The fans called for it, and Bellator MMA have listened. As of January 1, 2022, all Bellator main events will now be five rounds.
The change comes in the wake of Bellator 267’s Douglas Lima vs. Michael “Venom” Page 2. The three-round main event saw “MVP” earn a split decision win, evening his career series with ex-champ Lima at 1-1. Many, however, questioned what might have happened had the bout been able to go longer — including Page himself, who voiced his approval for five round main events following the fight.
Bellator’s Public Relations team announced the news on social media Wednesday. All remaining main events for the year will adhere to current contracts.
That means that November’s Bellator 270 fight between James Gallagher and Patrick Mix will remain a 15-minute affair. Although with the news that Patriky Pitbull vs. Peter Queally 2 on that same card is now for the lightweight title, the show may wind up with a five-round main event regardless.
Wednesday’s news opens the door for Douglas Lima vs. Michael Page 3 to span a full twenty-five minutes. Following the win, Page indicated that he preferred the rematch to a potential welterweight title fight against Yaroslav Amosov, which many had anticipated would come next.
