Welsh standout Brett Johns makes his Bellator MMA promotional debut at long last this Friday night.
Long a UFC bantamweight, Johns (17-2) last fought inside the octagon last July when he earned a unanimous decision against Montel Jackson. It was the Shore MMA fighter’s second consecutive win — but his final bout for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Instead, he signed as a free agent with Bellator, looking to be paid his worth, and perhaps rekindle the fire that had dampened in him.
“I feel like I’m happier now,” Johns told media outlets including Cageside Press at this week’s Bellator 259 virtual media day.
People ask Johns what skills he’s been working on during his time away, he observed. The answer, “obviously I work on skills every day. But I worked on my own personal [issues], being more happy at what I do. Back in 2018 when the fights took place, I remember going through that period of time and it was more a 9 to 5 job, and not this passion that I love doing.”
The fights Johns is referring to were a pair of losses to top 135lb’ers in Pedro Munhoz and Aljamain Sterling. But from the sounds of it, as he makes the crossover in promotions in a “good fight for sure” against Danny Sabatello, Johns is in a better place.
“I’m happy to be here, I’m treated very well as a fighter. I haven’t got any bad things to say about the company. I’m just excited to add my bit to this promotion,” Johns stated.
Watch the full Bellator 259 media day scrum with Brett Johns above.
