Bellator had its biggest and busiest year to date in 2019, with 24 numbered events that helped raise the promotion’s profile to a true position of prominence in MMA. During that time, many records were set and a host of historic moments were produced.
Now that the year has come to a close, here are some of 2019’s most significant fights and individual performances.
* * * *
GENERAL
Bellator president Scott Coker
Bellator held 24 numbered events (not including full European series shows) in 14 different cities across six countries and three continents. The 24 events are the most for the organization in a calendar year.
Those events had 128 main card fights across 11 different weight classes (not including catchweight bouts).
Those 128 main card fights combined for a total cage time of 19:48:08.
The longest event of the year (main card fights only) was Bellator 223 (1:49:02).
The shortest event of the year (main card fights only) was Bellator 214 (20:07).
Eight fighters missed weight for main card bouts. Those fighters went 4-3, while one bout was canceled.
Seven main or co-main event bouts were canceled due to a variety of reasons.
Betting favorites went 82-26 during Bellator main card fights. 14 fights had no odds available while three fights had even odds, and three ended in a no contest.
Six cards saw all the betting favorites win.
No fight cards had more underdogs win than favorites.
Bellator 225 was the first event in company history to have every fight end in a stoppage.
CHAMPIONSHIP FEATS
Ryan Bader
Ryan Bader became the first simultaneous two-division champion in company history when he captured the heavyweight title at Bellator 214.
Bader joined Joe Warren as the second fighter in company history to win titles in two weight classes.
Rory MacDonald vs. Jon Fitch at Bellator 220 marked the first title fight in company history to end in a draw.
Patricio Freire became the second simultaneous two-division champion in company history when he captured the lightweight title at Bellator 221.
Freire became the third fighter in company history to win titles in two weight classes, joining Bader and Warren in that exclusive club.
Michael Chandler became the first in company history to suffer five losses in title fights when he was defeated at Bellator 221.
Kyoji Horiguchi
Kyoji Horiguchi became the first fighter in history to earn titles in Bellator and Rizin FF when he won the Bellator bantamweight title at Bellator 222.
Bader became the first champion in company history to register title defenses in two weight classes when he retained his heavyweight belt at Bellator 226.
Freire set a new mark for most championship-fight victories in company history with his eighth when he won at Bellator 228.
Douglas Lima became the second fighter in company history to have three title reigns in a single weight class when he reclaimed the welterweight belt at Bellator 232. Chandler also accomplished the feat.
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane became the second champion in company history to earn four consecutive title defenses when she won at Bellator 236. Ben Askren also accomplished the feat.
INDIVIDUAL FEATS
Matt Mitrione vs. Sergei Kharitonov at Bellator 215
Matt Mitrione vs. Sergei Kharitonov at Bellator 215 marked the third shortest no-contest in Bellator/UFC/WEC/Strikeforce/PRIDE combined history at just 15 seconds. Only Marius Zaromskis vs. Waachim Spiritwolf (six seconds) at Strikeforce Challengers 12 and Kevin Casey vs. Antonio Carlos Junior (11 seconds) at UFC Fight Night 80 were faster.
Michael Page became the second fighter in history to earn a 10-fight Bellator winning streak when he won at Bellator 216. A.J. McKee also accomplished the feat.
David Rickels became the third fighter in history to reach 15 Bellator victories when he won at Bellator 219. Patricio Freire and Chandler have also accomplished the feat.
Jordan Young became the first fighter in company history to earn five consecutive victories by submission when he won at Bellator 224.
Aviv Gozali, 18, became the youngest fighter to earn a Bellator victory when he won at Bellator 225.
Gozali’s 11-second victory at Bellator 225 marked the fastest submission in company history.
Patricio Freire
Freire set a new mark for most victories in company history with his 18th when he won at Bellator 228.
Haim Gozali, 46, became the oldest fighter in Bellator history to earn a submission victory when he won at Bellator 234.
Frank Mir earned his first non-UFC victory since August 2001 when he won at Bellator 231.
Lima became the first fighter in company history to claim three separate tournaments victories when he won the welterweight grand prix at Bellator 232.
Saad Awad became the first in history to suffer 10 Bellator defeats when he lost at Bellator 232.
Patrick Mix earned the first Suloev stretch submission finish in company history when he won at Bellator 232.
Muhammed Lawal retired from MMA competition following his loss at Bellator 233.
Macfarlane became the third fighter in history to earn a 10-fight Bellator winning streak when she won at Bellator 236. Page and McKee also accomplished the feat.
McKee extended his company record winning streak to 16 fights when he earned a victory at Bellator 236.
McKee set a new record for most stoppages in featherweight history with his 11th when he won at Bellator 236.
Chandler set a new record for most stoppages in company history with his 12th when he won at Bellator 237.
