.@BellatorMMA’s
version of March Madness pic.twitter.com/Ez9zgy2MFM— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker)
March 24, 2022
The Bellator MMA bantamweight tournament is now on the
books.
Per the organization, through its broadcast partner on CBS Sports,
the Bellator bantamweight grand prix has its bracket. Instead of
eight men, there will be ten, although two will be eliminated on
April 28 to make it an even eight. Parts of the tourney, including
the
Bellator 279 meetings of Juan
Archuleta vs. Raufeon
Stots for the interim strap, as well as Patrick Mix
vs. Kyoji
Horiguchi, had already been announced previously. The new
additions include Jornel
Lugo, Danny
Sabatello, Enrique
Barzola and Josh Hill.
At
Bellator 278 on April 22, the two wild card bouts will go on to
determine who faces Leandro
Higo and Magomed
Magomedov in the quarterfinals. James
Gallagher was initially expected to take on Magomedov, but he
withdrew due to an injury that will require surgery. The news of
that was first reported by
Sports Illustrated on Wednesday. The victor between Lugo and
Sabatello will face off against Higo, while the one getting their
hand raised after Barzola vs. Hill gets to fight Magomedov. From
there, the tournament will continue as any normal
single-elimination tourney would, with those subsequent winners in
the semifinals.
While Hill (21-4) was initially tapped as an alternate following
his December destruction of Jared
Scoggins, that slot was revoked in favor of him having to win a
“play-in” contest with Barzola. The well-traveled Hill had pulled
off two wins under the Bellator banner in 2020 before running into
Stots in May 2021, and he fell short by decision to end his
four-fight win streak. His opponent Barzola (17-5-2) made a splash
by laying waste to ex-champ Darrion
Caldwell in January in his organizational debut, and also put
an end to a stoppage-free 10-fight stretch in the process.
Earning the right to take on Higo will be bantamweights Lugo and
Sabatello, who combine for just one defeat between them. Lugo (8-0)
has made the most of his five outings in the Bellator cage, winning
all five, including four on the scorecards. His three-round win
over Brian Moore
in February elevated him into contention for this tournament. Like
his foe, Sabatello (11-1) also won his last fight by decision,
taking out Brett Johns
in May 2021 in his first fight with the company. The American Top
Team prospect has rattled off five straight wins, including one on
Dana White’s Contender Series that did not net
him a contract.
Per CBS
Sports, Pettis will remain the disputed bantamweight champ,
with his injury that will keep him out of the entire tournament.
The interim belt between Archuleta and Stots will carry through
their bracket, with it on the line each time its holder fights. At
the end of the grand prix, the final triumphant fighter will get a
chance to unify their interim title against Sergio
Pettis.