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Bellator MMA is back in a big way. The promotion returned with its debut card for 2021 on April 2 and saw two-division champion Patricio Pitbull defend his featherweight crown with a first-round submission of Emmanuel Sanchez. The win sets up a massive fight later this year against top contender AJ McKee in the World Featherweight Grand Prix final that also has $1 million up for grabs.
Then, the promotion kicked off its latest World Grand Prix, this time in the light heavyweight division. Former 205-pound titleholder Ryan Bader grounded out Lyoto Machida in the opening fight to advance to the semifinals. The former champ, who currently holds the heavyweight crown, is hoping for a rematch with current strapholder Vadim Nemkov.
Speaking of Nemkov, he advanced to the semifinals with a win over Phil Davis in their rematch in April. The current champ outstruck and outpointed the gritty veteran to take the fight on the scorecards. Plus, Corey Anderson stopped Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov in their quarterfinal matchup to advance and face Bader in the semis.
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Now as we head into May, bantamweight champion Juan Archuleta returns to make his first title defense against top contender Sergio Pettis. That card also marks the promotional debut of Anthony “Rumble” Johnson as he takes on Jose Augusto Azevedo Barros in the Grand Prix. Barros is stepping in on short notice after former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero was unable to get medical clearance. (Bellator and CBS Sports are both owned by ViacomCBS).
As we move into June, welterweight champion Douglas Lima makes his return when he takes on top contender Yaroslav Amosov. Lima hasn’t fought at 170 pounds since 2019 after attempting to move up to 185 to face Gegard Mousasi for the middleweight title. Lima lost by decision and now looks to start another win streak against an undefeated fighter who may be his toughest test to date in the division.
Be sure to check back in on this page to stay up to date on the upcoming Bellator events throughout the remainder of the year.
Upcoming Bellator MMA schedule
| Event | Date | Main event | Weight class | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellator 258 | May 7 | Juan Archuleta (c) vs. Sergio Pettis | Bantamweight title | Uncasville, Connecticut | Showtime |
| Bellator 259 | May 21 | Cris Cyborg (c) vs. Leslie Smith | Women’s featherweight title | Uncasville, Connecticut | Showtime |
| Bellator 260 | June 11 | Douglas Lima (c) vs. Yaroslav Amosov | Welterweight title | Uncasville, Connecticut | Showtime |