At a special 4:00 p.m. media event today, Bellator MMA announced that it is back on Showtime for the first time since 2013. Showtime has a long history of airing MMA events, originally with EliteXC, and then with Strikeforce when it headed by now Bellator CEO Scott Coker.
“Everyone in this industry knows the history that I have with Showtime. We have done things together that have truly shaped the sport of mixed martial arts that you see today,” said Coker, as transcribed by Brent Brookhouse for CBS Sports. “But what’s really exciting about this news is that everything we have already accomplished is just the beginning. 2021 marks a new era for Bellator MMA. With our new home at Showtime, we are going to take this brand to a new level, and you are going to see us build upon the foundation that we have already set throughout my time with Bellator.”
The partnership will begin with three shows on Friday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET, beginning on April 2.
The Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix was delayed by the COVID-19 global pandemic, but is nearing a conclusion. The main event of Bellator 255 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut will be division champion Patricio Freire vs. Emmanuel Sanchez. The winner will move on to the finals to fight A.J. McKee, who beat Darrion Caldwell in the semis.
Bellator 256 and 257, held on Friday, April 9, and Friday, April 16, will see the beginning of the eight-man Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix:
Bellator 256
Ryan Bader vs. Lyoto Machida
Corey Anderson vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov
Bellator 257
Vadim Nemkov (c) vs. Phil Davis
Anthony Johnson vs. Yoel Romero
This is the entire GP bracket:
The full #Bellator Light Heavyweight Grand Prix bracket pic.twitter.com/0NjspQsqrk
— Amy Kaplan (@PhotoAmy33) February 9, 2021
All three events will take place in an anti-pandemic bubble at the Mohegan Sun, and will also include bantamweight champion Juan Archuleta, welterweight champion Douglas Lima, middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi, and women’s flyweight champion Juliana Velasquez.
