Bellator spent 2020 navigating the complications presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and revamping the promotion's roster with signings that present both potential future stars and fighters who are already established stars. That sets up 2021 as an important year for the promotion, with big fight potential and a focus on growth.
After having to take months off due to COVID, Bellator finished 2020 strong. But what should the expectations for fans be heading into the new year?
That was a question the CBS Sports experts sat down to try to answer by offering our bold predictions for the next 12 months. Read on to see what we feel will be three major stories coming out of a pivotal year for the promotion.
This will be Bellator's most successful year since 2015
When Scott Coker took over Bellator in 2014, he promised big things. Some of those were delivered or at least attempted in his first full year with the promotion in 2015. This, you'll recall, is when the "Bellator Dynamite" shows took place and Bellator kickboxing was introduced. Some of his changes have been lasting, such as finding overseas broadcast partners in Europe hungry for the kind of content that specifically caters to their audiences. A lot of it, however, has not. But there is change afoot in MMA and Bellator is no exception. Lots of younger fighters like A.J. McKee, Joey Davis and Yarsoslav Amosav are making a name for themselves. Top-down signings like Yoel Romero and Anthony Johnson provide Bellator with bankable main event stars for bigger ViacomCBS networks. More importantly, while the playbook of looking to Japan as a way to temporarily boost Bellator's fortunes worked somewhat in 2015, Coker's redeveloped roster, standout light heavyweight division and recommitted corporate partners put it in place to do well in 2021 and beyond. It's event content built for quality and scale. It took time for the roster to naturally overturn and Bellator to find its footing, but in 2021, evidence will emerge of a reboot that is built on the company's slow redevelopment. -- Luke Thomas
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Anderson Silva will fight for a Bellator title
Among the big-name fighters released or not re-signed by UFC in what has been seen as a series of calculated moves financially to close 2020, Silva was among those mentioned by Bellator president Scott Coker as not being interested in. The problem is he said the same thing about Yoel Romero before signing him, shortly before Coker made an even bigger splash by landing Anthony "Rumble" Johnson. But at 45, Silva still retains a ton of name recognition and might have more left in the tank than the tail end of his UFC run did justice. It's far from ridiculous that he could be at least one contender at 185 pounds to set up a shot at Gegard Mousasi's middleweight title should Silva and Bellator decide to do business with one another. -- Brian Campbell
Aaron Pico becomes a title contender
Pico's stumbles have been brutal, but he's 24-years old and still developing as a fighter. There's no denying that the tools are there, and he's slowly piecing together how to become a complete fighter. I'll go out on a limb and say 2021 is the year where Pico starts knocking off some bigger names and emerges as someone who begins fighting like the guy who was arguably the most hyped prospect in MMA history. He may not fight for the title in 2021, but he'll establish himself as a true title contender over the next 12 months. -- Brent Brookhouse
