Bellator MMA will certainly crown a new heavyweight champion in 2018, featuring eight-man. The Grand Prix is the pinnacle of combat sport. The promotion has put together a great tournament featuring a bevy of MMA superstars.
Bellator President Scott Coker spoke to MMAJunkie that the company would host an eight-man heavyweight tournament in four years known as the Bellator MMA World Grand Prix 2018, with the winner earning the vacant Bellator title.
“This is going to be something that’s iconic for us,” Coker said. “Tournaments, traditionally, are kind of the way martial arts contests happen. Now we get to put eight iconic brand names in our sport together over a year, and then whoever wins will be crowned the heavyweight champion.”
So the eight most iconic names which include organization’s most recognizable heavyweights, featuring, former UFC titleholder Frank Mir (18-11 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), Matt Mitrione and Roy Nelson (23-14 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) will all be in the tournament along with greatest-of-all-time candidate, former PRIDE FC deity Fedor Emelianenko.
Moreover, four light heavyweight fighters are moving up a division for a chance at heavyweight gold, Ryan Bader, former UFC champ Quinton Jackson, multi-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen, and ex-Strikeforce titleholder Muhammed Lawal.
The date for heavyweight grand prix bracket will be announced soon for 2018. According to the promotion, they will likely to kick off the GP at their January 20th event and hope to decide a champion by the end of 2018.
“When Scott Coker signed on with Bellator in 2014, we knew that he would constantly innovate and bring new and creative ideas to the promotion. The heavyweight grand prix is a perfect example of that. The tournament will provide outstanding sports content for the soon-to-launch Paramount Network in 2018, and we’re excited about delivering this type of entertainment to our viewers.”
