After a wild year in 2022 for Bellator MMA, the promotion looks ahead to the next 12 months with even more to accomplish. The promotion made a clean sweep at Bellator vs. Rizin in Japan on New Year's Eve where all five competitors sent to battle with Rizin's best had impressive showings. Now, attention turns toward the first event of 2023 with even more eyes on the promotion as Bellator 290 lands on CBS with a massive pair of title fights.
But with some time to go before we reach that event in February, it's time to look at the landscape of where things stand and make some predictions for what 2023 could bring. Let's take a closer look at what our experts expect to see go down in the new year.
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Vadim Nemkov adds heavyweight title
Nemkov closed out 2022 by leaving no doubt in his rematch with Corey Anderson for the $1 million prize in their Grand Prix tournament final. The result supported Nemkov's case for inclusion in the debate of best 205-pound fighter in the world. Although Nemkov has not yet shared public interest in seeking a title in a second division, the man he took the light heavyweight title from, Ryan Bader, remains the defending heavyweight champion. Should Bader earn a second victory over Nemkov's mentor, Fedor Emelianenko, when the two meet Feb. 4 on CBS, Bellator could do worse from a storyline standpoint than sending Nemkov to avenge his trainer's loss against the fighter he previously stopped. -- Brian Campbell
AJ McKee becomes lightweight champion
While there's a lot of talk about a trilogy fight between McKee and Patricio Pitbull, Pitbull has made it clear he doesn't plan to return to lightweight and McKee may well have outgrown featherweight. Why risk fighting as a reduced version of yourself when you can continue to find your place in the lightweight division? As McKee is a homegrown Bellator talent and one of the elite talents on the entire roster, it doesn't seem a stretch to say that he could land himself in the cage with undefeated lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov is a talented fighter in his own right, but McKee is a level above the best fighters Nurmagomedov has had to face in his young career. On the feet, the fight may be fairly even, but if Nurmagomedov tries to engage his wrestling, he is immediately in danger because of McKee's tremendous grappling abilities. Forget the Pitbull trilogy, a rivalry with Nurmagomedov could be the defining rivalry of McKee's career, but I'd give McKee the edge in picking up the win -- and the title -- should the two meet in 2023. -- Brent Brookhouse
Benson Henderson's swan song will be one last world title fight
Henderson fighting for a Bellator championship was an absurd proposal heading into 2022, but much has changed one year later. Henderson entered 2022 on a three-fight losing streak to Michael Chandler, Jason Jackson (at welterweight) and Brent Primus in 2020 and 2021. Twelve months later, Henderson is ranked No. 3 at lightweight with consecutive wins over ranked contender Islam Mamedov and world title challenger Peter Queally. Henderson recently expressed his intention to make one last push for a world title before retiring. Tofiq Musayev is ahead of Henderson in the pecking order and AJ McKee is rapidly approaching from behind, but it's not impossible that fortune shines kindly upon Henderson. A former UFC lightweight champion with wins over Nate Diaz, Frankie Edgar, Donald Cerrone and Patricio Pitbull, Henderson's name value could give him an edge in matchmaking. Henderson is likely one win away from a title shot but could get an expedited shot if the other contenders are unavailable. A fitting send-off for a once-world-caliber fighter entering 17 years of active competition. -- Shakiel Mahjouri
