Bellator has not yet held a fight card in 2021, but it has already been a big year for the promotion. It was recently announced that beginning with Bellator 255 on Friday, April 2, Showtime will serve as the new host network for the company.
In addition to landing a new home, Bellator will focus on finishing up the stacked Featherweight World Grand Prix tournament -- starting with the second semifinal fight where Patricio Pitbull puts his featherweight title on the line against Emmanuel Sanchez at Bellator 255 -- as well as the beginning of the Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix. At Bellator 256, former light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader will return to the cage to face former UFC champ Lyoto Machida in a first-round match. Also on the card, former UFC stars Anthony "Rumble" Johnson and Yoel Romero meet in a first-round battle as the high-profile free agents make their promotional debuts.
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The tournament action continues at Bellator 257, with Vadim Nemkov defending his light heacyweight title in the first round against Phil Davis in the main event, and Corey Anderson facing Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov in the co-main event.
In addition, Bellator officials have stated the promotion will feature up to two events each month on Showtime, with Cris Cyborg, Gegard Mousasi, Douglas Lima and other big names on the roster to be announced for upcoming events.
Be sure to check back in on this page to stay up to date on the upcoming Bellator events throughout the remainder of the year.
Upcoming Bellator schedule
| Event | Date | Main event | Weight class | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellator 255 | April 2 | Patricio Pitbull (c) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez | Featherweight World Grand Prix Semifinal -- Featherweight title | Uncasville, Connecticut | Showtime |
| Bellator 256 | April 9 | Ryan Bader vs. Lyoto Machida | Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Opening Round | Uncasville, Connecticut | Showtime |
| Bellator 257 | April 16 | Vadim Nemkov (c) vs. Phil Davis | Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Opening Round -- Light heavyweight title | Uncasville, Connecticut | Showtime |
| Bellator 258 | May 7 | Juan Archuleta (c) vs. Sergio Pettis | Bantamweight title | Uncasville, Connecticut | Showtime |
