Bellator Fighting Championships (Bellator) is a mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 (MMA) promotion based in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. "Bellator", which is Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 for "Warrior", is organized into seasons with each event hosting the rounds of championship knockout tournaments for three-five weight divisions.

History

In its first season, Bellator broadcast its fights nationally in the United States through an exclusive television agreement with ESPN Deportes

ESPN Deportes

ESPN Deportes is a cable television and radio network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day to the Spanish-speaking community in the United States...

. Bellator's events also were broadcast to countries around the world through a collection of broadcast agreements.

Due to its success in its first season, Bellator returned for a second season on April 8, 2010 with a bigger audience on NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

, FOX Sports Net

Fox Sports Net

The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...

, Telemundo

Telemundo

Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....

, Mun2

Mun2

mun2 is a national cable television broadcast network in the United States owned by NBC Universal and aimed at young Latinos. It is the sister network of Telemundo and was mostly digital television subchannels launched in 2001. The programming of mun2 is primarily music videos and shows designed...

 and The Score.

In December 2010, it was announced that Bellator had secured a TV deal to air their events live on the FX channel beginning in 2011, but the deal fell through. Later that month Bellator announced it will instead be broadcasted live on the MTV2

MTV2

MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...

 and Tr3s channels. The deal is for three years and it begun airing Bellator's fourth season in March 2011.

CEO Bjorn Rebney has said he would like to get it on pay-per-view.

Rules

The rules used on Bellator fighting championships events were, to an extent, originally established by the New Jersey Athletic Control Board

New Jersey State Athletic Control Board

The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of New Jersey, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, kickboxers, mixed martial arts fighters, seconds, ring officials, managers, and matchmakers...

. The "Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts" that New Jersey established has been adopted in other states that regulate mixed martial arts, including Nevada, Louisiana, and California, and are the same as used by other mixed martial arts promotions, most notably Zuffa.
Unlike promotions which use a polygonal cage, Bellator Fighting Championships use a circular cage.

Tournaments rules

In the first season each tournament winner would be able to earn up to $175,000 for three wins. Fighters eliminated from tournament competition would also be compensated, with opening-round winners receiving $25,000, semifinalists getting $50,000, and finalists netting $100,000. Non-tournament bouts and female fights were also promoted in the first season.

For the second season Bellator changed the accumulated winnings from $175,000 to $100,000.

Weight divisions

For its Tournaments, Bellator currently uses eight weight classes under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts:

• Bantamweight
  Bantamweight (MMA)
  The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The King of the Cage bantamweight class with upper limit at 145 lb...
  
  : up to 135 pounds (61.2 kg)
• Featherweight
  Featherweight (MMA)
  The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb...
  
  : up to 145 pounds (65.8 kg)
• Lightweight
  Lightweight (MMA)
  The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...
  
  : up to 155 pounds (70.3 kg)
• Welterweight
  Welterweight (MMA)
  The welterweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The UFC's & Strikeforce's welterweight division, which groups competitors within 156 to 170 lb...
  
  : up to 170 pounds (77.1 kg)
• Middleweight
  Middleweight (MMA)
  The middleweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Strikeforce's middleweight division, which groups competitors within 171 to 185 lb...
  
  : up to 185 pounds (83.9 kg)
• Light Heavyweight
  Light Heavyweight (MMA)
  The light heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally refers to competitors weighing between 186 and 205 lb . It sits between the lighter middleweight division, and the heavyweight division....
  
  : up to 205 pounds (93 kg)
• Heavyweight
  Heavyweight (MMA)
  The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...
  
  : up to 265 pounds (120.2 kg)
• Women's Flyweight: up to 115 pounds (52.2 kg)

• Bellator has also held bouts in various weight classes for women.

Tournaments

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season One

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season One

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season One was the first installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships -produced series. It started broadcasting April 3, 2009, through an exclusive television agreement with ESPN Deportes. The episodes had a one day tape delay.-Bellator I:Bellator I was a...

(April 3, 2009 - June 19, 2009)

• Winners:

  Weight Division	Champion	Runnerup	Event
  Middleweight	Hector Lombard Hector Lombard Hector Lombard is a Cuban-Australian mixed martial artist. Lombard was a Judo Olympian competing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic games, and is a multiple time national champion and world finalist. After 2000, Lombard began pursuing a career in mixed martial arts...	Jared Hess Jared Hess (fighter) Jared Hess is an American mixed martial artist. He is most known for his stint fighting for Bellator Fighting Championships in their middleweight division. He was runner up in the middleweight tournament after losing to Hector Lombard.-Biography:Hess grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and attend...	Bellator 12
  Welterweight	Lyman Good Lyman Good Lyman Good is an American mixed martial artist and instructor. He currently fights as a welterweight in the Bellator Fighting Championships, and won the first Bellator Welterweight Tournament.-Biography:...	Omar De La Cruz Omar de la Cruz Jesús Omar de la Cruz, or simply Omar de la Cruz, is a Dominican professional mixed martial artist...	Bellator 11
  Lightweight	Eddie Alvarez Eddie Alvarez Eddie Alvarez is an American mixed martial artist, and former Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight champion. Alvarez also competes for the Japanese DREAM promotion, and fought once for ProElite's EliteXC promotion...	Toby Imada Toby Imada Timoteo Tobias "Toby" Imada born July 16, 1978 is an American mixed martial artist of Japanese and Mexican descent. He fights for Bellator Fighting Championships in their lightweight division...	Bellator 12
  Featherweight	Joe Soto Joe Soto Joseph Angel Soto is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. Soto is currently signed under the Bellator Fighting Championships promotion where he was the first ever Bellator Featherweight Champion, and the winner of their inaugural featherweight tournament.-Biography:At the time...	Yahir Reyes Yahir Reyes Yahir Reyes is a Mexican mixed martial artist. He is most known for his stint with Bellator Fighting Championships, fighting in their first season featherweight tournament. Reyes made it to the final round of the tournament which took place at Bellator 10, fighting Joe Soto...	Bellator 10

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Two

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Two

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Two was the second installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships -produced series. It started on April 8, 2010 and ended June 24, 2010. Tournaments were held in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions...

(April 8, 2010 - June 24, 2010)

• Winners:

  Weight Division	Champion	Runnerup	Event
  Middleweight	Alexander Shlemenko Alexander Shlemenko Alexander Pavlovich Shlemenko is a Russian mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Middleweight division for Bellator Fighting Championships.-Early career:...	Bryan Baker Bryan Baker (fighter) Bryan Baker is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Baker fought in various promotions, most notably World Extreme Cagefighting and Bellator Fighting Championships...	Bellator 23
  Welterweight	Ben Askren Ben Askren Ben Askren is an American former amateur wrestler for the University of Missouri and U.S. Olympic team. He is now a mixed martial artist and the current Bellator Welterweight Champion.-Wrestling:...	Dan Hornbuckle Dan Hornbuckle Dan Hornbuckle is an American mixed martial artist. Hornbuckle holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Jack McVicker and has a self-proclaimed black belt in "intensity". Hornbuckle is Native American, and is a member of the Eastern Band Cherokee tribe...	Bellator 22
  Lightweight	Pat Curran Pat Curran (fighter) Pat Curran is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a Lightweight and Featherweight. He is the cousin of World Extreme Cagefighting veteran and former Featherweight title challenger Jeff Curran...	Toby Imada Toby Imada Timoteo Tobias "Toby" Imada born July 16, 1978 is an American mixed martial artist of Japanese and Mexican descent. He fights for Bellator Fighting Championships in their lightweight division...	Bellator 21
  Featherweight	Joe Warren Joe Warren (fighter) Joe Warren is an American Greco-Roman wrestler and mixed martial artist. As a Greco-Roman wrestler, he won the 2006 Pan American and World Championship and was a favourite for the 2008 Olympics, but was given a two-year suspension after testing positive for THC while trying to qualify for the 2007...	Patricio Freire Patricio Freire Patricio "Pitbull" Freire is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He competes in the featherweight division.-Bellator:After stringing together an impressive undefeated record on the local Brazilian circuit, he made his American debut on April 22, 2010 for the Bellator Fighting Championships in their...	Bellator 23

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Three

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Three

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Three was the third installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships, which started on August 12, 2010. Mixed martial arts tournaments were held in multiple weight classes, including the bantamweight division, heavyweight division and women's division at...

(August 12, 2010 - October 28, 2010)

• Winners:

  Weight Division	Champion	Runnerup	Event
  Heavyweight	Cole Konrad Cole Konrad Cole Konrad is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is currently a student at the University of Minnesota and former wrestler for the Golden Gophers. Konrad won a gold medal at the 2005 Pan-American Championships...	Neil Grove Neil Grove Neil Grove is a South African-born English heavyweight mixed martial artist currently signed with Bellator Fighting Championships. He holds a black belt rank of shodan in Gōjū-ryū karate...	Bellator 32
  Bantamweight	Zach Makovsky Zach Makovsky Zachory Paul "Zach" Makovsky is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Makovsky has most notably fought in Elite Xtreme Combat and Bellator Fighting Championships where he is the Bellator Bantamweight Champion.-Early...	Ed West Ed West (fighter) Ed West is an American mixed martial artist. He currently fights for Bellator Fighting Championships in the Bantamweight division and was featured in the fourth season tournament and is currently fighting in the fifth season tournament....	Bellator 32
  Women's Flyweight (115 lbs.)	United States Zoila Gurgel	Japan Megumi Fujii Megumi Fujii Megumi Fujii is a female Japanese mixed martial artist. She is currently the #3-ranked pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world by MMARising.com and the #1-ranked female flyweight according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings.-Biography:Fujii specializes mainly in submission fighting and is...	Bellator 34

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Four

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Four

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Four was the fourth installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships. Mixed martial arts tournaments were held in multiple weight classes, including three of the original tournament classes: Welterweight, Lightweight and Featherweight...

(March 5, 2011 - May 21, 2011)

• Winners:

Weight Division	Champion	Runnerup	Event
Light Heavyweight	Christian M'Pumbu Christian M'Pumbu Christian M'Pumbu is a French professional mixed martial artist of Congolese descent. He is the first and current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion.-Background:...	Richard Hale Richard Hale Richard Hale was an American character actor of film, stage and television. Hale was known for his unusual appearance which usually landed him in the roles of either Middle Eastern or Native American characters....	Bellator 45
Welterweight	Jay Hieron Jay Hieron James Thomas Hieronymus , better known as Jay Hieron, is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He is known for his wrestling base and heavy hands....	Rick Hawn Rick Hawn Rick Hawn is an American former 2004 US Olympic judo team member and is now a mixed martial artist. As a judoka he won numerous medals at U.S. national championships, 2 medals at the Pan American Games, and finished 9th at the 2004 Olympics. Hawn was born in Chicago; but when he was young, his...	Bellator 43
Lightweight	Michael Chandler Michael Chandler Michael Chandler Jr. is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter fighting in the lightweight division and previously in the welterweight division. He is currently under contract with Bellator Fighting Championships where he is the Bellator Lightweight Champion...	Patricky Freire Patricky Freire Patricky Freire is an Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is currently fighting in the Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament.-Mixed martial arts career:...	Bellator 44
Featherweight	Patricio Freire Patricio Freire Patricio "Pitbull" Freire is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He competes in the featherweight division.-Bellator:After stringing together an impressive undefeated record on the local Brazilian circuit, he made his American debut on April 22, 2010 for the Bellator Fighting Championships in their...	Daniel Straus Daniel Straus Daniel Straus , formerly known as Daniel Mason-Straus, is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He currently fights for Bellator Fighting Championships.-Wrestling Career:...	Bellator 45

Bellator Fighting Championships: 2011 Summer Series

Bellator Fighting Championships: 2011 Summer Series

Bellator Fighting Championships: 2011 Summer Series was the first installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships Summer Series which started in June 2011. A Mixed martial arts tournament was held in the Featherweight weight class.-Bellator XLVI:...

(June 25, 2011 - August 27, 2011)

• Winner:

Weight Division	Champion	Runnerup	Event
Featherweight	Pat Curran Pat Curran (fighter) Pat Curran is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a Lightweight and Featherweight. He is the cousin of World Extreme Cagefighting veteran and former Featherweight title challenger Jeff Curran...	Marlon Sandro Marlon Sandro Marlon Sandro is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He competes in the Featherweight division.-Early career:Sandro made his professional MMA debut in November 2004...	Bellator 48

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Five

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Five

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Five was the fifth and latest installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships, and began on September 10, 2011...

(September 10, 2011 - November 26, 2011)

• Winners:

Weight Division	Champion	Runnerup	Event
Heavyweight			TBA
Middleweight	Alexander Shlemenko Alexander Shlemenko Alexander Pavlovich Shlemenko is a Russian mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Middleweight division for Bellator Fighting Championships.-Early career:...	Vitor Vianna Vitor Vianna Vitor Vianna is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has competed in mixed martial arts events in Brazil, Holland, and in the United States. He is the #3 ranked Middleweight prospect in the world. He is also ranked as the #69 Light Heavyweight fighter in the world by FightMatrix.com. This ranking...	Bellator 57
Welterweight	Douglas Lima Douglas Lima Douglas Lima is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the welterweight division. He currently fights for Bellator Fighting Championships. He is the former MFC Welterweight champion.-Early career:...	Ben Saunders Ben Saunders Ben Saunders is a British polar explorer, endurance athlete, and motivational speaker.He is best known for skiing solo to the North Pole in 2004, and for blogging live from his expeditions...	Bellator 57
Bantamweight	Eduardo Dantas Eduardo Dantas Eduardo Dantas is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Dantas has mostly fought for Shooto Brazil, where he has competed for the Shooto 132-pound world title.-Background:Dantas trains with Nova União...	Alexis Vila Alexis Vila |-|Loss|align=center|11-1|Eduardo Dantas|Decision |Bellator 59||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States|Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Final|-|Win|align=center|11-0|Marcos Galvão|Decision...	Bellator 59

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Six

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Six

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Six is the upcoming sixth installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships, which will begin in 2012. Mixed martial arts tournaments will were held in four weight classes, including the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions...

(Q1 2012 - TBA)

• Winners:

Weight Division	Champion	Runnerup	Event
Middleweight
Welterweight
Lightweight
Featherweight

Bjorn Rebney stated these were the Season Six weight divisions on his twitter account but that they were trying to add one more weight class to the season. This would be the first time Bellator has hosted more than four tournaments in a season.

Current Champions

Division	Upper weight limit	Champion	Since	Title Defenses
Heavyweight Heavyweight (MMA) The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...	265 lb (120.2 kg; 18.9 st)	Cole Konrad Cole Konrad Cole Konrad is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is currently a student at the University of Minnesota and former wrestler for the Golden Gophers. Konrad won a gold medal at the 2005 Pan-American Championships...	October 14, 2010 (Bellator 32)	0
Light Heavyweight Light Heavyweight (MMA) The light heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally refers to competitors weighing between 186 and 205 lb . It sits between the lighter middleweight division, and the heavyweight division....	205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st)	Christian M'Pumbu Christian M'Pumbu Christian M'Pumbu is a French professional mixed martial artist of Congolese descent. He is the first and current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion.-Background:...	May 21, 2011 (Bellator 45)	0
Middleweight Middleweight (MMA) The middleweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Strikeforce's middleweight division, which groups competitors within 171 to 185 lb...	185 lb (83.9 kg; 13.2 st)	Hector Lombard Hector Lombard Hector Lombard is a Cuban-Australian mixed martial artist. Lombard was a Judo Olympian competing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic games, and is a multiple time national champion and world finalist. After 2000, Lombard began pursuing a career in mixed martial arts...	June 19, 2009 (Bellator 12)	1
Welterweight Welterweight (MMA) The welterweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The UFC's & Strikeforce's welterweight division, which groups competitors within 156 to 170 lb...	170 lb (77.1 kg; 12.1 st)	Ben Askren Ben Askren Ben Askren is an American former amateur wrestler for the University of Missouri and U.S. Olympic team. He is now a mixed martial artist and the current Bellator Welterweight Champion.-Wrestling:...	October 21, 2010 (Bellator 33)	1
Lightweight Lightweight (MMA) The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...	155 lb (70.3 kg; 11.1 st)	Michael Chandler Michael Chandler Michael Chandler Jr. is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter fighting in the lightweight division and previously in the welterweight division. He is currently under contract with Bellator Fighting Championships where he is the Bellator Lightweight Champion...	November 19, 2011 (Bellator 58)	0
Featherweight Featherweight (MMA) The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb...	145 lb (65.8 kg; 10.4 st)	Joe Warren Joe Warren (fighter) Joe Warren is an American Greco-Roman wrestler and mixed martial artist. As a Greco-Roman wrestler, he won the 2006 Pan American and World Championship and was a favourite for the 2008 Olympics, but was given a two-year suspension after testing positive for THC while trying to qualify for the 2007...	September 2, 2010 (Bellator 27)	0
Bantamweight Bantamweight (MMA) The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The King of the Cage bantamweight class with upper limit at 145 lb...	135 lb (61.2 kg; 9.6 st)	Zach Makovsky Zach Makovsky Zachory Paul "Zach" Makovsky is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Makovsky has most notably fought in Elite Xtreme Combat and Bellator Fighting Championships where he is the Bellator Bantamweight Champion.-Early...	October 14, 2010 (Bellator 32)	0
Women's Flyweight Flyweight (MMA) The flyweight division in mixed martial arts – as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission combat sports doctrine – groups together all competitors 125 lb and below...	115 lb (52.2 kg; 8.2 st)	Zoila Gurgel	October 28, 2010 (Bellator 34)	0

Notable Bellator fighters

Heavyweight Cole Konrad

Cole Konrad

Cole Konrad is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is currently a student at the University of Minnesota and former wrestler for the Golden Gophers. Konrad won a gold medal at the 2005 Pan-American Championships...

 (current Bellator Heavyweight Champion, Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament Winner) Thiago Santos (Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Finalist) Eric Prindle

Eric Prindle

Eric Prindle is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter and former United States soldier. He currently fights for Bellator Fighting Championships.-MMA career:...

 (Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Finalist) Neil Grove

Neil Grove

Neil Grove is a South African-born English heavyweight mixed martial artist currently signed with Bellator Fighting Championships. He holds a black belt rank of shodan in Gōjū-ryū karate...

 (Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament Runner-Up)

Light Heavyweight Christian M'Pumbu

Christian M'Pumbu

Christian M'Pumbu is a French professional mixed martial artist of Congolese descent. He is the first and current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion.-Background:...

 (current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion, Season 4 Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner) Richard Hale

Richard Hale (fighter)

Richard Hale is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter who competes in the light heavyweight division. He currently fights for Bellator Fighting Championships.-Rage in the Cage:...

 (Season 4 Light Heavyweight Tournament Runner-Up)

Middleweight Hector Lombard

Hector Lombard

Hector Lombard is a Cuban-Australian mixed martial artist. Lombard was a Judo Olympian competing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic games, and is a multiple time national champion and world finalist. After 2000, Lombard began pursuing a career in mixed martial arts...

 (current Bellator Middleweight Champion, Season 1 Middleweight Tournament Winner) Alexander Shlemenko

Alexander Shlemenko

Alexander Pavlovich Shlemenko is a Russian mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Middleweight division for Bellator Fighting Championships.-Early career:...

 (Season 2 & 5 Middleweight Tournament Winner) Vitor Vianna

Vitor Vianna

Vitor Vianna is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has competed in mixed martial arts events in Brazil, Holland, and in the United States. He is the #3 ranked Middleweight prospect in the world. He is also ranked as the #69 Light Heavyweight fighter in the world by FightMatrix.com. This ranking...

 (Season 5 Middleweight Tournament Runner-Up) Bryan Baker

Bryan Baker (fighter)

Bryan Baker is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Baker fought in various promotions, most notably World Extreme Cagefighting and Bellator Fighting Championships...

 (Season 2 Middleweight Tournament Runner-Up) Jared Hess

Jared Hess (fighter)

Jared Hess is an American mixed martial artist. He is most known for his stint fighting for Bellator Fighting Championships in their middleweight division. He was runner up in the middleweight tournament after losing to Hector Lombard.-Biography:Hess grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and attend...

 (Season 1 Middleweight Tournament Runner-Up)

Welterweight Ben Askren

Ben Askren

Ben Askren is an American former amateur wrestler for the University of Missouri and U.S. Olympic team. He is now a mixed martial artist and the current Bellator Welterweight Champion.-Wrestling:...

 (current Bellator Welterweight Champion, Season 2 Welterweight Tournament Winner) Lyman Good

Lyman Good

Lyman Good is an American mixed martial artist and instructor. He currently fights as a welterweight in the Bellator Fighting Championships, and won the first Bellator Welterweight Tournament.-Biography:...

 (former Bellator Welterweight Champion, Season 1 Welterweight Tournament Winner) Douglas Lima

Douglas Lima

Douglas Lima is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the welterweight division. He currently fights for Bellator Fighting Championships. He is the former MFC Welterweight champion.-Early career:...

 (Season 5 Welterweight Tournament Winner) Ben Saunders

Ben Saunders

Ben Saunders is a British polar explorer, endurance athlete, and motivational speaker.He is best known for skiing solo to the North Pole in 2004, and for blogging live from his expeditions...

 (Season 5 Welterweight Tournament Runner-Up) Jay Hieron

Jay Hieron

James Thomas Hieronymus , better known as Jay Hieron, is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He is known for his wrestling base and heavy hands....

 (Season 4 Welterweight Tournament Winner) Rick Hawn

Rick Hawn

Rick Hawn is an American former 2004 US Olympic judo team member and is now a mixed martial artist. As a judoka he won numerous medals at U.S. national championships, 2 medals at the Pan American Games, and finished 9th at the 2004 Olympics. Hawn was born in Chicago; but when he was young, his...

 (Season 4 Welterweight Tournament Runner-Up) Dan Hornbuckle

Dan Hornbuckle

Dan Hornbuckle is an American mixed martial artist. Hornbuckle holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Jack McVicker and has a self-proclaimed black belt in "intensity". Hornbuckle is Native American, and is a member of the Eastern Band Cherokee tribe...

 (Season 2 Welterweight Tournament Runner-Up) Omar De La Cruz

Omar de la Cruz

Jesús Omar de la Cruz, or simply Omar de la Cruz, is a Dominican professional mixed martial artist...

 (Season 1 Welterweight Tournament Runner-Up)

Lightweight Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler Jr. is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter fighting in the lightweight division and previously in the welterweight division. He is currently under contract with Bellator Fighting Championships where he is the Bellator Lightweight Champion...

 (current Bellator Lightweight Champion, Season 4 Lightweight Tournament Winner) Eddie Alvarez

Eddie Alvarez

Eddie Alvarez is an American mixed martial artist, and former Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight champion. Alvarez also competes for the Japanese DREAM promotion, and fought once for ProElite's EliteXC promotion...

 (former Bellator Lightweight Champion, Season 1 Lightweight Tournament Winner) Patricky Freire

Patricky Freire

Patricky Freire is an Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is currently fighting in the Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament.-Mixed martial arts career:...

 (Season 4 Lightweight Tournament Runner-Up) Pat Curran

Pat Curran (fighter)

Pat Curran is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a Lightweight and Featherweight. He is the cousin of World Extreme Cagefighting veteran and former Featherweight title challenger Jeff Curran...

 (Season 2 Lightweight Tournament Winner) Toby Imada

Toby Imada

Timoteo Tobias "Toby" Imada born July 16, 1978 is an American mixed martial artist of Japanese and Mexican descent. He fights for Bellator Fighting Championships in their lightweight division...

 (Seasons 1 & 2 Lightweight Tournament Runner-Up)

Featherweight Joe Warren

Joe Warren (fighter)

Joe Warren is an American Greco-Roman wrestler and mixed martial artist. As a Greco-Roman wrestler, he won the 2006 Pan American and World Championship and was a favourite for the 2008 Olympics, but was given a two-year suspension after testing positive for THC while trying to qualify for the 2007...

 (current Bellator Featherweight Champion, Season 2 Featherweight Tournament Winner) Joe Soto

Joe Soto

Joseph Angel Soto is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. Soto is currently signed under the Bellator Fighting Championships promotion where he was the first ever Bellator Featherweight Champion, and the winner of their inaugural featherweight tournament.-Biography:At the time...

 (former Bellator Featherweight Champion, Season 1 Featherweight Tournament Winner) Pat Curran

Pat Curran

Pat Curran is a retired American football tight end. Curran played for the National Football League Los Angeles Rams and San Diego Chargers between 1969 and 1978....

 (Summer Series 2011 Featherweight Tournament Winner) Marlon Sandro

Marlon Sandro

Marlon Sandro is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He competes in the Featherweight division.-Early career:Sandro made his professional MMA debut in November 2004...

 (Summer Series 2011 Featherweight Tournament Runner-Up) Patricio Freire

Patricio Freire

Patricio "Pitbull" Freire is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He competes in the featherweight division.-Bellator:After stringing together an impressive undefeated record on the local Brazilian circuit, he made his American debut on April 22, 2010 for the Bellator Fighting Championships in their...

 (Season 2 Featherweight Tournament Runner-Up, Season 4 Featherweight Tournament Winner) Daniel Straus

Daniel Straus

Daniel Straus , formerly known as Daniel Mason-Straus, is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He currently fights for Bellator Fighting Championships.-Wrestling Career:...

 (Season 4 Featherweight Tournament Runner-Up) Yahir Reyes

Yahir Reyes

Yahir Reyes is a Mexican mixed martial artist. He is most known for his stint with Bellator Fighting Championships, fighting in their first season featherweight tournament. Reyes made it to the final round of the tournament which took place at Bellator 10, fighting Joe Soto...

 (Season 1 Featherweight Tournament Runner-Up)

Bantamweight Zach Makovsky

Zach Makovsky

Zachory Paul "Zach" Makovsky is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Makovsky has most notably fought in Elite Xtreme Combat and Bellator Fighting Championships where he is the Bellator Bantamweight Champion.-Early...

 (current Bellator Bantamweight Champion, Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament Winner) Eduardo Dantas

Eduardo Dantas

Eduardo Dantas is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Dantas has mostly fought for Shooto Brazil, where he has competed for the Shooto 132-pound world title.-Background:Dantas trains with Nova União...

 (Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Winner) Alexis Vila

Alexis Vila

|-|Loss|align=center|11-1|Eduardo Dantas|Decision |Bellator 59||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States|Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Final|-|Win|align=center|11-0|Marcos Galvão|Decision...

 (Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Runner-Up) (Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament Runner-Up)

Women's Flyweight (115 lbs.) Zoila Gurgel (current Bellator Women's Flyweight Champion, Season 3 Women's Tournament Winner) Megumi Fujii

Megumi Fujii

Megumi Fujii is a female Japanese mixed martial artist. She is currently the #3-ranked pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world by MMARising.com and the #1-ranked female flyweight according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings.-Biography:Fujii specializes mainly in submission fighting and is...

 (Season 3 Women's Tournament Runner-Up)

See also

• List of Bellator events
• List of Bellator champions
• List of current Bellator fighters

External links

• Bellator