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2023 in Bellator MMA

2023 in Bellator MMA was the fifteenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

Events list

Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix Tournament

On September 28, 2022, Bellator president Scott Coker revealed in a The MMA Hour interview that a Lightweight World Grand Prix will take place in 2023.[14] On January 11, 2023, during an appearance on "The MMA Hour," Bellator president Scott Coker revealed the fighters taking part in the tournament. The lineup includes Usman Nurmagomedov, A.J. McKee, Tofiq Musayev, Alexandr Shabliy, Patricky Freire, Mansour Barnaoui, Benson Henderson, and Sidney Outlaw. The tournament kicked off at Bellator 292 on March 10 in San Jose, California.[15]

[16]

  1. ^ Primus replaced Sidney Outlaw after he was suspended for a positive drug test.
  2. ^ de Souza replaced A. J. McKee after he withdrew due to medical issues. The bout took place at catchweight of 161 pounds.
  3. ^ Nurmagomedov's win was later overturned to a No Contest after he tested positive for a banned substance in a prescription drug. He was not stripped of the title due to the unintentional ingestion of the substance, but did receive a suspension.
  4. ^ The conclusion to the tournament was cancelled following the acquisition of Bellator MMA by Professional Fighters League in November 2023. Shabliy and Nurmagomedov did however eventually face each other the next year in a Lightweight Title bout at Bellator Champions Series 4, where Nurmagomedov won by unanimous decision.

Bellator Bantamweight World Grand Prix Tournament

The eight participants of the tournament were revealed on December 3, 2021. They include current champion Sergio Pettis, the former Rizin and Bellator champion Kyoji Horiguchi, another former Bellator champion in Juan Archuleta, who captured the vacant bantamweight title in 2020 against Patchy Mix, who will also be in the tournament. The final four fighters in the Grand Prix are all ranked in the top six by Bellator at 135 pounds: Magomed Magomedov, James Gallagher, Raufeon Stots and Leandro Higo.[17][18][19] Pettis and Gallagher would eventually pull out due to injuries requiring surgery.[20][21] Due to the pull outs, two wild card qualifier bouts between Josh Hill and Enrique Barzola, with the winner meeting Magomed Magomedov in the opening round, and the second qualifier between Jornel Lugo and Danny Sabatello, which will have the winner face Leandro Higo in the first round of the tournament.[22] Due to Covid, Hill had to pull out of the bout and was replaced by Nikita Mikhailov.[23][24]

Title fights

  1. ^ For the Bellator Middleweight World Championship.
  2. ^ For the Bellator Heavyweight World Championship.
  3. ^ For the Bellator Welterweight World Championship.
  4. ^ For the Bellator Lightweight World Championship.
  5. ^ For the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship.
  6. ^ For the interim Bellator Bantamweight World Championship.
  7. ^ For the Bellator Bantamweight World Championship.
  8. ^ For the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship
  9. ^ For the inaugural Bellator Flyweight World Championship. Accidental eye poke rendered Takahashi unable to continue.
  10. ^ For the Bellator Middleweight World Championship.
  11. ^ For the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship.
  12. ^ For the Bellator Women's Featherweight World Championship.
  13. ^ For the Bellator Lightweight World Championship. Originally a unanimous decision win for Nurmagomedov; overturned after he tested positive for a banned substance.
  14. ^ For the Bellator Bantamweight World Championship.
  15. ^ For the Bellator Welterweight World Championship.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bellator MMA | Bellator 301". 17 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Bellator 300: Historic event set for Oct. 7 in San Diego with 4 title fights". MMA Junkie. 2023-08-09. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  3. ^ "Edwards beats Mousasi to set up Bellator title shot". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  4. ^ "Bellator 298 - Storley vs. Ward".
  5. ^ "Bellator MMA | BELLATOR x RIZIN: Pitbull vs. McKee". 30 July 2023.
  6. ^ Martin, Damon (2023-03-27). "Vadim Nemkov vs. Yoel Romero, Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Pitbull headlines Bellator 297". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  7. ^ "Bellator Paris: Fabian Edwards to fight Gegard Mousasi in May middleweight title eliminator". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  8. ^ Sherdog.com. "Bellator Set for April Doubleheader in Hawaii with Carmouche vs. Bennett, Mix vs. Stots". Sherdog. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  9. ^ "Bellator MMA returning again to Hawaii in April". KHON2. 2023-02-15. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  10. ^ "Marcelo Golm vs. Daniel James, Cat Zingano vs. Leah McCourt headline Bellator 293 on March 31". MMA Junkie. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  11. ^ Lee, Alexander K. (2023-01-11). "Bellator 8-man Lightweight World Grand Prix lineup announced, Usman Nurmagomedov defends title against Benson Henderson at Bellator 292 on March 10". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  12. ^ Mike Bohn (2022-09-26). "Bellator announces return to Dublin on Feb. 24; Scott Coker promises 'amazing fight card'". MMA Junkie. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  13. ^ "Emelianenko to fight Bader in retirement bout". ESPN.com. 2022-11-18. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  14. ^ Jed Meshew (September 28, 2022). "Scott Coker announces Bellator lightweight grand prix for 2023". mmafighting.com.
  15. ^ Sherdog.com. "Eight-Man Field Announced for Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix". Sherdog. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  16. ^ "Bellator San Diego: Nurmagomedov vs. Shabliy Full Results". cagesidepress.com.
  17. ^ Al-Shatti, Shaun (2021-12-03). "Bellator announces $1 million bantamweight grand prix for 2022, eight-man tournament field". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  18. ^ "Bellator announces eight-man bantamweight grand prix for 2022". MMA Junkie. 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  19. ^ "Bellator MMA announces eight-man World Grand Prix at bantamweight starting in 2022". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  20. ^ "James Gallagher injured, Bellator bantamweight grand prix takes another blow". MMA Junkie. 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  21. ^ "Bellator 279 card: Sergio Pettis out of Bantamweight World Grand Prix with injury, Juan Archuleta steps in". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  22. ^ "Bellator adds two wild card bouts, four fighters to bantamweight grand prix". MMA Junkie. 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  23. ^ "Bellator bantamweight grand prix takes another hit with Josh Hill withdrawal". MMA Junkie. 2022-04-05. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  24. ^ "Josh Hill out of Bellator bantamweight grand prix, Nikita Mikhailov to face Enrique Barzola". MMA Junkie. 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2022-04-11.

External links