Bellator has put together its most star-studded tournament yet.
Former UFC title challengers Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson and Yoel Romero will highlight the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix this year, the promotion announced Tuesday.
The eight-man tournament will begin April 9 at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun, with the quarterfinals continuing April 16.
In addition to Johnson and Romero, the grand prix slate will feature former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader, former UFC contenders Corey Anderson and Phil Davis, and Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov.
Johnson and Romero, both recent signings from the UFC, will fight each other in the tournament quarterfinals April 16. Nemkov will headline that April 16 card, putting his title on the line in the quarterfinals against Davis. On April 9, Bader vs. Machida will headline and Anderson vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov will serve as the co-main event.
Bellator’s first card of the year will take place April 2 at Mohegan Sun. That event will be headlined by Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire defending his featherweight title against Emmanuel Sanchez. That bout will act as a semifinal bout in the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix. The winner will face blue-chip prospect A.J. McKee.
On May 7, Juan Archuleta will defend his Bellator bantamweight title against Sergio Pettis, it was announced Tuesday as well. The announcements came via a live YouTube stream from Mohegan Sun, which also included Bellator’s new broadcast home in the United States: Showtime.