Bellator 160: "Henderson vs. Pitbull" came to Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 26, 2016, featuring Benson Henderson getting a technical knockout win over Patricio "Pitbull" Freire because of an in-fight injury (watch it) to claim No. 1 Lightweight contender status. The big win for the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 155-pound champion, however, was not the biggest news of the night.
During the live Spike TV broadcast, another high-profile UFC veteran, Rory MacDonald, walked down the ramp in a suit and tie and was "secretly" introduced as the newest member of Bellator MMA's Welterweight division. For those following the news in MMA this shouldn't have come as a surprise given UFC had already removed "Red King" from its official rankings.
"Bellator gave me an offer that nobody in the world can match," MacDonald told Sean Grande. "They're giving me an opportunity nobody else can do for me. They believe in me and I'm gonna put on a show for you guys. I'm taking over. I'm the king of this division at 170."
MacDonald's promotional debut date, as well as opponent, remains unknown at this time.
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