Bellator planning comeback events with Cris Cyborg and Ryan Bader title fights

Bellator is planning on returning to action this fall with four events over the next two months including title fights featuring Cris Cyborg and Ryan Bader.

Bellator officially announced this week it will be returning on July 24 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, and according to British MMA journalist Gareth Davies, the promotion will in fact hold four events at the Mohegan Sun from July to September. Davies spoke to the organization’s president Scott Coker, who confirmed to him that Bellator is planning to hold four events for its comeback, with fights featuring Cyborg and Bader.

Bellator President @ScottCoker tells me that @MoheganSun will host four @BellatorMMA events July 24, Aug 7, Aug 14, Sept 11. There for the foreseeable future.
Events going forward cd include @ryanbader and @criscyborg in title fights. Still in planning.@Bellator_Europe pic.twitter.com/RxLamJ0waR

— Gareth A Davies (@GarethADaviesDT) July 16, 2020

Bellator President @ScottCoker tells me that @MoheganSun will host four @BellatorMMA events July 24, Aug 7, Aug 14, Sept 11. There for the foreseeable future. Events going forward cd include @ryanbader and @criscyborg in title fights. Still in planning. @Bellator_Europe

The Bellator event on July 24 features a main event between bantamweights Sergio Pettis and Ricky Bandejas. The card also features the Bellator debut of former UFC welterweight Jordan Mein, who takes on Jason Jackson. The event on July 24 is the first Bellator event since the company’s Dublin card back in February. The promotion was forced to take a long hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On September 11, Bellator will hold another event featuring a rematch between former UFC stars Lyoto Machida and Phil Davis. The cards on August 7 and August 14 don’t have any main event fights confirmed yet, but considering Cyborg and Bader were named as specific fighters who could fight on these cards, then it makes sense both of them headlined those events. As well, other promotional champions such as Patricio Pitbull and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane could also compete on these events.

It’s nice to have Bellator back considering it gives MMA fighters another promotion to fight for, but after missing five months it remains to be seen how the promotion will do in its return.

Are you excited to watch Bellator again?