SAN JOSE, Calif. – If a championship belt and $1 million prize weren’t enough motivation for the eight-man field of the Bellator lightweight grand prix, company president Scott Coker says the status of No. 1 in the world is on the line.
Bellator’s 155-pound tournament begins on Friday at Bellator 292 with a pair of quarterfinal bouts. In the main event, undefeated champion Usman Nurmagomedov (16-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) begins his quest to defend through the grand prix field when he meets former UFC and WEC titleholder Benson Henderson (30-11 MMA, 7-6 BMMA). And in the co-main event, Tofiq Musayev (19-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) takes on Alexandr Shabliy (22-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA).
“This is going to be arguably the greatest lightweight tournament in the history of MMA,” Coker told MMA Junkie and other reporters following Thursday’s Bellator 292 ceremonial weigh-ins. “You guys saw gauntlet of fighters that are going to be in this tournament, and I think there are two or three dark horses that could upset these fighters. That is going to depend on how they perform under pressure. I’m really excited about this first night of fights.”
