High Profile Welterweight Contender Leaves UFC For Bellator

Rory MacDonald is leaving the UFC after more than six years with the promotion, as the Canadian will be joining the Bellator MMA roster. He said his agent presented UFC with a “very complex breakdown” of what they felt MacDonald should be paid in a new contract.

Generally speaking Bellator’s 170-pound division doesn’t stack up to the UFC’s in terms of talent, but there will be a handful of tantalizing potential matchups for MacDonald including Douglas Lima, Michael Page and champion Andrey Koreshkov. “I’m not going anywhere”. I love it. I love fighting for the UFC, and this is my drug. I need it as much as I can. He previously submitted Alex Oliveira before finishing Patrick Cote with strikes. He lost out to Robbie Lawler in a dramatic welterweight title fight in July 2015, and then missed almost a year of competition. This marked his second loss to Dos Anjos, prompting the jump up in weight.

A title shot seems likely. Instead, “Cowboy” has re-upped for eight more fights inside the octagon.

Cerrone already holds a win over Alvarez in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, as he defeated “The Silent Assassin” via unanimous decision at UFC 178 back in 2014.

Immediately after his victory over story, Cerrone called for a shot at UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in NY. Cerrone had planned on moving back down to lightweight after his fight with Story but Dana White is hoping to change his mind.