Bellator president Scott Coker went on Ariel Helwani’s ESPN MMA Show on Monday and disclosed the news that his marketing is planning on running a 16-man featherweight grand prix tournament. According to Coker, the championship will begin running in October and will feature 16 of their best featherweights in Bellator, including fighters already in the division as well as bantamweights moving upward and potentially even lightweights moving down. The featherweight championship follows in the footsteps of this promotion’s heavyweight grand prix, which only watched Ryan Bader crowned champion, and also the welterweight tournament, which is still ongoing.
Coker advised Helwani he needs the first round of eight fights in the championship to take place on a single night or about back-to-back nights in the autumn. He also said he wants the tournament to conclude within a year, which nearly mirrors the heavyweight and welterweight tournament timelines.
As far as who will be among the 16 fighters at the tournament, so far nobody has been announced, but Coker did say that he desires Bellator featherweight champion Patricio”Pitbull” Freire to be part of the championship game. Pitbull is shooting on Michael Chandler in May for its Bellator lightweight name, so if he does participate in the championship he will be the winner, meaning his belt is going to be on the line in every round of this tournament like Rory MacDonald’s welterweight name is on the line each time he fights.
As far as other featherweights who are predicted to maintain the championship, here are a few who appear to be near locks: Rising prospect AJ McKee; top rival Henry Corrales; former champ Daniel Straus; former champ Pat Curran; former top prospect Aaron Pico; former name competition Emmanuel Sanchez; and former UFC fighter Sam Sicilia.
The fact there aren’t 16 featherweights ways that bantamweights are also invited to move up, and Coker said that James Gallagher and Darrion Caldwell will be asked to get involved in the championship. I’d also anticipate Ricky Bandejas and Juan Archuleta to be asked, too. As far as lightweights proceed, there might potentially be a couple of fighters who may create the cut down a weight class involving Derek Campos, who simply fought at featherweight in his last fight, and Ryan Scope, who only lost a close fight against Patricky”Pitbull” Freire.
It is fascinating to see Bellator continue to maintain these tournaments as the sport of MMA was build on the championship format. The advertising’s bedrock back in the Bjorn Rebney days has been the championships but when Coker initially came in they began to go out in trade for superfights and legends conflicts. Nonetheless, it seems like Coker, Bellator, Paramount and DAZN adore the tournaments since this is the next one the promotion will be running over the previous two years. Now, you have to wonder what another tournament for Bellator is, and when I had to guess it would be something in the women’s divisions. For the time being, however, featherweight has become a great pair of fights.
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links and MMA Odds Breaker is going to be paid if you make a purchase after clicking on the links.

Read more: ultimatefans.net