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Bellator MMA have improved their roster a great deal in recent years. The promotion has gone in another direction in terms of fighter signings. They have committed themselves to signing the majority of their fighters based on potential rather than who has the biggest name. Of course, signing veteran fighters with name recognition is important, but they have been more selective on which ones they do.
It’s understandable why the promotion pursued popular fighters at the tail-end of their careers when they were free agents. They saw an opportunity to add notable fighters to their events in hopes of attracting fans with their homegrown stars. It looks like they've moved on from signing Tito Ortiz and 'Rampage' Jackson and are more interested in NCAA stand-outs.
They have an exciting roster that could lead to continued growth for the promotion as a whole in 2022. With many intriguing bouts on the horizon, fighters will look to make a statement in the promotion’s second year on Showtime. This list will look at 5 Bellator fighters to keep an eye on in 2022.
#5. Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov
Yaroslav ‘Dynamo’ Amosov is a fighter who should receive more attention in 2022. The reigning Bellator welterweight champion is undefeated with a 26-0 record. He has also improved with each fight and looked great in his title win over Douglas Lima.
‘Dynamo’ has a decorated Sambo background and has been able to use it to his advantage. His Sambo skills were on full display in wins over NCAA standout Ed Ruth and former champion Lima.
Amosov will face another tough test in early 2022 as he will fight Michael ‘Venom’ Page in his first title defense. MVP is known for his elite striking and could pose many problems for the champion if he’s not on-top of his game. It's no secret that Amosov will be shooting for takedowns and won't risk getting into a slugfest with Page. Now that he's champion, it'll be interesting to see if he remains unbeaten in 2022.
#4. Former Bellator bantamweight champion Kyoji Horiguchi
Kyoji Horiguchi is definitely a Bellator fighter that fans will want to keep an eye on in 2022. He is coming off a knockout loss to current Bellator bantamweight champion Sergio Pettis.
Despite being knocked out, Horiguchi was clearly winning the fight. The reigning RIZIN bantamweight champion was in control in each round before getting caught with a spinning back-fist. It will be interesting to see if he’s able to bounce back as he competes in the bantamweight Grand Prix. Although he’s coming into the tournament following a loss, he’s a well-rounded fighter that’s still viewed as one of the favorites.
Horiguchi demonstrated what he’s capable of as he’s been successful in every major promotion. The Grand Prix will be an excellent opportunity for Horiguchi to hold the bantamweight championship in two major promotions. If he does, the 31-year-old would have accomplished that feat for the second time in his career.
#3. Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov
Another champion that fans should keep an eye on in 2022 is Vadim Nemkov. The reigning light heavyweight champion has had an incredible run since joining the promotion. He is unbeaten since joining the promotion and is regarded as one of the best 205-pounders in the world.
Nemkov has an impressive resume in the sport that includes wins over UFC vets Phil Davis twice and Ryan Bader. He’ll have another opportunity to prove his greatness when he takes on Corey Anderson in the light heavyweight Grand Prix final.
What makes Nemkov's streak even more impressive is that five of his six opponents were former champions. Nemkov has done a great job mixing his Sambo with his striking, which has led to a few highlight-reel finishes. The Fedor Team protege is looking to successfully retain his title for a third time and win the $1 million prize.
#2. Bellator lightweight Usman Nurmagomedov
One Bellator fighter that will be gaining more attention when he fights is Usman Nurmagomedov. The third-ranked lightweight has risen the ranks at 155lbs and will look to earn a title shot in 2022. Nurmagomedov is the cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and trains out of AKA.
Usman has an undefeated 14-0 record and has looked impressive. It's not too far fetched to assume that the 23-year-old could eventually become one of the faces of the promotion. They clearly have high hopes for him and rightfully so. He has enormous potential and is already proving to be one of the sport’s top prospects.
He has expressed his desire to fight ranked opponents and could get his wish this year. Based on the lightweight rankings, Usman could realistically be matched up with Goiti Yamauchi or former title-challenger Peter Queally. We’ll have to wait and see what the promotion has planned for him, but 2022 could be a big year for the 23-year-old.
#1. Bellator featherweight champion A.J. ‘Mercenary’ McKee
Topping this list of Bellator fighters to keep an eye on in 2022 is A.J. ‘Mercenary’ McKee. The reigning featherweight champion is coming off the biggest win of his MMA career. He defeated Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire to become the new featherweight champion and also win the featherweight Grand Prix.
‘Mercenary’ has an undefeated 18-0 record with all his fights taking place inside the Bellator cage. He's defeated a who’s who at 145lbs and now has a decision to make. McKee has said on numerous occasions that he intends to move up to lightweight and might do just that.
McKee could decide to defend against ‘Pitbull’ in a rematch, which gives him an opportunity to earn a title defense. Another possibility could see McKee vacate the featherweight championship and challenge Patricio’s brother Patricky for the lightweight championship. McKee challenging Patricky would add another interesting chapter to the rivalry and could garner plenty of attention for the promotion.
