Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Sara McMann
has signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA.
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The promotion announced the news on Tuesday. The former Olympic
silver medalist will move up a division in Bellator to compete at
145 pounds, where Cristiane
Justino is the reigning champion.
“I am thrilled to have joined Bellator. Bellator has the deepest
roster at women’s featherweight, and I look forward to tough scraps
with these ladies,” McMann said in a release. “I want to thank the
Bellator team, especially Mike Kogan and Scott Coker, for putting
together such an outstanding offer, and I’d like to thank many
Bellator fighters, including Cris Cyborg, for their collective
support and encouragement. Everything about this feels right, and I
am grateful and looking forward to 2023!”
McMann challenged for bantamweight gold in just her second Octagon
appearance, falling to Ronda
Rousey via first-round technical knockout at UFC 170 on Feb.
22, 2014. She would go on to compile a 7-6 mark in the Las
Vegas-based organization, earning wins over the likes of Karol Rosa,
Alexis
Davis, Jessica Eye
and Lauren
Murphy. The 42-year-old South Carolinian was scheduled to meet
Aspen
Ladd in both August and September, but on both occasions Ladd
was forced to withdraw from the matchup. McMann completed her UFC
contract with the cancellation of the second Ladd booking.
McMann also released a statement via Instagram explaining the
reasoning behind her decision to sign with Bellator:
After a lot of consideration and negotiation, I’ve decided to
fight for Bellator in the featherweight division. Before my fight
with Karol Rosa, Jennifer Goldstein (my amazing manager) asked if I
wanted to test free agency or remain with the UFC no matter what. I
told her that while I have enjoyed my career fighting for the UFC,
I am at a different point in life than when I initially signed with
them.
I’m at a very fortunate time in women’s MMA where other promotions
will offer very enticing contracts if you are a top ranked fighter.
It’s not easy to leave some of the great people I’ve met or the
excellent bantamweight fighters I’ve faced. Bellator made an offer
that I simply couldn’t refuse. I hope to keep all of my friends in
the UFC while making new friends in Bellator. The fighting world is
a tight knit community and I respect all of the athletes who put it
on the line. My desire to be the world champion at featherweight is
very strong because I truly believe Bellator has the premier
fighters in the world at that weight class. Thank you to every one
of my fans, you all are legit fight fans (or wrestlers ) and I
can’t wait to showcase my skills without a tough weight cut.
Some fans have asked about retirement. The honest answer is that I
just really like fighting and don’t want to stop yet. I have a
Masters in Mental Health Counseling and I really look forward to
the day I can do counseling full time. But not yet…