Latest news with #Ex-Bellator
USA Today
04-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ryan Bader announces Rizin signing for planned NYE debut vs. heavyweight grand prix winner
Ryan Bader announces Rizin signing for planned NYE debut vs. heavyweight grand prix winner Ex-Bellator two-division champion will fight grand prix winner Ryan Bader was waiting for the dust to settle around his release from the PFL to see where he might wind up fighting next. Now we know. Bader (31-8-1) and Rizin announced the former Bellator heavyweight and light heavyweight champion will fight the winner of the promotion's ongoing grand prix. Bader came into the ring Sunday at Rizin's Otoko Matsuri to tell promotion president Nobuyuki Sakakibara he's planning to be the promotion's champion after New Year's Eve. Rizin's heavyweight tournament started Sunday. Former Bellator fighter Jose Augusto, Marek Samociuk and Mikio Ueda advanced to the semifinals. A fourth quarterfinal fight is yet to take place. Regardless of who becomes Rizin's heavyweight champion after the tournament, Bader likely will be a heavy betting favorite in the fight. Bader fought for Bellator from 2017 until it was purchased and dissolved by the PFL. Bader was knocked out in 21 seconds by Renan Ferreira in a crossover fight between PFL and Bellator heavyweight champions in February 2024. He asked for his PFL release earlier this year without another fight on the horizon – and he joined scores of other former Bellator fighters who have publicly railed on the PFL for its treatment of them.
USA Today
20-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ex-Bellator lightweight champ Brent Primus eyeing statement with title for PFL
Ex-Bellator lightweight champ Brent Primus eyeing statement with title for PFL Show Caption Hide Caption Brent Primus, PFL 2025 Week 3 post-fight video interview Brent Primus met the media after his win over Vinicius Cenci Brent Primus knows what it's like to become an unexpected champion, so winning a PFL title would be old hat. And it's not even that a lightweight belt in the PFL, like he did in Bellator when he stopped Michael Chandler, would be out of the question now for Primus (16-4), who beat Vinicius Cenci (8-3) with a third-round submission this past Friday. He moved on to a semifinal matchup against Alfie Davis in late June. Still, he's been overlooked before only to prove doubters wrong, and he'd gladly do it again. Primus spoke to the media following his win at 2025 PFL World Tournament 3, which took place at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. Watch Primus' full post-fight interview in the video above courtesy of the PFL.
