With the UFC under uncertain new leadership and evidently looking to offload perceived ballast, suddenly the fields of Bellator look a lot greener. A little bouncier and more lush, well nourished, yawning from Thackerville to the Mohegan Sun.
Big names like Rory MacDonald, Benson Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko turned to the Bellator side rather than re-sign (or sign) with the UFC, lured by the promise of free-flowing sponsors and generally greater autonomy.
To the UFC and its army of devotees, it’s nothing but blasphemy. To claim Bellator is a worthy landing spot for anyone who once carried the mark of those three letters is to bare your hapless backside to the gods themselves.
Oddly, some fighters are still doing it. Who else on the current UFC roster could follow suit? Let’s take a look at the five most likely candidates.