Bellator MMA used to make Canada (specifically, the province of Ontario) a regular stop on its live event circuit. However, the promotion has not returned to the home of its recent free agent acquisition Rory MacDonald since Bellator 119 back in 2014. That’s quite the dry stretch, given the Viacom-backed company had made seven visits between Bellator 47 and that May, 2014 event at Ontario’s Casino Rama.
Well, now that the organization has Rory MacDonald in the fold (not to mention the recently signed Valerie Letourneau), it looks like that may change. On today’s media call for the upcoming Bellator 179 in London, England next week, Bellator CEO Scott Coker told Cageside Press that the promotion would be back in Canada soon. They’d even looked into setting MacDonald’s debut in his home country.
“We had checked several venues availability, and we’re currently speaking to a couple venues in Canada about doing a big fight there before the end of the year” Coker said. “So just hang tight, we’ll be up there shortly, and like we did in London, we’ll come there with a big big card, big matchups.”
That’s great news for Bellator’s Canadian contingent and fans. MacDonald last fought at UFC Fight Night 89 in Ottawa last Summer. The event, at the TD Place arena, sold out in just minutes.
First, however, MacDonald must contend with Paul Daley in the main event of Bellator 179 on May 19. The winner of that bout is expected to be the number one contender for Bellator’s welterweight crown.
