Scott Coker Confirms Participants Of Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix
Bellator president Scott Coker has confirmed the participants of the promotion’s upcoming 16-man featherweight grand prix.
Coker revealed the participants on Ariel Helwani‘s MMA Show on Monday before Bellator made it official shortly afterwards:
The first round of the grand prix will take place across Bellator 226 and Bellator 228, both of which take place in September. You can see the full grand prix bouts below:
Bellator 226 — September 7
- Sam Sicilia vs. Pedro Carvalho
- Daniel Straus vs. Derek Campos
- Pat Curran vs. Adam Borics
- Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Tywan Claxton
Bellator 228 — September 28
- Patricio Freire vs. Juan Archuleta
- A.J. McKee vs. Georgi Karakhanyan
- Darrion Caldwell vs. Henry Corrales
- Daniel Weichel vs. Saul Rogers
Patricio Freire, of course, is the reigning featherweight champion and his fight against Juan Archuleta was already announced. Should he win the grand prix, he will not only retain his 145-pound crown, but will also be the recipient of a $1 million prize.
A notable name that is missing in the grand prix is Aaron Pico, who is coming off two knockout losses. Coker confirmed that they were taking a step back with him, but it’s always possible he steps in as a replacement should anyone have to pull out.
Which fight are you most excited for?
