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Bellator's future as an MMA promotion has been up in the air for some time now. With Paramount, the parent company of both Showtime and Bellator, withdrawing from the boxing business, many wondered if they would follow suit with MMA. However, Cris Cyborg recently took to X/Twitter to squash those rumors.
The promotion's women's featherweight champion claimed that it is not the end, and that come 2024, she expects to defend her 145-pound strap against Leah McCourt. Fans of the both the promotion and a competitive MMA landscape will be pleased to hear Cyborg's words:
"I can confirm the story of @BellatorMMA has not ended and will continue. When I make my return to MMA it will be to face @leahmccourtmma in Belfast Ireland in 2024"
In the preceding months, Scott Coker's promotion was subjected to various rumors, including that of a potential sale to the PFL. Meanwhile, UFC CEO Dana White was asked by journalists if he has any interest in acquiring some of Bellator's top fighters in the event of a promotional shutdown.
While White didn't explicitly rule it out, he didn't outline a desire to sign anyone from the rival promotion. That, however, has not stopped some of its most prominent names from flirting with the UFC, including striker extraordinaire Michael 'Venom' Page and Dillon Danis.
Danis has not fought in MMA since 2019 and was recently released from Bellator. He lost his professional boxing debut against Logan Paul, a social media influencer with whom he had a deeply personal feud. He campaigned for a UFC contract, even appearing cage-side at UFC 295 in the hopes of drawing Dana White's attention.
However, with no movement on that front, Danis abruptly announced his retirement from MMA.
Bellator's anti-doping controversy with Usman Nurmagomedov
Usman Nurmagomedov is the rival promotion's lightweight champion and boasts an undefeated record. He has mirrored the success of his more famous cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired as the unbeaten UFC lightweight champion.
However, unfortunately for Usman Nurmagomedov, he has courted controversy.
It has been revealed that the 25-year-old has tested positive for a banned substance from a prescription drug. Due to the accidental nature of him ingesting the banned substance, he was not stripped of his lightweight title. Instead, he was handed a six-month suspension and his win over Brent Primus was overturned to a no-contest.
