Bellator Officially Launch Their Own Fighter Rankings System

Things are continuing to pick up for Bellator.

After recently announcing a deal with Showtime as well as a new light heavyweight tournament, the Santa Monica-based promotion has now launched its own fighter rankings system.

There will be rankings for each division as well as pound-for-pound rankings for both the men and women similar to the UFC. Votes will be cast by a 15-person panel consisting of MMA media members.

Final results of the votes will be made public and to ensure transparency, third-party company Combat Registry will oversee the tabulation of the votes.

“This is the greatest roster in the history of Bellator,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said in a statement. “As we continue to sign the top free agents in the sport and see the success of young prospects inside the Bellator cage, we felt that the time was right to introduce official fighter rankings.

“We are always looking at ways to improve our product and this adds a new and exciting aspect to the organization that will have a significant impact on how fans watch Bellator. Every division is competitive, every matchup is important, and we are set for several potential blockbusters as we begin a new year on Showtime.”

The initial rankings will be released in the days leading up to Bellator 255 which takes place April 2. That event is headlined by a featherweight grand prix semifinal between current champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Emmanuel Sanchez.

What do you make of this news?