Bellator is currently the second largest MMA promotion in the world. It was founded in 2008 and its first ever match was held in 2009. Over the years, Bellator has held numerous matches with incredible fighters. Those fighters have created many epic records and won championships. In this article, we will have a look at the 10 best-ever fighters to fight in Bellator history.
10. Ben Askren
Ben Askren began his professional MMA career in 2009 and entered Bellator in 2010. “Funky” fought Ryan Thomas and Dan Hornbuckle in his debut and won the 2 Welterweight Tournament. Askren had an amazing run in the promotion, as he set records for the most consecutive and most successful title defenses in the history of promotion. After a three-year stint with Bellator, Askren left the company with an undefeated record and a Welterweight Championship reign. His undefeated MMA streak ended in 2019, when he lost to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239. Ben’s retirement match was against Demian Maia on October 26, 2019.
9. Ryan Bader
Ryan Bader has fought in various MMA promotions since 2007. Then he debuted in the largest MMA promotion, the UFC, in 2009 and had a great career there. After fighting in the UFC octagon for eight years, Bader made his Bellator debut in 2017 and won the Light Heavyweight Championship by defeating Phil Davis. “Darth defended the title once before entering the Heavyweight Division and becoming a double champion. He is still the Heavyweight Champion of Bellator.
8. Patrick Mix
After fighting in the KOTC for years, Patrick Mix made his debut in the Bellator in 2019 and had an amazing debut. He defeated Ricky Bandejas via submission within the first round. Since that bout, Mix has suffered only one loss, which was against Juan Archuleta at Bellator 246 for the vacant Bellator Bantamweight World Championship. “Patchy” avenged his loss by winning the Bantamweight Grand Prix and becoming the interim champion. His overall MMA record is 19 wins and just one loss.
7. Johnny Eblen
Johnny Eblen is an exceptional fighter who started his MMA career at Shamrock FC and then entered Bellator in 2019. “Johnny Pressure” has defeated every fighter he has fought to date. His professional MMA record is 14-0. Eblen became the Bellator Middleweight champion by defeating Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 282 via unanimous decision. He has already defended his title two times, once against Anatoly Tokov and once against Fabian Edwards. Eblen ranks No. 5 in the pound-for-pound rankings of Bellator.
6. Liza Carmouche
After fighting in several MMA promotions like Strikeforce and Invicta, Liza Carmouche entered the UFC and was part of the historical bout, which was the first-ever women’s bout in the UFC. She faced Ronda Rousey in this bout for the Women’s Bantamweight title. After some wins and losses in the UFC, Carmouche entered Bellator and defeated DeAnna Bennett in her debut bout. Later, she went on to win the Women’s flyweight title by defeating Juliana Velasquez. Girlrilla is undefeated in Bellator till now.
5. Gegard Mousasi
Gegard has fought in a number of MMA promotions, like Dream, Strikeforce, Pride, Cage Warriors and the UFC. He has held titles in almost every promotion. Overall, Mousasi had six title reigns. He is a two-time Middleweight champion in Bellator, defeating Rafael Carvalho and Douglas Lima to capture the title. “Dream Catcher” has been a dominant fighter in Bellator since his debut in the promotion in 2017.
4. Usman Nurmagomedov
Cousin of former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman is also building an impressive legacy in the MMA world. He has an undefeated MMA record with just one No Contest that came from his most recent lightweight title defense at Bellator 300. Usman has notable wins over fighters like Benson Henderson, Patricky Pitbull and Chris Gonzalez. The 25-year-old is the youngest champion in Bellator currently and he seems to be a dominant fighter already.
3. Vadim Nemkov
During the early years of his MMA career, Vadim Nemkov fought in various promotions like RIZIN, SOMMAF and more. He made his Bellator debut in 2017 and defeated Philipe Lins. The Russian fighter went on to become the Light Heavyweight champion of Bellator. He has broken the record for most title defenses in this division. Vadim has some notable wins over fighters like Ryan Bader, Corey Anderson and Phil Davis.
2. Cris Cyborg
Cris Cyborg is one of the most impressive female fighters in MMA history. She has not only dominated Bellator but UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta FC too. She has a tendency to make history wherever she works. Cyborg is currently working in the Bellator, where she is tied for most stoppage wins in the promotion’s history and most knockouts in the UFC women’s featherweight division. She has not only dominated MMA but other sports too. Chris has a 2-1 Muay Thai record, a 2-0 record in boxing and a 7-1 grappling record.
1. Patricio Pitbull
The Brazilian MMA fighter Patricio Pitbull is considered the greatest fighter in the history of Bellator. He has held many titles and became a double champion, holding both Featherweight and lightweight titles simultaneously. Patricio is also considered one of the greatest MMA fighters to never work with the UFC. He holds countless records in Bellator, such as most wins and most title fights.
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