry Kettle - February 17, 2024

Bellator champion Ryan Bader believes a rematch against Jon Jones would go differently at heavyweight. Way back in 2011, Jon Jones and Ryan Bader clashed at light heavyweight. It was billed as an encounter that would determine who the next rising contender really is at 205 pounds, and Jones came out on top with a nice submission finish.

Josh Evanoff - January 30, 2024

Corey Anderson and Karl Moore will fight for the vacant Bellator light-heavyweight title in March. Bellator itself has had a strange last few months, to put it mildly. In November, the Scott Coker-led company was bought out by the PFL, but not to merge the two promotions. Instead, Donn Davis planned to run both companies as separate entities. But, allow for crossover between the two brands.

Josh Evanoff - January 30, 2024

Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg appears to be unhappy with the PFL. It’s been a weird month or so for the legendary Brazilian. At the start of the month, Cris Cyborg was eyeing a potential bout with longtime rival Kayla Harrison for later this year. In the meantime, she booked a boxing match against Kelsey Wickstrum, the third of her career.

Susan Cox - January 16, 2024

Several bouts have been announced for the PFL vs. Bellator event, including Yoel Romero vs. Thiago Santos. The much-anticipated PFL vs. Bellator event is set for Saturday, February 24th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Josh Evanoff - January 11, 2024

The reported Bellator vs. PFL card slated for February 24th is now adding fights. In November, the Viacom-owned company was bought out by the PFL. With that, it marked a departure for figures such as Scott Coker, and others. However, Donn Davis and others plan to keep running Bellator as a separate entity and keep holding events for the foreseeable future.

Josh Evanoff - December 29, 2023

RIZIN bantamweight champion Juan Archuleta is ready for a rematch with Bellator titleholder Patchy Mix. ‘The Spaniard’ is slated to make the first title defense of his bantamweight title reign this Saturday. In the co-main event of RIZIN 45, Juan Archuleta will face former titleholder Kai Asaukra. If he can get through the Japanese fighter this weekend, he hopes to meet Patchy Mix in the near future.

Cole Shelton - December 18, 2023

UFC CEO Dana White says Bellator merging into PFL is a bad thing for MMA and the sport as a whole. Bellator was recently purchased by PFL as the two companies will merge into one. However, Bellator will continue under a “reimagined” system at PFL called the Bellator International Champions Series. The Bellator series will include eight events per year with each card featuring two title fights at the top.

Zain Bando - December 5, 2023

Cris “Cyborg” Justino is at a crossroads. The former UFC women’s featherweight champion and current Bellator featherweight champion, Cyborg wants to be part of the newly minted PFL-Bellator merger.

Susan Cox - November 28, 2023

Bellator executive Mike Kogan is claiming ONE Championship is about to go out of business. The announcement came last week that Bellator was no longer a standalone entity.  The promotion was acquired by the PFL (Professional Fighters League).