Per multiple reports, Bellator MMA is ready to open their doors. Bellator is expected to have a three-month residency at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Unvasville, Connecticut. We have not seen any Bellator action since the promotion halted production back in early March.
Per MMA Fighting, the deal is a partnership with Showtime Championship Boxing who will also be sharing the arena. There are multiple hurdles still to overcome, but the promotion is focused on getting back to action in a couple of weeks.
Exciting Bellator Matchups Upcoming
There are no dates just yet, but there are several matchups that should get MMA fans excited about Bellator returning. One of the matchups that sticks out to me is the matchup between Douglas Lima (32-7) and Gegard Mousasi (46-7-2) for the vacant middleweight title. Lima is truly one of the best fighters in the world, and I’m interested to see if he can become a two-division world champion in Bellator.
Another fight I’m interested in is the rematch between Michael Chandler (20-5) and Benson Henderson (28-8). Chandler has long been considered one of the better lightweights in the world. He’s coming up on his last fight under his current Bellator deal, and he’s expected to test out free agency. If he wins impressively, expect several promotions to come calling with good offers.
Of course you have to think Bellator will move quickly to book the anticipated matchup between Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (30-4) and Pedro Carvalho (11-3). Pitbull is one of the best fighters in the world. He’s currently one of two double-champs in Bellator. There was some heat in this matchup, and it was just days from happening before the pandemic shut everything down.
More Fights for Fans
Dana White and the UFC have done a tremendous job of getting sports going over the last couple of months. However, now that Bellator is coming back, fight fans are going to see even more action. You have to think Bellator is going to come out strong after being behind for the last few months.